"He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else?" --Romans 8:32
In the book of Acts chapter four we are introduced to a man named Joseph who the disciples called by another name. That name we are told was Barnabas, which means 'son of encouragement'. I had driven a long way Sunday and arrived downtown at almost 6 pm. For some reason, the story of this man kept coming to mind and I started praying that I would be like Barnabas and be an encouragement to someone, hopefully more than one, as I worked among the homeless that evening. I was tired and certainly didn't feel like an encouragement, but after buying some supplies I was ready to give it a go. I wanted to go anywhere there was a human hurting. I know God can do amazing things if one is just willing to put themselves in a position to be used by him. I can't say that I saw for sure anyone saying or acting in a way that would indicate they were encouraged. I met two guys named Robert that I hadn't seen before. Both men were under the I-10 freeway at San Pedro Ave. They weren't together, but sitting alone around the corner from each other. I'm sure neither of them were expecting anyone to come up and offer food and water. One of them accepted the offer for socks too and when I opened the back of the car up, he was amazed that I drove around and gave out stuff to people in need (including him). When I first pulled up he was sitting on the ground with his head down on his knees. When I left him (after praying with him) he had a smile on his face. Maybe he was the one. Just down the alley from him I looked over a concrete barricade and saw Antonio and Leticia. Well, they weren't too far from where I usually see them, but I was surprised to find them there. It probably is a safer location than on Trinity St.
There were a couple of others that I saw Sunday who I haven't seen in a while. One was Eugene. I didn't see his wife Helen with him, but he told me she was doing OK and feeling better. The last time I saw her she was having some health problems. In another alley off 14th St. I saw the third Robert of the evening. At times Santa Barbara has stayed with him. He was alone Sunday, but told me Santa Barbara was doing OK. He (Santa Barbara) has the tumor on his kidney that he's being treated for. Before leaving town I drove by and saw John Stokes. I only had one burger left (I think I got short-changed) at the burger joint. John had somebody with him and I only had one burger!
I just heard a remarkable sermon by Mario Murillo and one of the key points I'm going to remember and use downtown among the homeless. Mario said, "Your past does not disqualify you." This could be taken at least two different ways that I can think of. Your past does not disqualify you from the kingdom of God initially. And, your past does not disqualify you from being used in amazing degrees of usefulness in the harvest of God's kingdom. I don't know where you are along this Christian journey. But whatever has gone on before now, does not prevent you from what God can accomplish through you in the future...something to think about before my next trip. I opened with the verse from Romans 8:32. The net of that verse says, "Your worthy for Jesus to be crucified so you can be redeemed through him. Your also worthy to 'inherit' all the blessings that go along with the salvation." Remember also the companion verse in John 14:12. "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these,...." --- Until then. John
Monday, April 29, 2013
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Downtown 4/21/2013
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." --Ephesians 2:10
I hadn't gone to the Jack in the Box in quite a while to purchase food for one of these trips, but today I did (I had a gift certificate). As I pulled into the parking lot John Stokes was standing out in front and when he saw me he said, "Oh boy, am I glad to see you. I'm hungry!" So that was how this trip started. While inside a woman, who John knew named Brenda, came up to him after I had gotten the food needing help and another man at the next table, named Peter, needed help too. John and I sat at the table for quite a while talking. He has about a month to go before he starts collecting social security. He plans to move back to the Atlanta area where he has family, he hasn't been there in almost 25 years. John was one of the first men I met when I started making these trips and kind of showed me the ropes on what the homeless are in need of. When I walked out the door towards my car two other men were walking up in the parking lot asking for food. There names were Don and Dixie Dog (yeah, I know what you're thinking about the name). I think I've may have met Dixie Dog before a couple of years back, anyway I got to pray with them too. I still hadn't made it back to my car when another man came over to me from the recycling center next door asking for some food. His name was Rick and after giving him some food and water I got to pray with him also. So finally, after helping six people before I even made it back to the car (and over half the food was gone) I was able to take off and look for others. I think Brenda may have told the people at the recycling center about me. Does that remind you a little of the woman at the well?
