"God blesses those people who depend only on him. They belong to the kingdom of heaven!
God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort!
God blesses those people who are humble. The earth will belong to them!
God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy!
God blesses those people whose hearts are pure. They will see Him!
God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children!
God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven." --Matthew 5:3-10 From the sermon on the mount discourse.
On my last blog I showed some pictures of two women I have been helping the last several times I've gone downtown. I saw both of them last week and again this week. Last week the weather in Southern California was very much below normal for here. Maria, who had been in her van when I pulled up, put her hands around my hand so I could feel how cold she was, and they were ice cold. We talked for a while and I gave her a couple of pairs of socks along with some food. Although we struggle with the language barrier, we enjoy talking together. When I started to drive away and she was getting back into her van I could hear her gently crying. It was tough to leave.
I drove over to San Pedro St and helped a couple of other folks and then found Carmen on the corner of 24th. She was in her tent already, but I noticed her wheelchair next to the tent so I called out her name. She got up and hobbled over to the car. Guess what the first thing she said was? "It is so cold!" I gave her a couple of sandwiches and she asked for a third sandwich for someone else. She told me a man named Mario comes over in the mornings and helps push her around in her wheelchair. She told me that Mario digs in the trash for food ("Well, we all dig in the trash sometimes." she said) and she wanted to be able to give him something special the next morning. I gave her a couple of pairs of socks too. She was so thankful to receive them. Because it was so cold she asked me to pray that she would find a place to stay. As she walked back to her tent I could hear her gently crying too. It was tough to leave once again.
So that week when I got down to the last two sandwiches, I was driving down Olympic between Central and Alameda and low and behold there was Alan pulling his two shopping carts with great difficulty. I called out to him as it was just beginning to sprinkle a little bit. He quickly came over to get the food. So in one trip I saw all three of them, that never happens.
So this last Sunday I saw both ladies again. Across from where Maria stays (this is a residential area) there was a birthday party going on. The music was very loud and Maria wasn't too happy about it. She said it will go on far into the night with lots of drinking. Carmen was already in her tent again and struggled to get over to the car. She said she may not be there next week because she is hoping to see a spinal cord specialist sometime this week. I certainly pray they can help her. Her future is going to be pretty bleak if she stays on the street with her handicap.
So the last people I saw this last Sunday were on 10th Pl and 9th St just off San Pedro St. Last week Red was on 10th Pl, but this week he wasn't. There was another man on the side-walk both weeks. I don't know his name, but he told me that he and Red had been beaten up by some people and so had the people on 9th St too. When I drove around the block to 9th I saw Chris by himself in his wheel-chair. I asked him about the thugs who were coming around beating people up. He told me the police had just left when I pulled up. He said they even kicked Debbie around. I was astonished at this because Debbie only weighs 80-lbs, if that. So here you have a defenseless woman and a man with a leg brace in a wheelchair suffering from kidney and liver failure. Sometimes the degree of evil is just disgusting. Chris asked if I had a blanket and I just happened to have one left when I loaded up the car. I had it on the floor of the front seat so I was able to just grab it and hand it to him. He was greatly relieved at getting the blanket, because the thugs keep stealing their stuff from them too. Well, I have to say these weren't really 'happy' trips, but they were important none the less because it helped the morale for these folks for me to be there if nothing else. What a privilege it is. --Until next time. John
PS. I guess I should say something about it being Oscar Sunday. The Academy Awards show was starting up nearby at the Staples Center about the time I was finishing my trip. I have nothing against the movies or even this awards show. The extravagance of it all and the arrogance of the rich kind of gets to me at times as I'm sure it does you. The lifestyles of the rich and the people I see regularly downtown are so vastly different I suppose neither side will ever understand the other.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Downtown on a rainy Super Sunday--2/3/2019
"I hope you're proud of yourself for the times you've said 'yes', when all it meant was extra work for you and was seemingly helpful only to somebody else."
"As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has--or ever will have--something inside that is unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression."
