Sheep Patrol 8 4 13 “I want to pray with you”….. His back was to us, sitting and leaning against a pole in a small business gravel parking lot. Dressed in all black with a Goth look, 2 crosses hanging against his chest. I welcomed “P” to get a drink and sandwich. He was all up for sweet tea, a cup of coffee and sandwich…..A young man on a bike stopped and commented that we were offering just what he needed as he was hungry and thirsty and was being blessed. “P” heard that then looked down at his crosses and asked the young man if he would like one of his had made crosses. Surprised, he said yes and “P” took if off his neck and handed him the cross….”P” was delighted that we had stopped and asked if he could pray with us….He had just a simple prayer, but heartfelt, for needy women and children and asking God’s blessing and protection for us as we served on the streets…. “I don’t come to see you to eat, I come because I know you care for me”…. “R” was with a handful of regulars sitting by a building as we drove up. I didn’t see his girlfriend’s car that serves as their “home” and asked him where she was…….They had an argument and she left him. This has happened before. Tears were swelling up in his eyes… I pray that she come back…she has before..She works regularly and “R” has had a tough time finding regular work… He commented that even though we serve food to him when we see him, he comes for our friendship and that he knows we care about him.... Great praise report as another friend should be just a few weeks away from moving into his own place. Just biding our time til he gives us the green light so we can help gather up things for his place…………… Another friend says he has been making progress with the maze of red tape to get a new I.D. card and much needed food stamps. This should also pave the way to seek other assistance as he is elderly and shouldn’t have to be living on the streets like he does. Lots and lots of water was handed out today in the midst of our heat wave. Sighs of relief and requests for extra water was common….We chill or freeze dozens of bottles of water so folks will have a cool drink available to them when we visit them and encourage them to take the extra water…….. Robyn wanted to go to yard sales Saturday and I got to plan the strategy so I looked up Church garage sales and found 3. We were really blessed finding things marked down from their $.25 and $.50 and $1.00 prices. For $25 we got 4 coffee makers, lots of socks, t shirts, eyeglasses and cases, and hats plus some other miscellaneous items. We gave out most of the clothing today, having just what folks were asking for again…..God is good and knows their needs…… When I was shopping at Aldi the last few weeks, I saw backpacks for $6.99. I usually try to find them at thrift shops for under $5.00 used. I just felt a prodding like i was supposed to buy this bag not knowing why or who it was for. ……My friend John came and got his usual spicy sandwich and asked if we happened to have a backpack. He has been going classes carrying his books and supplies and the strap broke….And God provided. ….It has been tough finding regular work for him. I remember when I saw him last fall walking across a parking lot. He wasn’t hungry but said he could sure use prayer. There was no work back in his home state so he came here looking for better opportunity for his family. I prayed with him and began seeing him again regularly this spring when he began hanging out with a group nice guys we know…. We made a number of stops today. …going to where the folks were hanging out… under a tree next to a dumpster, sitting on gravel in a parking lot, in an abandoned gas station, at at an abandoned house, at a bus stop, on a sidewalk, in a fast food parking lot…… Stephen came over to do my yard and some other things before getting a shower. I know the heat in the building will be sweltering when we drop him off. No AC, no fans, no electricity…. One of our former homeless couples called. They helped their sons family get back on their feet and now that the couple have jobs. D&K have moved into a different house, basically starting from scratch again. There is no air conditioning, just 2 fans and a small motel type refrigerator so they are hoping someone may have a fridge and window a/c they are not using. D is a handyman and can install an air conditioner. Work has been slowing down so money is getting tighter and tighter…..He and our friend Stephen are constant reminders of how ambitious, capable workers trying to work their way out of homelessness have a tough time and just need a chance to prove themselves….. Sheep Patrol Out Clyde
Posted on: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 01:30:18 +0000
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