I got off the freeway at the Main St. exit off the I-5 just north of the I-10. As I was coming up to the stop sign at the end of the ramp I saw a man pushing his shopping cart into a grassy area near a wall. I figured he was looking for empty cans or plastic bottles. As I slowed down I called out to him but he didn't hear me. Then as I got to the stop sign there was a woman with her cart following him. I was able to get her attention and she stopped. Eventually, I parked (in a red zone) and gave her some food and water along with some socks and shirts. I had several pairs of womens jeans but nothing that would fit her. She then asked, "Can I have some socks for my friend?" It turned out that I hadn't recognized her "friend" was Victor. He usually sleeps under the freeway overpass at Main St just around the block.
I decided to drive around the area east of there and see if I could find some of my friends from here who have had to relocate. I never did find them, but in the process was able to help Robert near Eastern and Huntington Drive and Quiss (I thought he was saying Chris at first) who was in a wheelchair at Main and Mission Rd. across the street from Lincoln Park. I then went into downtown going under the 4th St. bridge at Mission Rd. Michael used to live there but in December moved to Portland to receive help through the VA. His friend Robert was there today. Robert is from New York. He told me Michael tried to get him to go to Portland too, but he would lose some of his current benefits if he left this area.
I ended up going over to the corner of Olive and Pico. I never quite know what is going to happen over there. I drove around a couple of blocks and thought I might find Dalton. What I ended up seeing was a homeless man sleeping on the sidewalk with his shopping cart next to him. Another homeless man was going through the sleeping man's cart. He found a bag of rolls and I'm not sure what else and started walking away with them. I had pulled over to the curb maybe 20 or 25 feet away to let traffic go by me. The man walking away with the bread stopped about 10 feet on down the street and then came back and put the stuff back in the sleeping man's shopping cart! I don't know if my being there and seeing it had anything to do with his change of heart, but I ended up asking him if he needed a bag of food. Of course, his answer was "Yes." I'm glad I was able to help two men with one bag of food!
Well, this brings us to the last encounter of the day with Arturo who I found sleeping in some grass next to the I-10 freeway on-ramp at San Pedro Ave. He looked all alone with very few possessions so I was pretty sure he could use some help. I didn't anticipate the reaction I was going to get. I first asked him if he was OK and if he could use some food and water. This is pretty much a standard intro line I use with people if I've never met them before and particularly if they are sleeping when I first come up to them. He told me he could use the help and since I noticed his toes sticking out from under the short blanket he had I asked if he could use some socks. He pointed to a pair he had hanging from his shopping cart. I asked if he could use a brand new pair and he said 'OK'. I walked back to the car and got a couple of pairs along with a couple of polo shirts. He had showed me the shirt he had on under the blanket and although it was OK I thought he might like to have a couple of shirts too. I walked back over to him and he had rolled over like he was going back to sleep (he hadn't started eating anything out of the bag of food either). Perhaps, he thought I wasn't coming back, I don't really know. Anyway, when I got back to him and gave him the clothes I asked if he had been staying in the surrounding area and he said he had. I then told him that I come down here once a week and I would look for him again. He then asked me, "Why?" When I used to prayer-walk in the neighborhood around our church several years ago I was asked that question, and at that time I answered, "Because I care about people's savation." Well, I've never had any homeless people ask that question. They usually just accept the help with thanks and don't question why I'm doing it. With Arturo I said, "I like to look for people who need help and help them." He did ask if I was a Christian and then he asked, "Do you know God?" I told him, "Yes, I know God." He then, looking straight at me, said, "I don't know God." I told Arturo, that if you pray to Him, God can change your situation and that although, some of the outward circumstances may not change right away, he (Arturo) could come to have peace in his own heart. Well, I wasn't looking to "convert" Arturo in this conversation, but merely wanted to let him know, someone cares about him. He told me that sure he would like to have a car and a job, but he was OK having nothing and was at peace with himself. Recognizing that this conversation could be of eternal significance in Arturo's life I wanted to make sure that I wasn't argumentative or condemning in any way of his life. After all, if I am lucky enough to see him
again, we would have something to build upon. I asked if I could pray for him before leaving, but he refused the offer (and was somewhat adamant about it). I
realize that Arturo was asleep when I walked up. He also told me he was from Mexico and English was a second language and he was having a struggle explaining himself (although I understood him just fine). Still, I felt I had missed an opportunity in the encounter yet, even so, I left on positive terms with him. Perhaps the note in the bag of food will make a difference in his heart later. Please pray that I have more opportunities to build a friendship with Arturo. Until next week. --John
P.S. Yes, I did prayer-walk down Cloud Nine Alley. It was very quiet there today.
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