Bringing Beauty.

They sit together on the corner of the street in their wheelchairs. 

At their feet splays dozens of handmade jewellery and dream catchers.

 Each carefully designed and intricatley crafted with story and purpose from him, 

the humble shopkeeper.

His features are so gentle, 

open with true warmth. 

He listens intently, genuine in his hearing of people.

 He is calmly passionate in an engaging way. 

By his side a darling woman.

 Who, with a sense of bashfullness shared her love for drawing and poetry.

With a hint of pride showing me a photo of her piece.

She affirmed delight in his work.

He built up confidence in hers.

Together they were absolutely charming company to behold. 

" Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners of affliction and in irons.

They reeled and staggered like drunken men and were at their wit's end.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

 He turns a desert into pools of water, a parcheld land into springs of water.And there is lets the hungry dwell.

He raises the needy out of affliction.

Let them consider the steadfast love of the Lord."

( Taken from  Psalms 107)

 

 

There is a deep hunger and thirst in our city.

Precious souls faint and exausted.

Invisible, sitting in many different types of darkness.

Prisoners of afflictions.

Dear ones reeling and staggered.

 

 

The young girl in need of food and water daily

But, her hunger for love from men is stronger,

her thirst for acceptance and worth

is much deeper.

 

The older woman sleeping on a stack of dirty blankets  so physically needy,

  weary eyes spilling over with lonliness cut off from her family

Faint and exausted.

 

The young man who has been abused as a child,

now facing a vulnurable adulthood, offering his body to older men.

Unfathomable darkness.

 

The older man's life of affliction led to an addiction.

He feels hopless and worthless.

He is reeling.

He is staggered.

 

 

 

These precious children are the beloved.

They have been created and formed by their maker, father.

May they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, may they experience deliverance from their distress. He is able to turn their deserts into pools of water. Their parched land into springs of water.He provides a place for the hungry to dwell.He longs to raise them up out of their afflictions. May they come to know the steadfast love of the Lord.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Biblestudy Time.

Bible propped between the two of us, we took turns reading a line of scripture.

With each stanza her eyes would twinkle as she mused in a dreamlike fashion what God might be speaking.  She bashfully read word upon word confirming the fathers love and care for her. 

"You saw me before I was born." Psalm 139:16 she spoke stopping quickly, her eyes clouded over as the twinkle vanished. 

After pondering for a moment, she softly said, " if this is true, then he knew what my life would be like, and he still planned me to be born." 

A life of heart ache, struggle, pain and hurt.  Suddenly the loving God from a few moments ago, was a mean God who formed her with love, then put her into a painful life on purpose. 

This dear young woman has been having bible study and coffee with me for months. She hungers for Jesus, has countless questions and confusions, her heart is beyond soft towards him, she is familiar with his word, and has invited him to be her Lord and savior.... and yet she is consistently swayed with guilt, doubt, shame,destructive cycles, and an intense fear that she is beyond saving,not worth it, and will be sent to hell in the end. 

Please pray for her. She has such a desire to learn, grow, have understanding and peace in her walk with God. 

Please pray God would give me the  wisdom, truth, love and compassion I need as I spend time in friendship with her. 

" I haven't had a conversation in a week".

With our chins both resting on folded arms atop the counter in the rv, we spoke in a settled manner. Frequently he would erupt in a dry,croaky, repetitive laugh that would carry on for a few moments before returning to a similar tone.

Intriguing, heartbreaking, resourceful, fascinating, absolutely endearing...

 I struggled to comprehend as he shared his life. The more I heard, the difficulty heightened to be okay with his reality, no matter how sure of it he was. 

An all to common life of hardship and trials from the get go, abandoned in many ways, mistreated, and familiar with harm upon his identity consistently. With a tent for a home currently under the bridge, faithful dog for a companion, he opted to go it alone and live as a nomad, aimless, and nameless...

Safer to be alone, away from all the "junkies and drunks"...

