OK, it's been awhile since I've written. For the better part of two months I was only able to make one trip, and that was to Compton (more about that later). During those two months I had to work an extra day each week and with trips to the hospital every other week I just ran out of 'weekend'. I made the one trip in July to Compton and now the last two Sunday's I've gone downtown again. Hopefully, I can stay on track. My work schedule is back to nights, so Sunday's are spent sleeping during the day now and then hurrying to get a trip in before the sun goes down.
Alright, so what's this about Compton. With all the civil unrest in recent months I've felt drawn to go there and make some new friends. I am not real familiar with the city even though I've lived near it and driven through it all my life. I was given a tip as to where to start looking for homeless folks, but the day I went was a weekday (a Monday I think) and it was brutally hot that day, like over a 100 degrees. I am reluctant to even go downtown Los Angeles on a weekday due to the pace of life during the week is far different than on a Sunday and I know the downtown turf very well. You just can't stop and talk with people much because of the traffic and parking problems, so going to an unfamiliar area was going to be asking a lot and the trip turned out less than optimal. However, I'll try again on a Sunday in the near future. I know eventually, if I continue to go there, I'll be asked, "What are you doing here?" I'm prepared for people being cautious and wary of someone who is as old as I am and looks like I do being kind of out of place there. Yet someone needs to go and show people what Christ's love looks like on the streets where often there is no light and no love. Remember in Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan, he was speaking to Jews in Judea. The Samaritans were hated by the Jews, yet this Samaritan in his parable showed compassion. I'll try and walk in his shoes in Compton. Oh, and how will I answer the question of why am I there? I'm here to help connect peoples hearts to God's. It's that simple.
So the last two Sunday's I've made trips downtown. They have been wonderful. I saw some people I hadn't seen in years. One was a woman named Rico. It has been at least two or three years since I last saw her. She was with Natalie down on 10th with some of the other gang that hangs out there. I had made a big pot of pasta last week and taken it down there. This was one street up from where the BBQ was in May. Rico said she had been in and out of jail a couple of times. I didn't ask why, I was just happy to see her. I gave her a hug and told her that I thought of her often and wondered how she was doing. Then Natalie started telling her about some of our times together. She surprised me with one of her stories. You know on my way downtown I often pray that I will meet someone who is in desperate need of help. I guess when you take food down for a dozen or so people there will be a few who are desperate, but it isn't always evident when I meet them. You may remember the trip I made on Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. It was the one where the pot of pasta slipped off the hood of my car, yet popped back upright miraculously and only about a serving spoon full of pasta spilled on the ground. Well, Natalie said that she and Charlie (her boyfriend at the time) had no food or money that day and then I showed up! It makes me wonder how many others have received help when they were in the same position and I didn't realize it. There are a lot of times when I feel too tired after working all week to get up and get everything together and go. Yet I always know there are people who will go to sleep that night hungry or cold or maybe just needing a friendly person to show interest in them and pray with them. Desperation comes in many forms. Ending human suffering is one of our primary goals as Christ followers, no matter how that suffering may be manifested in someone's life.
Here's a picture from yesterday's trip. I feel particularly drawn to people I see like this on the street. All they have is right there in plain sight. This man wasted no time in getting up and coming over to the car when I asked him if he was hungry. I felt badly that I didn't have more blankets with me. I took one with me and I had given it out already. I'll look for this guy next time. --Until then, John
Thank you John for sharing Jesus in the most authentic way, serving where others choose not to. May God continue His work of love through you. Inspiring!
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