"An ancient sage sent his son to a Bible teacher. When the boy returned, his father asked him, 'What did you learn?' The son told him, 'All the subject matter'.
'This is nothing,' the father replied. 'Go and learn more'.
The son returned one year later. This time he boasted of having learned other disciplines. The father still wasn't satisfied and sent him back to the school another time. This time when the son returned his face shone. The father embraced him. 'You knew theology before. Now you know God'."
--Richard Wurmbrand from his book Alone with God. Written from solitary confinement in a Romanian prison in the 1950's.
May your face shine today with a love that draws others to our Saviour.
It has been another hot week in Southern California with reports saying another hot week ahead of us before any cooling trend will occur. Monday, being the Labor Day holiday, gave me an extra day to make a trip with it feeling like a Sunday evening (low traffic volumes and a slower pace than a weekday). My first encounter was with a man named Dee in an alley off 14th St. It was right about 4 pm and he was pretty happy to receive the help and prayer. I remember commenting to him that I often would go down there in the mornings, but I think it's better for folks if I go in the late afternoon/evening because then they don't go to sleep hungry. He nodded in agreement, however, a case could be made that alleviating hunger whenever its occurring is better period!
After driving down a couple of other alleys and finding no one I drove over to a small alley under the I-10 freeway off San Pedro and 16th St. It's the path I usually take to get to Trinity St where Antonio, Leticia and Alex live. As I pulled into this alley I saw one of the Willies that I know. In fact, when I met this Willie the first time it was right there a couple of years ago. His name is Willie Brown Jr. He is one of the folks living under the freeway on Wall St. He had his shopping cart with him containing a couple of empty 5 gallon water bottles that he was seeking to fill up. He was so happy to see me. He told me that everyone at the 'camp' under the freeway where he stays is angry and yelling at each other and he just had to get away for awhile. I told him its probably because of the heat that's got everyone all stressed out. He told me everyone over there has been asking about me, wondering if I was going to be coming by. They probably were expecting me on Sunday and when I didn't show up were wondering what happened. I gave him some ice cold water and asked if he needed any clothes. He thanked me and said whatever I had to give him he would take. He apologized for smelling so bad and for having beer on his breath. I told him I didn't mind or care how he smelled, I was there to help. For the next fifteen minutes or so we had the most heart to heart conversation I had had with anyone in a while. Sometimes you meet up with someone who is so discouraged that they are ready and willing to just spill their heart out to you. Of course, it helps if they know you and feel at ease talking to you, that you're not going to judge them and tell them what to do, but are willing to first, just listen to their heart. Willie said he wondered why God allowed him to exist in this cesspool of a life that he lived. He pointed around to the dirt and debris all around us at that time. He said "Sometimes I'd rather be that dirt than be me!" He was disgusted with his life and the direction of it and sometimes just wanted it to be over. It was at this point that I needed to gently remind Willie of something we all know, but forget at times like this. It's that there are people with lots of money and yet, they too are miserable. It turned out it was something he was well aware of because he had seen it first hand. He told me he had been around wealthy people in the entertainment industry and had seen their lives up close. He agreed that money didn't guarantee happiness. I reminded him that Jesus came that we would have an 'abundant' life and that the kind of abundance that Jesus talked about was far different and more real than the abundance that the world seeks after. He then said to me that some of the stories in the bible just seemed impossible to him. I said, "Remember, with God all things are possible. He's God that's why it's possible ." Every once in a while Willie would punctuate his unhappiness with profanity and then say he was sorry for using that language or once again apologize for the way he smelled. I told him that didn't matter to me at all and, in fact, I was totally cool with him talking and being just like he is. I told him about Jesus being with some "outcasts" in Luke 15. I said, "Do you remember the story of the prodigal son?" He admitted to me that he really didn't know the bible very well, so I briefly told him the story, that a man had two sons and the younger one wanted to receive his inheritance right then, before the father died and go off and live somewhere else. Shockingly, the father agreed and gave the son his money and he left. Like most all young people who receive too much money too fast he blew it all and ended up destitute. The son then decided the servants in his father's house were better off than he was so he thought he'd go back and ask his father if he could live with him as a servant since he didn't deserve to be