Fred Rogers...aka Mr. Rogers
For those who do not live here in Southern California it has been raining a lot the last few days. On Friday the forecast, while it was raining heavily, was rain pretty much continually for the next 4 days. I began to wonder if I would be able to make a trip downtown at all this weekend. When it's raining, people find places to hide to get out of the rain. Not only are your clothes wet, but unless you have a waterproof tent or tarp, all your stuff gets wet too. You're then colder than you would be and even more miserable for days afterwards until you dry out. The next day, Saturday, (it was still raining) while at work I decided I would go no matter what. I came to the conclusion that those people I did find would be really glad and thankful I found them despite the rain. So after work, I stopped by the store and got the stuff I'd need to make sandwiches and Sunday afternoon I drove on down. It was raining a little bit when I left and I hit a downpour in Alhambra, but slowed to very light drizzle by the time I got to Los Angeles.
The first guy I helped was sitting on the sidewalk under the freeway trying to sleep. Apparently, not very soundly because when I asked him if he was hungry he practically bolted over to the car. I had gotten off the freeway at the Santa Fe/Mateo exit because I wanted to see if I could find Alan as I drove through that part of town. Sure enough, along the way I found him resting and sitting on a small pillow on the sidewalk (the sidewalk was wet). I had to turn around and drive back to get to him. I've known Alan for several years now and have shared with you before that he doesn't talk much. I called out to him as I was positioning my car near where he was and he came over. I immediately noticed that he didn't have a shirt on under the sport coat he had on. I gave him a couple of sandwiches and a couple bottles of water and asked him if he wanted a shirt. He nodded yes and I got one out of the trunk for him. I had some socks and asked him if he needed a pair. He actually said "Yes" to that. During my visit with him I put my arm around his shoulders and told him I loved him. As I drove away I wondered how many years its been since anyone has said those words to him. I'm sure it's been a very long time. Here's his picture from today.
Alan
I went over to 10th and San Pedro St and saw my friends who live there. Last week I didn't stop there because I was all out of food before I could get to them. These folks have suffered greatly in the rain. There is a small awning that they live under and it leaks. It seems the tarps and blankets I give them get stolen repeatedly and now I'm pretty much out of both of those items. They are looking forward to warmer and dryer weather....and soon.
On the last trip that I wrote a blog about (January 1st) I told about two women I have tried to help each time I come downtown the last 2-3 months. One was Carmen who told me she was abducted at 12 years old and forced to work on the street. I saw her last week and again today. I learned a few more details about her ordeal which lasted seven years. The other woman was Maria. I didn't see her today, but spent twenty minutes or so with her last week. I showed her pictures of my family that were on my phone. She seemed very grateful to me spending time with her and sharing the pictures and conversation (such as it is with her limited English and my limited Spanish). I have a couple of pictures of these ladies, Carmen from today and Maria from a couple weeks ago. Now you have a face to put with the names and stories. Please pray for each of these women: First is Maria and then Carmen.
So after I found Carmen today I was about a block or so away from where Maria lives in her van. But when I got there, Maria was nowhere to be found. There is a church on a corner near there that I spend time praying for when I'm down there and while I was parked there it started to rain heavily. At that point, it became nearly impossible to find people needing help as they were all someplace out of the rain. I drove around for about another 20-25 minutes until the rain let up and finally found Becky. She is another homeless woman I've now known for at least 6-7 years. I had two sandwiches left and I gave them both to her. I was glad she got them and she was happy to receive them. She told me she was very hungry. Although the rain had let up and barely drizzled at all on the way home, the traffic was a mess and it took twice as long as normal to get home. But I got home safely and just as the coin toss for the football game was about to start. After all, it is Super Sunday and it's Super to do God's work any day of the week. Next week my work week switches back to nights for the next four months. I won't get off work until 7 am Sunday mornings and will have to sleep when I get home. It will make these trips very difficult for me until we switch back to daylight savings time in another month. Please pray for my health and energy levels. --Until next time. John
PS. I began this blog with a quote from Mr. Rogers about saying yes. Initially, I was only thinking about how difficult it would be for me to find people to help in the rain. Then I started thinking about those I would find and how they would feel to be found! What a privilege it is to help those in need and let them know someone cares about them when things are at there worst.
"As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has--or ever will have--something inside that is unique to all time. It's our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression."
