This blog is a little late but better late than never!  I have had a difficult time trying to put into words what I have been thinking and feeling.  Last Monday, December 17 was the second time I had gone to Skid Row and it was markedly different than the first trip.  We had lots and lots of canned goods, blankets, cars and people.  There was something in the air and I couldn't exactly pinpoint it but I know it was the spirit of God with us that night. 

So there we were...winding down the trip with plenty of food still left.  It was the second to last stop and I see a woman looking at the boxes in the truck where we had all of the cans and she was asking for broths/soups of any sort and any type of meat products.  I began looking for anything we had with meat in it and was able to find a can of beef ravioli.  I went to her and gave the can to her and she thanked me incessantly and began to tell me her story.  She informed me that she had been taking care of a dear friend who is very ill.  Her eyes began to tear as she informed me that he is terminally ill.  She asked me not to tell anyone and specifically not to speak to him about it.  Furthermore she told me that he no longer speaks and sleeps all the time.  She asked me to walk with her to see her friend.  I walked over to her friend and saw a young man, most likely in his mid twenties bundled up in the corner.  He was sleeping and I could see that he had cuts and scrapes all over his face but he had such an attractive face.  I wasn't sure how I was going to stay composed through this, but God gave me the strength to stand and look at him and I began to pray for him.  Lucy then asked me to help her find any cans that are easy to open and that were soups or broths as those are the only foods that he has been able to eat.  

As I was looking for the cans she called me over once again and showed me that her friend had awakened and was eating from one of the cans.  I walked to him and he nodded his head and waved his hand as a gesture of thanks, after all Lucy had stated that he no longer speaks.  It was so nice to see that he was up and eating and Lucy was very excited as well.  Lucy really struck a chord in my heart that evening and I have not been able to shake the feeling.

Here is a woman who has no home and in the cold is not considering her own well being but the well being of another.  She has taken her friend in as a surrogate mother and cared for him in such a way.  All of the cans she was searching for were to feed her ill friend and she only asked for one thing for herself...which was a "lotion that smelled good".  She is an example of many of the people we have encountered on skid row.  They are a family and they are a community. In fact they are more of a community than most people who have homes.  They care for each other and it is beautiful to see.  Like many of the people on skid row, Lucy has really touched my heart.  She shows me that no matter the circumstance we can take care of one another with whatever we have and with whatever we can give.  I pray for her and for her friend, May God keep them and everyone there safe.

On a side note, my dad came with me that night and when we got home he could not stop talking about his experience. He was amazed at how the homeless there did not ask for too much, said thank you, were very respectful at all times and did not want more than they could handle.  The following day he told me that he had had the best day of his life and had felt like he was 18 again.  I know this experience touched him more than words can describe as I know it touches all of us who have had the honor of being a part of this experience.

Thanks for joining me on this small journey through my thoughts.