Well I drove around a little bit, went down one of the BBQ alleys and found Wayne. He was asleep at first and a little wary about me (we hadn't met before), but he wasn't about to turn down any food. I asked if he needed some clothes and when he declined I asked if he needed any socks. That usually gets a positive response and it did in this case too. Now I was able to get out of the car and open the back and let him look through the clothes for shirts and whatever else he might need and start a conversation. Wayne is from the San Diego area. I told him about this particular alley he was in and kind of warned him about the police running people off. He said they had come by in the morning and written him up about sleeping there. He expressed disappointment about having to move on because this was such a nice quiet and out of the way alley. No, I wasn't put off when he told me he heard voices and struggled with drug issues. I told him I drive down this alley just about every Sunday about this time, so if he's around he can look for me there. I really do hope I see him again because he needs a friend.
At this point I didn't have much food left, I drove over to where Leticia and Antonio live. Leticia was there, but she told me Antonio had gone to find a bathroom. We actually got to talk for a while and I told her I prayed for her and her husband often. She asked if I would pray for them now! When I asked for God to keep them in good graces with the "policia" and protect them from "hombres muy malo" (very bad men) I heard her groan in agreement. Unfortunately, the womans clothes I had were too small for her. I'll have to look through my supplies and find some larger clothes to take next time. After leaving her I had one burger left and found Willie a couple of streets down on Wall St. where I saw him last week. All in all, the food lasted about an hour and it was all given away. There were others on Willie's street that I could have helped, but I was out of food. This is happening a lot lately, probably because with the warmer weather I'm seeing more people out on the streets.
So I thought I'd end this blog the way I usually begin it with what I prayed for ahead of time. I always pray to find the people in need that God wants me to reach. This time I asked for God to send his angels to prepare the way ahead of time and to prepare peoples' hearts ahead of time too. I know it sounds a little out there, but the bible affirms that there are angels doing God's bidding, so why not ask Him to send some ahead of time to help prepare the way? So when I was met with John Stokes needing and asking for my help before I even got out of the car that was interesting to say the least. Then to have had the opportunity to help a half dozen people before leaving the parking lot was confirmation that God was involved and His presence was evident in the openness and receptiveness of the people wanting me to pray for them. Our God is awesome and He does answer prayers! --Until next time. John
I hadn't gone to the Jack in the Box in quite a while to purchase food for one of these trips, but today I did (I had a gift certificate). As I pulled into the parking lot John Stokes was standing out in front and when he saw me he said, "Oh boy, am I glad to see you. I'm hungry!" So that was how this trip started. While inside a woman, who John knew named Brenda, came up to him after I had gotten the food needing help and another man at the next table, named Peter, needed help too. John and I sat at the table for quite a while talking. He has about a month to go before he starts collecting social security. He plans to move back to the Atlanta area where he has family, he hasn't been there in almost 25 years. John was one of the first men I met when I started making these trips and kind of showed me the ropes on what the homeless are in need of. When I walked out the door towards my car two other men were walking up in the parking lot asking for food. There names were Don and Dixie Dog (yeah, I know what you're thinking about the name). I think I've may have met Dixie Dog before a couple of years back, anyway I got to pray with them too. I still hadn't made it back to my car when another man came over to me from the recycling center next door asking for some food. His name was Rick and after giving him some food and water I got to pray with him also. So finally, after helping six people before I even made it back to the car (and over half the food was gone) I was able to take off and look for others. I think Brenda may have told the people at the recycling center about me. Does that remind you a little of the woman at the well?
Well I drove around a little bit, went down one of the BBQ alleys and found Wayne. He was asleep at first and a little wary about me (we hadn't met before), but he wasn't about to turn down any food. I asked if he needed some clothes and when he declined I asked if he needed any socks. That usually gets a positive response and it did in this case too. Now I was able to get out of the car and open the back and let him look through the clothes for shirts and whatever else he might need and start a conversation. Wayne is from the San Diego area. I told him about this particular alley he was in and kind of warned him about the police running people off. He said they had come by in the morning and written him up about sleeping there. He expressed disappointment about having to move on because this was such a nice quiet and out of the way alley. No, I wasn't put off when he told me he heard voices and struggled with drug issues. I told him I drive down this alley just about every Sunday about this time, so if he's around he can look for me there. I really do hope I see him again because he needs a friend.
At this point I didn't have much food left, I drove over to where Leticia and Antonio live. Leticia was there, but she told me Antonio had gone to find a bathroom. We actually got to talk for a while and I told her I prayed for her and her husband often. She asked if I would pray for them now! When I asked for God to keep them in good graces with the "policia" and protect them from "hombres muy malo" (very bad men) I heard her groan in agreement. Unfortunately, the womans clothes I had were too small for her. I'll have to look through my supplies and find some larger clothes to take next time. After leaving her I had one burger left and found Willie a couple of streets down on Wall St. where I saw him last week. All in all, the food lasted about an hour and it was all given away. There were others on Willie's street that I could have helped, but I was out of food. This is happening a lot lately, probably because with the warmer weather I'm seeing more people out on the streets.
