Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Straight into Compton, CA-2/26/17

Later the Lord chose seventy-two other followers and sent them out two by two to every town and village where he was about to go.  He said to them: "A large crop is in the fields, but there are only a few workers.  Ask the Lord in charge of the harvest to send out workers to bring it in.  Now go, but remember, I am sending you like lambs into a pack of wolves."  Luke 10:1-3

I haven't written a blog since the one on Christmas day, so this one is long overdue.  I've made trips just about every week, but haven't written any blogs.  As a quick update on my health, the IV pump with antibiotics for my foot is done.  The foot infection seems to be OK now, but we won't know for sure for another six months or so when another X-ray can be taken.  I still have some discomfort when walking if I put too much weight on my big toe. The other muscle issues are still there, but nothing has changed on that front lately, I still have infusions every other week and they will continue for the foreseeable future.  What a blessing it is to have good quality health insurance.

For quite some time now I have had a desire to start working in other areas of the Los Angeles area. Our country is suffering greatly from racial tension and we are all ill-equipped to handle this situation on our own.  However, our God is great and as the New Testament says, "His power at work in us can do far more than we dare ask or imagine. Amen." (Ephesians. 3:21)  I really believe this is true so I have made a couple of trips into Compton to look for homeless folks to help.  Sunday was my second trip there and like the first one, I haven't found too many homeless folks there yet, but I'll keep looking.  I am not bound to just looking in Compton, but the whole general south central area is OK. With whatever left-over food and clothes I have, I'll finish up in the downtown area.  That's not to say that the trip was uneventful....  I drove down to the 91 freeway and got off at the Wilmington exit.  I turned north on Wilmington and went on up towards the 105 freeway.  As I approached that freeway I saw about 30 yards ahead of me a woman (about 20-ish) in the middle of the street.  There was a car coming from the other direction that had stopped and this woman, as I got closer, was yelling at the car, but walking away from it.  There was a skate board in the street on my side of the road and she walked over and picked it up and continued yelling at the other car which was now driving away.  I had slowed down and stopped, but started to move forward.  I wasn't sure if she was going to walk in front of my car or wait and go behind me.  As I passed by her she continued yelling at the other car and started hitting my car with her skate board about 3 or 4 times (very violently I might add). Luckily, none of the windows broke and all I ended up with were a few dings on the hood and side towards the back.  Now I couldn't really get out and start yelling at her to stop.  Imagine how that might look to someone driving by, plus here I am trying to bring the Kingdom of Heaven down here and yelling at someone is a bad way to start.  Being calm under pressure is essential.  I just drove away and had to laugh at the whole situation.  "Welcome to Compton John."  I certainly don't know that woman, but her aggressive behavior is indicative of the kind of behavior people have who live in tough neighborhoods.  It was a clear lesson in what to pray about for this area.  I found a couple of men to help, but they were in places where it was difficult to have a conversation with them. Eventually, I decided to head on up Central and into the downtown area.  Now the Compton area is around 133rd streets.  I drove up and stopped at 27th to pray for the burned-out church (still no movement there) and then over to 25th and San Pedro where I saw Becky and Pete.  I hadn't seen them in a while, so it was good to see them again.

I finally ended up on a familiar small street just east of Los Angeles St and the I-10 freeway.  I only had 3 sandwiches left at this point, but hadn't given out many clothes, maybe just some socks. Anyway. as I drove onto this street there were a couple of guys who I stopped for right-away and then as I stopped about 5 other men and Hope came over to the car.  I was so disappointed that I didn't have more food left.  Well, they went through all the clothes and the last person to go through them was a woman named Michelle.  She took every last piece of clothing I had. Yep, I was completely cleaned out except for a dozen or so socks, but everyone there got socks so having some left was a good thing. Before everyone left one of the men asked me to pray for them. What a blessing it is to be asked to pray over them.  Before I left one of the men, his name is Gary and I've known him for years now, asked if he could pray for me before I left.  Yes, he wanted to pray for me. That is what you call a double blessing.  He prayed that even though some of these folks don't seem too appreciative, they are all thankful that I come down there.  He prayed for protection for me and over my car.  I had to chuckle about that one.  Gary has prostate cancer and it is attacking his vocal chords too.  His voice is getting very raspy.  This was the highlight of the trip.  I love these people.  Yes God speaks to us through other people.   Until next time.  John