Fred Rogers...aka Mr. Rogers
For those who do not live here in Southern California it has been raining a lot the last few days. On Friday the forecast, while it was raining heavily, was rain pretty much continually for the next 4 days. I began to wonder if I would be able to make a trip downtown at all this weekend. When it's raining, people find places to hide to get out of the rain. Not only are your clothes wet, but unless you have a waterproof tent or tarp, all your stuff gets wet too. You're then colder than you would be and even more miserable for days afterwards until you dry out. The next day, Saturday, (it was still raining) while at work I decided I would go no matter what. I came to the conclusion that those people I did find would be really glad and thankful I found them despite the rain. So after work, I stopped by the store and got the stuff I'd need to make sandwiches and Sunday afternoon I drove on down. It was raining a little bit when I left and I hit a downpour in Alhambra, but slowed to very light drizzle by the time I got to Los Angeles.
The first guy I helped was sitting on the sidewalk under the freeway trying to sleep. Apparently, not very soundly because when I asked him if he was hungry he practically bolted over to the car. I had gotten off the freeway at the Santa Fe/Mateo exit because I wanted to see if I could find Alan as I drove through that part of town. Sure enough, along the way I found him resting and sitting on a small pillow on the sidewalk (the sidewalk was wet). I had to turn around and drive back to get to him. I've known Alan for several years now and have shared with you before that he doesn't talk much. I called out to him as I was positioning my car near where he was and he came over. I immediately noticed that he didn't have a shirt on under the sport coat he had on. I gave him a couple of sandwiches and a couple bottles of water and asked him if he wanted a shirt. He nodded yes and I got one out of the trunk for him. I had some socks and asked him if he needed a pair. He actually said "Yes" to that. During my visit with him I put my arm around his shoulders and told him I loved him. As I drove away I wondered how many years its been since anyone has said those words to him. I'm sure it's been a very long time. Here's his picture from today.
Alan
I went over to 10th and San Pedro St and saw my friends who live there. Last week I didn't stop there because I was all out of food before I could get to them. These folks have suffered greatly in the rain. There is a small awning that they live under and it leaks. It seems the tarps and blankets I give them get stolen repeatedly and now I'm pretty much out of both of those items. They are looking forward to warmer and dryer weather....and soon.
On the last trip that I wrote a blog about (January 1st) I told about two women I have tried to help each time I come downtown the last 2-3 months. One was Carmen who told me she was abducted at 12 years old and forced to work on the street. I saw her last week and again today. I learned a few more details about her ordeal which lasted seven years. The other woman was Maria. I didn't see her today, but spent twenty minutes or so with her last week. I showed her pictures of my family that were on my phone. She seemed very grateful to me spending time with her and sharing the pictures and conversation (such as it is with her limited English and my limited Spanish). I have a couple of pictures of these ladies, Carmen from today and Maria from a couple weeks ago. Now you have a face to put with the names and stories. Please pray for each of these women: First is Maria and then Carmen.
So after I found Carmen today I was about a block or so away from where Maria lives in her van. But when I got there, Maria was nowhere to be found. There is a church on a corner near there that I spend time praying for when I'm down there and while I was parked there it started to rain heavily. At that point, it became nearly impossible to find people needing help as they were all someplace out of the rain. I drove around for about another 20-25 minutes until the rain let up and finally found Becky. She is another homeless woman I've now known for at least 6-7 years. I had two sandwiches left and I gave them both to her. I was glad she got them and she was happy to receive them. She told me she was very hungry. Although the rain had let up and barely drizzled at all on the way home, the traffic was a mess and it took twice as long as normal to get home. But I got home safely and just as the coin toss for the football game was about to start. After all, it is Super Sunday and it's Super to do God's work any day of the week. Next week my work week switches back to nights for the next four months. I won't get off work until 7 am Sunday mornings and will have to sleep when I get home. It will make these trips very difficult for me until we switch back to daylight savings time in another month. Please pray for my health and energy levels. --Until next time. John
PS. I began this blog with a quote from Mr. Rogers about saying yes. Initially, I was only thinking about how difficult it would be for me to find people to help in the rain. Then I started thinking about those I would find and how they would feel to be found! What a privilege it is to help those in need and let them know someone cares about them when things are at there worst.
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