So I thought I'd end this blog the way I usually begin it with what I prayed for ahead of time. I always pray to find the people in need that God wants me to reach. This time I asked for God to send his angels to prepare the way ahead of time and to prepare peoples' hearts ahead of time too. I know it sounds a little out there, but the bible affirms that there are angels doing God's bidding, so why not ask Him to send some ahead of time to help prepare the way? So when I was met with John Stokes needing and asking for my help before I even got out of the car that was interesting to say the least. Then to have had the opportunity to help a half dozen people before leaving the parking lot was confirmation that God was involved and His presence was evident in the openness and receptiveness of the people wanting me to pray for them. Our God is awesome and He does answer prayers! --Until next time. John
Monday, April 15, 2013
Downtown 4/14/2013
"If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because he has given us...His Spirit." --` 1 John 4:12b-13
In the last several years I have prayed for some foundational changes in me that I have mentioned in these blogs from time to time. One of the first prayer requests a few years back was for a heart like His for the lost. Six months or more ago, I started praying for the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22 to be displayed in my life. Over the past week my prayer focus has shifted slightly to asking God for a heart that pursues Him,....relentlessly. I hadn't thought about it at the time, but yes, this is the exact sentiment expressed in Psalm 42:1. I can't really say what prompted this, other than a simple and pure desire to follow as closely as I can in His steps. As I prayed for yesterday's trip, I asked for a greater expression of His presence in the encounters and for me to just love these people as he wants them to be loved and feel loved...and so here is what happened. Oh, one more thing, I asked to see someone of the 'old' BBQ gang too, I haven't seen any of them in months.
My first encounter was with a woman named Ricoh. I saw her in an alley looking through some clothes that had been dumped on the ground there. This alley had at one time been paved with asphalt (maybe twenty years ago), but now its filled with dirt and pot holes. This is what the clothes were laying on that she was looking through. As I pulled up, I asked her, "Do you want to look through the clothes I have in the back of the car?" Of course, she jumped at the chance. I gave her some food and water and she asked, "Are you the guy that comes on Sundays and gives out food?" Apparently, she had heard about me from John Mellon. During the course of our time together she must have hugged me three times because she was so happy to receive the help. At one point she told me, "Well, I'd rather be out here and homeless than getting beat up at home by my boyfriend." Here was a young woman just wanting to be loved and cherished and instead was being abused and disrespected by someone who should be her protector at home. How disgraceful. I was able to give her a large duffle bag to put her clothes and the blanket in. I prayed earnestly for her before leaving. I hope I see her again soon.
In the next alley over, I saw Robin again from last week. He was in the exact same spot as last week, and asleep again. He thanked me for the help, but said very little. I guess things are still strained at home for him. On down that same alley where I found four people last week, I found one man named Ricardo this week. I hadn't met him before, but he was from the general LA area. He admitted to me that it was drugs that caused him to end up on the street. I told him this has happened to many people and he wasn't alone. I then told him that Jesus was a friend to those who were hurting and the 'outcasts' of society. I told him how in Luke 15:1 Jesus himself was condemned by the religious rulers for talking with "tax collectors and sinners". I said the church needs to be here, right where he is, helping the people who need help. You wouldn't believe it, but he hugged me twice and thanked me for not only helping him with food and clothes, but just stopping to talk with him. At one point he told me, "I can tell God is in you!" I held Ricardo as I prayed for him. I told him that the day he was born, God smiled down on him (as he does with all of us) and that he was a person of worth. Before I left I gave him a copy of the New Testament and reminded him that what we talked about was from Luke 15. What a great encounter this was.
Next, I looked for Antonio and his wife Leticia. They were on the same street, Trinity, that I've seen them on in the past. For some reason they looked older Sunday. They must be in their fifties. I found a couple of other men, one in the alley behind the auto parts store where Gary used to live and another man named Mario at a gas station. Both men said very little (English is not their primary language), but they thanked me for the help. As I drove around on the south side of Washington Blvd, I happened to glance at someone walking down the other side of the street and thought they looked familiar. It turned out to be Willie! After a while, we met up on Wall St just north of Washington Blvd. He was staying on the sidewalk with another man named Tom under the I-10 freeway where the MTA parks their buses. The three of us talked at length and we were able to get caught up on where Tara, Chris and Dave are. I don't know at this time whether I'll be able to see them all together again, but we'll see what happens in the next few months as the weather warms up.
