Hello Everyone,
Tonight presented itself with more and more lessons to which we are thankful to have been a part of. We headed out with a packed van thanks to everyone who donated this week and we cannot explain enough to you what a GREAT feeling that is!! To know we have a little of everything is a blessing!! We went to Mcdonald's and only saw a couple people- one was Curtis!! He has had a rough week with having to go to a funeral and the every day reality that this person is no longer on this earth. He talked about his friend for a bit, the funeral and how he has been dealing with it all. We also saw a couple of guys that usually meet us there and they joined us for prayer in the end!!!
We then headed to the park where we saw alot of our friends. Talked with a man who now is back outside - he has been inside for awhile but now is back to his old spot. He talked about his family and the loss of a family member. We talked for a good while about how hard it has been for him and how he came to be homeless. We gave him some canned goods to take to his spot along with some candles, a flashlight, socks and a clean shirt.
We then talked with a man who was to be honest well over the limit. We sat down on the curb and he tried to explain why he drinks. He talked about how his father drank well over the limit for many many years and how his relationship with his mother was not the greatest growing up. He also shared with us his health issues and explained to us how his illness will one day take his life and thats part of the reason he drinks. As he sat there trying to smoke his small remaining cigarette (which he was trying to smoke with it upside down and not lit) and explained how people judge him and talked about all his pain and hurt I thought this is why we are here.
He later asked why we do it, why we come and it was explained to him we are there to love on people- not to judge but to just hang out and be there for them. He later said that he considered us friends and thanked us for not judging him and he joined us for prayer. Sure he had too much to drink and while that is not the best choice for him we also see a young man who is hurt, who is suffering with a life threatning illness, a young man who has given up - who has lost hope and is just rying to get through the day feeling as little pain as possible and yet he so desperately needs to feel Gods love, mercy and grace and he needs our prayers. We are honored to hear his story, to hear his heart, to listen as he told his life story and were thankful there was room on that curb tonight to talk! We ended up giving him a clean shirt to wear and a blanket for the night and said we would see him next week.
We also saw another one of our friends who is also going to be back out on the streets most likely :-( We gave out alot of food, some hygiene, some blankets, a sleeping bag, some socks and alot of listening ears and hugs!!
At the mission we were running a bit behind and some were wondering where we were but we got there and our bins were cleaned out!! Gave away all the jeans, all the shirts and just about all the socks (only dress socks remained). We also gave away some Bibles and reading material and as you know that always warms our hearts!!! We gathered to pray as we always do and again were always so thankful for those who join us- you have to remember people CHOOSE to stand in that circle- not because of us but because we believe of that inner longing we all have for God. Even if our faith seems to be as small as a mustard seed the Bible reassures us that is ok- and is workable!!! We were also able to see one of our woman friends from last year. We were able to give her a hoodie and some shoes and socks. She has been struggling but she is sober and so is her boyfriend and thats to be celebrated!!!!!
Headed to the bridge where we saw several friends. Saw our two newest friends and we handed out flashlights, food, snack bags, oranges, hygiene kits and some socks and shirts!! Our one friends I have to say was very comical as he talked about how good it felt to take a shower earlier in the day and get his nails cleaned out! We sat under the bridge and talked and watched as some rolled their own cigarettes, some fiddled through the snack bags to eat and some talked about the upcoming 3 rivers festival and wondering where they would go for their safety and some just sat and talked about odds and ends.
Me being the loudest mouth on the team sat at one end of the bridge talking with some friends while the others sat at the other end of the bridge talking and I prayed!! For those who know me you know its possible as I have a loud voice!!!! Our one friend as I told him I was going to pray agreed my voice would carry to the other end of the bridge and it did!!!!! So we prayed together and it was a great moment in where we took a second to come together and pray to God!!! We said our goodbyes as a storm was about to roll in and we had one more stop to make!
We headed to the park for our last stop and saw Marcus who was having a rough night. His stuff had been taken again and he was frustrated!!! Saw a couple other guys there- one who said he has been homeless for ahwile but we just havent seen him (which we would imagine happens alot- more people than we know). We gave out some sleeping cushions, oranges, canned goods, water, and cheeseburgers and we prayed before we left and as we prayed the rain came in and it came in FAST and in a down pour!!
Felt bad as our friends were getting wet as the wind was directing the rain right in on them. We all headed back to the car and we were soaked- BUT we had homes to go to, hot showers we could take and warm beds to crawl into and our friends do not! So we pray for them. We pray for them to be physically healed, to be healed emotionally and spiritually and to know the power of God in many ways!! We also at the end of the night heard from Drew who is doing well. He is visiting some family and he called to check in and let us know he is ok!! We miss him but we are thankful he is with his family and getting a break from all the chaos!!
Thanks to everyone for dropping items off to us..... Thanks to Pathway Community Church, Jamie and Melanie Perlich, Christina King, MJS Apparel. Mark and Lynn Stebing, Sarah Lapadot, Auburn Massage Center, Karen Slabaugh, Traci Bullion, Bill and Tonya Chastain, Sherry Meyers, The Gathering Place, Pam Leonard of Estate of Mind, Cheri Russell, Jim Crawford, Bethel UMC, Laura Mock, Pam Greuter,Keith Varketta, Tina Huffman, Julie Cusick, Sheila, Todd Plimpton- thanks for all you do and for all the ways you help us each week!!!!