With a genuine smile full of blackened teeth, he spoke  about the steaks he scored from a day of panning, he delighted in explaining how he cooked them himself on the small camp stove by his home. 

Such a sweetheart.

A strange serenity played across his face as something seemed to dawn on him. 

" I never talk, no one talks to me, I don't think I have had a conversation in a week, this feels good to just talk and have a good conversation." 

No person should live so isolated.

No person should live so disconnected from love and care.

No person should live with the knowledge that no one is concerned for your well being. 

No person should live without being in relationship.

The wrestle of these injustices and angers, filled me with reluctance to let him go back to his normal, that he seemed so okay with.

Please pray for this dear one.

May the touch of Jesus Christ be felt in his frailty... May his comforting presence be experienced in profound ways... May relationship with the father draw him close to him and others....May the truth of his precious, treasured life be made known to him... Amen.

Hidden Gems...

His dark eyes seemed to dance, he spoke gently with a pleasant french accent, as he introduced me. With a presence that seemed to soothe his drunken friend  he followed with kindness  the aimless pacing  back and forth beside the dumpster. I took in the scene captivated by what I was beholding. The banter between the two of them was endearing. The younger one patiently accepting the playful arm around his shoulder, the gesture similar to that of a father and son. The older one spoke to me through puffs of breath laced with the smell of alcohol , wanting me to know how special this friend was to him. I was touched by the friendship, the care the younger had for the older, trying to get him to eat solid food, and making sure he was warm enough for the cold night ahead. I felt I had discovered a gem in these two, with a backdrop of city lights, I left them sitting on new sleeping bags laughing together, enjoying their company, slightly spilling their soups. 

Such vulnerability.

Young, so young. He peered up at me and I was struck by the innocence all over his face. Small in stature and build, legs folded up holding his sign, head covered by a thin hat, brightened up smile. He spoke to me with such courtesy, friendliness, joking easily and thoughtfully. What an instant genuine friend. He had never seen our Light Patrol van before, and jumped at the chance to come aboard with me to get some food and supplies to make his home under the bridge more comfortable. A real thankfulness draped his speech as he chatted kindly with us. He was the picture of vulnerability on the streets, he had no one. So young, seemingly innocent and untainted, his situation was very worrisome to us. Knowing the dangers of older predators on the streets looking for the young homeless youth to exploit and mistreat, was very unsettling. With a sweet wave goodbye, sleeping bag in tow, he was back out. Please pray we see him again, for his protection along with so many others in similar circumstances, and for safe healthy people to come into his life.

His Humility...

Back against the cold concrete we spotted his face peeking between brightly lit car lights  crouched,  change cup placed between his runners.  It was a bad night for him body  feeling sick, unable to keep food down, exhausted from his lack of sleep, and tired of being mistreated. We sat together as a haze of people brushed past, he called out " good evening" and " have a good night" to each passerby but it sounded thin among the hurry. Gently exasperated he exhaled slowly glancing at me with a shrug. He spoke of being looked at  like garbage and how it made him feel hopeless, he told of trying to be a gentleman but was judged on his appearance... Being spit upon, looked at with disgust, the brunt of a joke, and an easy target for throwing punches. The depth of his despair, the hollowed look in his face, the slumped shoulders and there was nothing I could do or say to make his pain all better. I so badly wanted to. " I just want one night in a nice warm bed, and a hot shower all for myself." He muttered without a hint of complaining or blaming in the slightest, he was just sharing. I felt powerless, all the words I thought of speaking would seem shallow and meaningless. All the advice or possible help I could offer him would only be repetition. What was left? I asked  if I could pray for him.To my surprise he hung his head immediately, welcomed my hand on his shoulder, his eagerness spilling the change without taking notice. Such a holy moment watching this man as we talked to Jesus, his expression relaxed, softening, nodding agreeing with the words as I spoke them. Oh, that smile was contagious, his sweet face so kind, his humility will forever be teaching me.