This trip seemed to go by far too quickly. I only wish I had more resources to look for more people to help. It's troubling to see so many people hurting, yet being able to bring them hope and a little bit of heaven, if only for a little while, is so amazing and such a privilege. I'm looking forward to next week. --Until then. John
In the last several years I have prayed for some foundational changes in me that I have mentioned in these blogs from time to time. One of the first prayer requests a few years back was for a heart like His for the lost. Six months or more ago, I started praying for the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22 to be displayed in my life. Over the past week my prayer focus has shifted slightly to asking God for a heart that pursues Him,....relentlessly. I hadn't thought about it at the time, but yes, this is the exact sentiment expressed in Psalm 42:1. I can't really say what prompted this, other than a simple and pure desire to follow as closely as I can in His steps. As I prayed for yesterday's trip, I asked for a greater expression of His presence in the encounters and for me to just love these people as he wants them to be loved and feel loved...and so here is what happened. Oh, one more thing, I asked to see someone of the 'old' BBQ gang too, I haven't seen any of them in months.
My first encounter was with a woman named Ricoh. I saw her in an alley looking through some clothes that had been dumped on the ground there. This alley had at one time been paved with asphalt (maybe twenty years ago), but now its filled with dirt and pot holes. This is what the clothes were laying on that she was looking through. As I pulled up, I asked her, "Do you want to look through the clothes I have in the back of the car?" Of course, she jumped at the chance. I gave her some food and water and she asked, "Are you the guy that comes on Sundays and gives out food?" Apparently, she had heard about me from John Mellon. During the course of our time together she must have hugged me three times because she was so happy to receive the help. At one point she told me, "Well, I'd rather be out here and homeless than getting beat up at home by my boyfriend." Here was a young woman just wanting to be loved and cherished and instead was being abused and disrespected by someone who should be her protector at home. How disgraceful. I was able to give her a large duffle bag to put her clothes and the blanket in. I prayed earnestly for her before leaving. I hope I see her again soon.
In the next alley over, I saw Robin again from last week. He was in the exact same spot as last week, and asleep again. He thanked me for the help, but said very little. I guess things are still strained at home for him. On down that same alley where I found four people last week, I found one man named Ricardo this week. I hadn't met him before, but he was from the general LA area. He admitted to me that it was drugs that caused him to end up on the street. I told him this has happened to many people and he wasn't alone. I then told him that Jesus was a friend to those who were hurting and the 'outcasts' of society. I told him how in Luke 15:1 Jesus himself was condemned by the religious rulers for talking with "tax collectors and sinners". I said the church needs to be here, right where he is, helping the people who need help. You wouldn't believe it, but he hugged me twice and thanked me for not only helping him with food and clothes, but just stopping to talk with him. At one point he told me, "I can tell God is in you!" I held Ricardo as I prayed for him. I told him that the day he was born, God smiled down on him (as he does with all of us) and that he was a person of worth. Before I left I gave him a copy of the New Testament and reminded him that what we talked about was from Luke 15. What a great encounter this was.
Next, I looked for Antonio and his wife Leticia. They were on the same street, Trinity, that I've seen them on in the past. For some reason they looked older Sunday. They must be in their fifties. I found a couple of other men, one in the alley behind the auto parts store where Gary used to live and another man named Mario at a gas station. Both men said very little (English is not their primary language), but they thanked me for the help. As I drove around on the south side of Washington Blvd, I happened to glance at someone walking down the other side of the street and thought they looked familiar. It turned out to be Willie! After a while, we met up on Wall St just north of Washington Blvd. He was staying on the sidewalk with another man named Tom under the I-10 freeway where the MTA parks their buses. The three of us talked at length and we were able to get caught up on where Tara, Chris and Dave are. I don't know at this time whether I'll be able to see them all together again, but we'll see what happens in the next few months as the weather warms up.
