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