I noticed the boy first. Clean-cut, good-looking,
he politely, almost shyly, asked where he could hand in a pair of dirty socks
and get a clean pair. He motioned towards the sign, “Vancouver Sock Exchange”.
I found a pair in one of our bins. They were
clean, but didn’t match.
“That’s OK,” he said. “They’ll usually be covered
by my shoes, anyway.”
“If anyone asks, tell them you’ve got another pair,
just like them.” I’m such a wit.
Then I noticed the girl. Beautiful, and together,
they could have been that quiet, sweet couple who got together in high school
and never split up.
Danilo nudged me. “Teenagers?” he said. “Must be,”
I replied.
They each had a large suitcase with a bedroll and
spent their time organizing their things. I think they had showers. The boy
told me later that they had spent the night at Triage, an emergency shelter. I’ve
had very little dealings with Triage, but what I’ve seen is a kind,
compassionate staff that goes above and beyond to try to give people a dry
alternative to spending the night on the street. I remember carrying one
drugged-out girl into the building and the staff arranging a couple of comfy
chairs and finding a blanket for her because they had no beds available. The
sense I get is that they will do anything in their power to keep from turning
someone away.
“We need to get back to Alert Bay,” the boy said. “I
came down here for treatment and now we’re waiting for Harbour Light to open to
see if they can help us with the ticket back.” He went out around 9, and the
girl stayed behind with the luggage. By 10 o’clock closing time, he hadn’t come
back, so she got up to leave.
“You’ve probably noticed that you’ve stumbled into
a church,” I said as we stepped outside the door. “Do you mind if I pray over
you?”
“No. Please.”
It was brief: for protection, a safe trip home,
health ... she smiled, “thanks. You guys are good people!”
I hope and pray that we don’t see them again.
The Lord’s Rain serves so many people in so many
different ways: longtime residents of the Downtown East Side who find a
community place where they can be themselves; people who see their stay on the
DTES as a temporary stop while they get a foothold on life; people in need of a
place to come when they are literally “just passing through”. I don’t know what
the boy was getting treatment for, but if it was some kind of addiction,
perhaps the experience of coming into The Lord’s Rain and meeting what his
girlfriend called “good people”, can help provide the hope that fills the void.
+++
You
Can Observe A Lot Just By Watching dep’t
Turnaround in one’s life doesn’t necessarily
relate to financial or social circumstances. The first and most lasting sign of
turnaround appears to be in one’s attitude, particularly when it comes to “owning”
the issues and events in their lives. Simply put, those who own their issues,
who admit that they messed up and bear responsibility for the setbacks (and I
don’t mean saying, “I wrong to trust those people!”), are more likely to turn
around. Those, whose problems are always the fault of someone else, are not. You
see the effects of the attitudinal change in different ways, but the bottom
line is, they’re a whole lot more pleasant to have around. It’s wonderful to
watch.
+++
got
jobs?
There are a couple of guys I know at the Mission
who are in need of work. Due to age and certain infirmities, they’re somewhat
limited in the amount they can lift and so forth, but they’re smart and, I
believe, reliable. That’s the best recommendation I can give them, but I’m
passing along a desire for some leads for them for part-time or casual work in
the Vancouver area. If you think you can help, please reply to this email and I’ll
help make the connection.
+++
Scripture
A verse in Jeremiah is one of many that sum up the
importance, in God’s eyes, of serving the poor. The message is given to one of
the sons of Josiah, king of Judah; the son has been solely concerned with the
finery of being a prince. God tells him, through the prophet (Jer. 22:15),
“Did
not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was
well with him. (16) He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well.
Was not this knowing Me?”
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