This trip seemed to go by far too quickly. I only wish I had more resources to look for more people to help. It's troubling to see so many people hurting, yet being able to bring them hope and a little bit of heaven, if only for a little while, is so amazing and such a privilege. I'm looking forward to next week. --Until then. John
Monday, April 8, 2013
Downtown 4/7/2013
"You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."--John 15:16-17 ----Jesus' last commands to his disciples in the upper room the night he was arrested
Sometimes I think I rely too much on what I see and don't figure in what God is doing in the unseen realm. Last week's trip was on a weekday (Monday) and I felt led to not purchase any food for the trip. Consequently, I didn't see much happen. I only had one encounter and that was it. When one is involved in ministry to a certain group of people you tend to measure success by what you see and experience as a result of the interactions with that group. However, we often discount what God is doing in us! It may not be as easily quantifiable as how many people are prayed with, fed or clothed. Since a lot of those things take physical resources I sometimes get caught up in my lack of resources. Therein, lies the lesson-not my resources but His resources. Success is not in the way I count success but in the way He counts success. So an unsuccessful trip in my way of looking at it may be a successful trip in His eyes if a spiritual lesson is learned. If I'm focused on my limited resources, perhaps it's time for a reminder that the feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle recorded in all four gospels and that God can bridge the gap between overwhelming need and underwhelming resources. Perhaps even a changing of the direction of my desires and prayers is in order. I have experienced a distance from God in the last few weeks, probably due to the recent death in my family. As a result of this I started asking God for a renewed desire for Him in my heart. The Spirit flows from God, so asking Him for the kind of heart that desires Him is only logical. Yesterday, I asked for His presence to show up in a more visible way for me to experience. I also recalled from scripture that God blesses the work of those involved in helping widows, orphans and the poor. One doesn't have to wonder about it, scripture tells us he does. Yes, this time I bought food! I also went on Sunday and not a weekday. My desire and goal for Sunday was basically just to go downtown and love people. It was really just that simple.
The first man I wanted to help was sleeping on a cushion at the end of one of the BBQ alleys. I decided I'd go on down the alley and turn the car around so I'd be on the same side of the alley he was asleep on as I drove by him. As I drove down the alley, in between some large piles of trash and debris that had been dumped, there were four homeless people, two couples. I pulled up and asked if they were hungry. In a loud voice in unison they all said, "Yes". Then I asked if anybody needed some socks. I got the exact same response. I jokingly said, "Well, why didn't you say so?" I parked and got out and opened the back door so they could go through the clothes. Of the four people I think I probably have helped all of them before. Aaron was the only one I wasn't sure about and he said he had seen me down by the 4th St bridge awhile back. Terrell and Debra I know I've seen before and the woman (I never did get her name) I think I have helped her before too. Anyway, we all talked while they collected some clothes. Another man by the name of Enrique rode up on his bike and asked for some food too. When everyone was done I said, "Well you know what happens now don't you?" Debra called out, "Thank you." I said "You're welcome, but now I get to pray for you." I took a couple of steps closer to the middle of where they were and stretched out my arms. Debra and Aaron came over and the other woman too, then they put their arms around me. I think while I was praying that Terrell joined us. Enrique stood a couple of steps away while I prayed. It was pretty cool. I said my goodbyes and told them sometime soon in an appropriate place we'd do a BBQ. I still want to try and find Willie and Tara Lee. I turned the car around and headed back to the other end of the alley where the man was sleeping. His name was Robin. He said he was having difficulties at home and couldn't go back for a couple of days until things blew over. I prayed that hearts would be mended in his family and tolerance would rule. I probably will never see him again, but I think the prayer was already getting to him, he seemed a little misty eyed when I left.
My favorite encounter of the day happened next. It was the couple I saw a couple of Sundays ago down the street from the burned out church. I think the name of the street is Trinity St. His name is Antonio and she told me her name is Leticia. I gave them some food and water and let them look through the back of the car. I gave them a blanket and some socks and Leticia got a jacket. All of their collective belongings were in one shopping cart. I'm guessing they are both in their forties. Leticia doesn't speak English, but Antonio does pretty well with the language. She had asked me something in Spanish that I didn't understand. Antonio translated for me, "She wants to know if you know the 'Truth'?" I told her "Yes" and I put my arms around both of them to pray and Leticia folded her hands and bowed her head as I prayed for them. It was one of the most humble of moments ever. What a privilege to pray for this couple. I told them I would be back next Sunday. I will bring enough food to last a few days for them next week. I'll start praying about what else I can bring to help them through this time. Please pray for this couple!