Please check out our needs list..... remember there are always general needs...things we go through each week and then there are specific needs (items people have requested) so please check out the list and let us know if you can help in any way- thank you and God Bless
Tonight presented itself with more and more lessons to which we are thankful to have been a part of. We headed out with a packed van thanks to everyone who donated this week and we cannot explain enough to you what a GREAT feeling that is!! To know we have a little of everything is a blessing!! We went to Mcdonald's and only saw a couple people- one was Curtis!! He has had a rough week with having to go to a funeral and the every day reality that this person is no longer on this earth. He talked about his friend for a bit, the funeral and how he has been dealing with it all. We also saw a couple of guys that usually meet us there and they joined us for prayer in the end!!!
We then headed to the park where we saw alot of our friends. Talked with a man who now is back outside - he has been inside for awhile but now is back to his old spot. He talked about his family and the loss of a family member. We talked for a good while about how hard it has been for him and how he came to be homeless. We gave him some canned goods to take to his spot along with some candles, a flashlight, socks and a clean shirt.
We then talked with a man who was to be honest well over the limit. We sat down on the curb and he tried to explain why he drinks. He talked about how his father drank well over the limit for many many years and how his relationship with his mother was not the greatest growing up. He also shared with us his health issues and explained to us how his illness will one day take his life and thats part of the reason he drinks. As he sat there trying to smoke his small remaining cigarette (which he was trying to smoke with it upside down and not lit) and explained how people judge him and talked about all his pain and hurt I thought this is why we are here.
He later asked why we do it, why we come and it was explained to him we are there to love on people- not to judge but to just hang out and be there for them. He later said that he considered us friends and thanked us for not judging him and he joined us for prayer. Sure he had too much to drink and while that is not the best choice for him we also see a young man who is hurt, who is suffering with a life threatning illness, a young man who has given up - who has lost hope and is just rying to get through the day feeling as little pain as possible and yet he so desperately needs to feel Gods love, mercy and grace and he needs our prayers. We are honored to hear his story, to hear his heart, to listen as he told his life story and were thankful there was room on that curb tonight to talk! We ended up giving him a clean shirt to wear and a blanket for the night and said we would see him next week.
We also saw another one of our friends who is also going to be back out on the streets most likely :-( We gave out alot of food, some hygiene, some blankets, a sleeping bag, some socks and alot of listening ears and hugs!!
At the mission we were running a bit behind and some were wondering where we were but we got there and our bins were cleaned out!! Gave away all the jeans, all the shirts and just about all the socks (only dress socks remained). We also gave away some Bibles and reading material and as you know that always warms our hearts!!! We gathered to pray as we always do and again were always so thankful for those who join us- you have to remember people CHOOSE to stand in that circle- not because of us but because we believe of that inner longing we all have for God. Even if our faith seems to be as small as a mustard seed the Bible reassures us that is ok- and is workable!!! We were also able to see one of our woman friends from last year. We were able to give her a hoodie and some shoes and socks. She has been struggling but she is sober and so is her boyfriend and thats to be celebrated!!!!!
Headed to the bridge where we saw several friends. Saw our two newest friends and we handed out flashlights, food, snack bags, oranges, hygiene kits and some socks and shirts!! Our one friends I have to say was very comical as he talked about how good it felt to take a shower earlier in the day and get his nails cleaned out! We sat under the bridge and talked and watched as some rolled their own cigarettes, some fiddled through the snack bags to eat and some talked about the upcoming 3 rivers festival and wondering where they would go for their safety and some just sat and talked about odds and ends.
Me being the loudest mouth on the team sat at one end of the bridge talking with some friends while the others sat at the other end of the bridge talking and I prayed!! For those who know me you know its possible as I have a loud voice!!!! Our one friend as I told him I was going to pray agreed my voice would carry to the other end of the bridge and it did!!!!! So we prayed together and it was a great moment in where we took a second to come together and pray to God!!! We said our goodbyes as a storm was about to roll in and we had one more stop to make!
We headed to the park for our last stop and saw Marcus who was having a rough night. His stuff had been taken again and he was frustrated!!! Saw a couple other guys there- one who said he has been homeless for ahwile but we just havent seen him (which we would imagine happens alot- more people than we know). We gave out some sleeping cushions, oranges, canned goods, water, and cheeseburgers and we prayed before we left and as we prayed the rain came in and it came in FAST and in a down pour!!
Felt bad as our friends were getting wet as the wind was directing the rain right in on them. We all headed back to the car and we were soaked- BUT we had homes to go to, hot showers we could take and warm beds to crawl into and our friends do not! So we pray for them. We pray for them to be physically healed, to be healed emotionally and spiritually and to know the power of God in many ways!! We also at the end of the night heard from Drew who is doing well. He is visiting some family and he called to check in and let us know he is ok!! We miss him but we are thankful he is with his family and getting a break from all the chaos!!
Thanks to everyone for dropping items off to us..... Thanks to Pathway Community Church, Jamie and Melanie Perlich, Christina King, MJS Apparel. Mark and Lynn Stebing, Sarah Lapadot, Auburn Massage Center, Karen Slabaugh, Traci Bullion, Bill and Tonya Chastain, Sherry Meyers, The Gathering Place, Pam Leonard of Estate of Mind, Cheri Russell, Jim Crawford, Bethel UMC, Laura Mock, Pam Greuter,Keith Varketta, Tina Huffman, Julie Cusick, Sheila, Todd Plimpton- thanks for all you do and for all the ways you help us each week!!!!
Please check out our needs list..... remember there are always general needs...things we go through each week and then there are specific needs (items people have requested) so please check out the list and let us know if you can help in any way- thank you and God Bless