treated like a son anymore. I told Willie, that the father was overjoyed with the son's return and not only welcomed him back, but threw a party to boot." Well, I told this story to Willie simply so I could show him the first verse in that chapter that tells us the reason Jesus told the story to begin with. And that was that Jesus had been talking to group of "outcasts", just like Willie had been feeling, then the 'religious leaders' got after Jesus for even talking to these people. I said, "Look, Jesus would 'touch' lepers (this was strictly forbidden in that day), talk with prostitutes and other outcasts. The religious people would never talk to these people, but Jesus looked at them "as people of worth" and he wouldn't let others stop him from meeting and talking with them. I told Willie, "I love coming down here and hanging with you guys and doing what I can to help out. I just try and bring the Kingdom of Heaven down to you guys even if its just for a little while." He told me what everyone where he lives thinks about me, "We love you. You are Jesus." Well, I was kinda floored by that statement and realized I must be starting to reflect Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 11:1. Well, we talked for a little while longer until it was time for me to go, when I said, "Well, you know what happens now don't you? I've got to pray for you before I go." So standing directly in front of Willie with both of my hands on his shoulders I started to pray for him. He again, apologized for smelling the way he did and I again told him not to worry. I prayed for Willie to feel God's presence in his life and look for the "real" abundance that he possesses. Willie is a great guy, enjoyable to be with and always appreciative when I've seen him. I'll continue to pray for his situation. Unfortunately, I didn't think of it until I was coming home that he seems like a good candidate for the Dream Center's training program. What I found out when I visited them two weeks ago was that they have a one year training program that totally immerses you in bible study and a Christian culture and then works with you at the end of that time to find a place in society to live and work. It is just the thing for someone who is fed-up with their lifestyle and ready to commit to this kind of a program. Next week, I'll start talking to Willie about it. I think he's ready.
I drove over to Wall St where the rest of his group lives. It was quite a homecoming. There are two groups of people living on both sides of that street. The other Willie that I've known for 4 years and Dave and EJ were on one side and the group where Willie Brown lives are down the street a little ways. I parked in front of where Willie and Dave were then I walked back to the other group specifically to tell the two women living there that I had some women's clothes with me if they wanted to look through them. It wasn't too long before I had quite a group around the car and I was giving out food, cold bottles of water and clothes to everyone. They were all very happy and I got to talk individually with most everyone. Then when the opportunity was just right I said, "Let me pray for you guys before you go." Everyone gathered around and we put our arms around each other (there must have been about 10 or 12 people) and I prayed with them. It was a Divine moment and totally cool. I stayed there about thirty minutes talking and enjoying the company of these folks. It's interesting how my life's experiences come into play in a group like this. So many of these people are transplants from the mid-west and are surprised to hear that I have spent so much time there. Another amazing thing is how people respond to little snippets of scripture. One of the women who came over was Sandra. For some reason, she mentioned the words in scripture where it says, "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil." She had been assaulted a while back and that morning someone had taken her shopping cart with all her stuff in it. I said, "Oh, you're quoting Psalm 23. You know I quoted something from that Psalm a few months ago myself," and explained what had happened. She responded with a lot of interest in what had happened to me at the time. It proves the point that Jesus made in Matthew 10:19 when it says, "When they hand you over, don't worry about how or what you are to say, for it will be given to you in that hour what you are to say." It has been an amazing journey that has brought me to the streets of Los Angeles with words that speak life to these people. I cherish every moment.
As I left this group I asked for their prayers for the next group I'm beginning to work with. That group is the folks down at 7th and Alvarado St. This is a new area for me to prayer-walk through and begin to build relationships. Luckily, since it was a holiday, I was able to find a place to park a couple of blocks away for the hour that I spent at McArthur Park. This time I took my Bible with me and it had the desired affect. Two couples spotted me with it and I was able to speak with them. I prayed with another woman too. It is a small step, but it will lead to where God wants me to go. It's kind of exciting to NOT have a clue of what to expect, but know that something will happen and to be ready. --Until next time. John
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