Last night, Koko and I noticed something.  The people that we were feeding last night, seemed to be really hungry.  There's hunger, but last night, the people were very hungry.  We were asked several times for seconds which we were happy to give.  Usually, when we are on the street, we will give them a hot soup, and pack whomever needs extra with dry soup for the future, but we served so many that we made it to the last stop with just enough hot water and not any to spare. 

I met Maria...a little woman living on the street all alone.  No family here, only in Mexico, she's trying to save enough money from begging to make it home.  Married for 10 years she was beaten....she finally left, and yesterday for the first time, a woman had punched her in the face on the street.  Her face was swollen...and she was still surprised as to why she had been hit.  I asked what she did.  "I hit her back!  Because you have to be tough here."

Soft spoken Denny Ray, I could barely hear him.  We gave him soup, stuffed his duffle bag with a few extras, and he was saying something to me....I had to bring myself close to hear over the street noise.  He asked my name....I asked his....and as I said, "I will pray for you, Denny Ray."  He said something to me...I came closer again, and he said, "I was just saying the same to you....I will pray for you.  God bless you child.  Thank you for coming here."

Many of you will remember my blog from last month.  Suzie and I met a woman named Tara on the street.  Her arms and neck were covered in a rash which she was scratching, telling me that she was trying to seek medical help but they couldn't figure out what was causing it.  Last month, I asked her name and told her I would pray for her...and she said she would pray for me as well. We even bowed our heads on the sidewalk that night and prayed together.

Fast forward one month.  Last night we pulled up to our last stop.  There was Tara...all smiles.  Before I got to the back of the car, she came up "I know you!" and she gave me a warm hug!  I couldn't believe how great she looked. She read my Tshirt "7x77!  That's how many times the Lord says we're supposed to forgive each other, right!?"  I was impressed.  : )  I felt that I had met an old friend on the street.  I told Tara how great she looked...and I told her I was so glad to see her because I had been praying for her for the past month.  Her response:  "I know you have.  Look at my arms.  I'm all healed up!  I went to county.  They ran all kinds of tests.  They couldn't figure it out.  They even treated me for bugs...but that wasn't it either.  The treatments ate away at my skin even more. They even gave me steroids.  But I started healing!  And now look!"  She showed me her clean arms.  She held my hand as we talked. 

I asked how she was doing on the street.  She told me she was okay.  She lives in the tent with her friend...and the street they are on "everyone is respectful of one another.  It's not too bad."  She told me that on the streets there were many that suffered from mental illness and addictions...that there were programs for people (which she was enrolled in..for alcohol), but many didn't even have the ability to take themselves to the programs.  She pointed to a man that was laying in his sleeping bag near her tent and told me that this man was deaf.  His wife is also deaf but is in jail -- picked up for a violation.  She said, "Imagine what that's like.  It's hard enough being deaf...but to be deaf in jail?"  And then she shared something so beautiful with me....

Tara said, "You know when I first met you guys?"  I thought it was the month prior but it wasn't.  She continued, "I was in jail a few months back.  I finally cleaned up my act enough but  I got picked up for a past violation....and when I got out, I had nothing.  I was wearing the paper outfit that they give you in jail.  My first night out I was on the street looking for my friend here....and some of the people I came across said, "The Christians are here...they're two streets over...go see the Christians."  And I found your group.  You gave me food.  You gave me clothes...you even gave me a little suitcase to put my things in....that's when I first found you." 

Wow...I didn't know what to say.  Every time I go, I am more blessed by our homeless brothers and sisters.  All I could do was to hug her. 

It was time to go.  Tara thanked us again.  She and her friend are "This close" (holding up an inch between her thumb and index finger) to getting in the shelter.  So I asked, "So next month when I come, if I don't find you here, I guess that's good right?"  She said, "You'll see me!  Even if we make it in, I will come find you and get a hug."  I love that lady!