I helped a few other men before leaving town. It was kind of a quick trip since I gave out so much of the food in the first encounter. I simply wanted to go down and love people. It happened just that way. --Until next time. John
Sometimes I think I rely too much on what I see and don't figure in what God is doing in the unseen realm. Last week's trip was on a weekday (Monday) and I felt led to not purchase any food for the trip. Consequently, I didn't see much happen. I only had one encounter and that was it. When one is involved in ministry to a certain group of people you tend to measure success by what you see and experience as a result of the interactions with that group. However, we often discount what God is doing in us! It may not be as easily quantifiable as how many people are prayed with, fed or clothed. Since a lot of those things take physical resources I sometimes get caught up in my lack of resources. Therein, lies the lesson-not my resources but His resources. Success is not in the way I count success but in the way He counts success. So an unsuccessful trip in my way of looking at it may be a successful trip in His eyes if a spiritual lesson is learned. If I'm focused on my limited resources, perhaps it's time for a reminder that the feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle recorded in all four gospels and that God can bridge the gap between overwhelming need and underwhelming resources. Perhaps even a changing of the direction of my desires and prayers is in order. I have experienced a distance from God in the last few weeks, probably due to the recent death in my family. As a result of this I started asking God for a renewed desire for Him in my heart. The Spirit flows from God, so asking Him for the kind of heart that desires Him is only logical. Yesterday, I asked for His presence to show up in a more visible way for me to experience. I also recalled from scripture that God blesses the work of those involved in helping widows, orphans and the poor. One doesn't have to wonder about it, scripture tells us he does. Yes, this time I bought food! I also went on Sunday and not a weekday. My desire and goal for Sunday was basically just to go downtown and love people. It was really just that simple.
The first man I wanted to help was sleeping on a cushion at the end of one of the BBQ alleys. I decided I'd go on down the alley and turn the car around so I'd be on the same side of the alley he was asleep on as I drove by him. As I drove down the alley, in between some large piles of trash and debris that had been dumped, there were four homeless people, two couples. I pulled up and asked if they were hungry. In a loud voice in unison they all said, "Yes". Then I asked if anybody needed some socks. I got the exact same response. I jokingly said, "Well, why didn't you say so?" I parked and got out and opened the back door so they could go through the clothes. Of the four people I think I probably have helped all of them before. Aaron was the only one I wasn't sure about and he said he had seen me down by the 4th St bridge awhile back. Terrell and Debra I know I've seen before and the woman (I never did get her name) I think I have helped her before too. Anyway, we all talked while they collected some clothes. Another man by the name of Enrique rode up on his bike and asked for some food too. When everyone was done I said, "Well you know what happens now don't you?" Debra called out, "Thank you." I said "You're welcome, but now I get to pray for you." I took a couple of steps closer to the middle of where they were and stretched out my arms. Debra and Aaron came over and the other woman too, then they put their arms around me. I think while I was praying that Terrell joined us. Enrique stood a couple of steps away while I prayed. It was pretty cool. I said my goodbyes and told them sometime soon in an appropriate place we'd do a BBQ. I still want to try and find Willie and Tara Lee. I turned the car around and headed back to the other end of the alley where the man was sleeping. His name was Robin. He said he was having difficulties at home and couldn't go back for a couple of days until things blew over. I prayed that hearts would be mended in his family and tolerance would rule. I probably will never see him again, but I think the prayer was already getting to him, he seemed a little misty eyed when I left.
My favorite encounter of the day happened next. It was the couple I saw a couple of Sundays ago down the street from the burned out church. I think the name of the street is Trinity St. His name is Antonio and she told me her name is Leticia. I gave them some food and water and let them look through the back of the car. I gave them a blanket and some socks and Leticia got a jacket. All of their collective belongings were in one shopping cart. I'm guessing they are both in their forties. Leticia doesn't speak English, but Antonio does pretty well with the language. She had asked me something in Spanish that I didn't understand. Antonio translated for me, "She wants to know if you know the 'Truth'?" I told her "Yes" and I put my arms around both of them to pray and Leticia folded her hands and bowed her head as I prayed for them. It was one of the most humble of moments ever. What a privilege to pray for this couple. I told them I would be back next Sunday. I will bring enough food to last a few days for them next week. I'll start praying about what else I can bring to help them through this time. Please pray for this couple!
I helped a few other men before leaving town. It was kind of a quick trip since I gave out so much of the food in the first encounter. I simply wanted to go down and love people. It happened just that way. --Until next time. John
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