10/20-Last BBQ of 2013

                                            You are enthroned above

                                                       the heavens,

                                          The earth and all creation,

                                             bow down before you,

                                                  You are crowned 

                                            with strength and glory, 

                                             the angels crying glory

                                                  All surround you

                                             Forever you will stand

                                          Your kingdom has no end

                                        Oh Holy God I stay amazed

                                           You are so much more

                                          than words can ever say

                                 Oh Holy God, I pour out my praise

                                                   on the One 

                                       who never ceases to amaze

    ---Stay Amazed, written by Jamie Birkenfield, Klaus Kuehn, Robert Quintana                                                                                                                                                                             

Last week I was only able to pass through downtown after a long trip up north.  I stopped by the McArthur Park area and prayed in front of the "I am Legion" doorway.  It was dark by the time I had gotten there.  I took a couple of pictures of the door itself, but neither of them came out.  I only had a couple of encounters with homeless people in that area, one wanted some change while I was looking in a map book in my car and the other was a woman standing on the median asking for change at Bixley and 8th St.  The first one was a man who never bent over low enough for me to see his face and the other thanked me for even acknowledging her.  I had given out most all the change to the first guy and had almost nothing left to give her.  I then remembered I had a can of "meals ready to eat" to give her.  After helping her I drove over to 'my area' looking for some of the folks I usually see, but didn't see anyone I knew.  I had told them a few weeks back that we would do a BBQ soon and the next week (this last weekend) would be the time, but most everyone was already gone to bed.  It was 8 pm and dark by this time.  This weekend and next weekend are the last two weekends of daylight savings time, so the available weekends to do a BBQ are about to come to an end this year.  So yesterday was the day, whether anyone was there on Wall St or not.  If no one was on Wall St, I'd find another place, but I had been praying all week and things turned out well.

When I first pulled up the street I saw one of the guys sitting on the sidewalk under the freeway, he called out  to me and I called back and asked him if he was ready for a BBQ.  He said, "Are you barbecuing today?", when I answered yes he was overjoyed.  There was a young man named Mario (he told me he was 24 yrs old) who was riding around that street on a bicycle who asked me what I was talking about.  He thought I came by to tell them where there was going to be one in the area, but didn't know that I was going to do one right there.  He was pretty happy too and helped me unload all the stuff in the car.  Throughout the day he was quite helpful to me.

Dave and Willie, whose stuff is a little ways further up the street were there, Willie and Eddie who work at the recycling place across the street, Mario, Paul, Louis and several others (I have trouble remembering all their names even though I recognize them) were there.  A more few people who passed by joined in.  It was a great day.  There was a young woman with a very small dog who passed by, we invited her to join us, but she didn't.  The story was she had been at the clinic on the corner and had been physically abused.  I guess it's understandable that she wouldn't want to hang around with 'all these men' that she didn't know.  I'm sure she just wanted to get away from there as quickly as possible.

My most memorable moment of the day was inviting a passerby by the name of Vernon who had stayed to eat with us to join about four or five of us in a prayer circle which he did.  I prayed with those in the circle and when I ended the prayer Mario was running up to us because he wanted to get into the prayer circle and be part of it with us.  Can you believe it?  Yes I was AMAZED.  It may not have been the 'fire coming down from heaven', but it was definitely the kingdom of heaven right there and everyone was enjoying a wonderful time.  All the food was cooked and given out and Mario and Paul helped me pack up the car before leaving.  It was a wonderful day.  I hope I am able to do it again next year.  Until next time--John

Here's the link to the song above:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7Cfo8atJPo