New Years Day was the beginning of my challenge to do something every day. I thought I should keep true to my word and share what I have been doing.
January 1: Thank you cards. I wrote thank you cards to thank people for their generosity and thoughtfulness during Christmas. While this might seem like a small task, I believe that an attitude of gratitude is imperative and thank you cards are important. Simply expressing thanks to others is good practice for the heart.
January 2: Thanks to some generous people, my husband and I were able to enjoy a lovely date together. We went to a restaurant for dinner after seeing a Christmas light display. The server did such a great job that we just had to tell him. I wrote a nice note complimenting our server and we placed it on the bill when we left. Too often good things go by unnoticed. I wanted this man to know that he was not only great at his job, but he was appreciated. After paying the bill I had to use the restroom. My husband waited outside the restroom for me. We was able to see the waiter read the note and watched as his expression on his face totally changed. It made us both feel good to know that we brightened up his day. Before we left, we were sure to notify the manager on the great service we had.
January 3: My husband had today off as his New Year Day holiday. We had been thinking about fun things we could do since we rarely have weekdays off together. We had thought about a movie or going to the mountains but nothing seemed just right. Immediately after church yesterday, my husband told me that he knew how he wanted to spend his day off. He wanted to go downtown and give food and Bibles to people on the streets. This is something we had said we wanted to do for ages so I was thrilled when he told me this as I had wanted to do it too. We woke up this morning excited about our plans. We enjoyed a nice, quiet morning together before heading out into the city. Before we got there, we purchased some gift cards from Subway as well as granola bars, bananas, and bottled water. We already had scarves, hats, hand warmers, and Bibles to give away.
As we were coming off of the highway, we saw a man with a cardboard sign standing on the off-ramp at the intersection. We were unable to hand him anything because the light changed. We decided to drive around the block, park, and walk to him. We approached the man and asked if he was having any luck making money. We were able to strike up a conversation with him. We learned that his name was Mike and he had come from California but he was on his way to Mobile to see his mom. He wanted to be a guitar player and tour the world, but he had made some bad choices in his past. He left home at 18 and started doing drugs. He had cleaned up for a while and then fell into drugs again. As a result, he lost everything. Now, he had been clean and sober for 18 months and wanted to make a new life for himself. He had on a nice jacket, baseball hat, and boots. He also had a very nice backpack with a sleeping bag. It was clear that he had money at some point but was now down on his luck. We asked if he had ever heard of Jesus. He said he had but that it had been awhile since he thought much about him. We asked if he would like a Bible and he said yes. I was so proud of my husband for boldly speaking to this man about Jesus. His words were gentle, non-judgemental, and honest. He shared his faith with a total stranger. Before we left, we asked him if we could pray with him. He seemed surprised but happy with the offer. We all bowed our heads and stood in a circle. Mike folded the cardboard sign in half and folded his hands as best he could with gloves on. My husband prayed. There we were, the three of us, standing on the off-ramp of 1-25 and Speer praying. I could only imagine what the people in their cars must have been thinking. But it didn't matter. For those precious moments, all that existed were the three of us joining together in prayer. Afterwards Mike thanked us and my husband and I began the treacherous walk over the ramps and back to our car.
We drove down Speer near the Auraria Campus because I knew that there were always people asking for help standing on the corners. For four or five intersections, we saw someone on every corner. My heart broke. We found parking and prepared ourselves to walk around the streets of Denver ready and willing to be used by God. We walked across the street to an intersection where two men were standing on opposite corners. We approached a man holding a sign that said he was a disabled veteran. He even held up his ID as a form of proof. I quickly read it and learned that his name was Scott. We introduced ourselves and started up a conversation. We learned that Scott had been in Afghanistan and was injured by an IED. He pointed out his battle scars and voiced his frustration in how long it was taking to receive his benefits. In the meantime, he had to beg on street corners and sleep under bridges. Again, my husband and I asked if he knew Jesus. Scott told us that he did. He was raised Catholic and was anxiously awaiting the return of Jesus to come and get him off of the streets and into heaven. His candor was refreshing. We gave him food and offered him a Bible. He said he had one but thanked us anyway. We asked if he had been to church lately. He said that he didn't know of one where he would be welcomed now that he was homeless. Again, my heart broke. (Is this really the state of our church? We no longer welcome all people, only those with homes, clean clothes, and full stomachs? I did not want to believe the bankrupt condition of the church as observed from the eyes of a homeless man who once served our country.) We shared about Open Door Ministry and encouraged him to check it out.
Then we walked across to the other corner and met Zach.
Zach was also holding a cardboard sign asking for help. He was very open about why he was homeless. He told us immediately that he really liked beer, but that he was not an alcoholic. He confessed that all the money he was collecting was going to help him by more alcohol. Throughout the conversation, we learned that Zach was originally from Dallas and he had served time there. He was a convicted felon. I was surprised by his honesty. We had a nice conversation on the street corner before offering him some food and a gift card for Subway. He thanked us but told us that he was not allowed to go to Subway because he was a bum. We told him that he should be welcome there if he was a paying customer and now he had the gift card. He was still unsure about the whole thing and nervous that he would be kicked out before he could get some food. So, we asked him if he would like to join us for a good meal at Subway. Surely they would not kick him out if we were all together, right? We was elated but every skeptical! The three of us walked across the street toward Subway and all the while Zach was telling us more and more about his life. As we walked past two more corners, another homeless man approached Zach. Zach told him he was going to Subway and the other man stopped dead in his tracks. Zach told us the other man's name was John. John had both hands bandaged up so much that he could not put gloves over them. His coat looked thin and he looked both hungry and very cold. We invited him to join us. He said he didn't have money for a sandwich. My husband handed him a gift card. He looked at both of us in a peculiar way---sheer disbelief. He told us that we didn't have to do that. I replied with something to the effect of, "we all need to help each other out, right?" John looked at me and said, "Yeah, that would be nice if people did that. That's how it's supposed to be, but it's not that way." We asked if he would like to go to Subway for some food and to warm up. He was so hungry that he agreed to the food, but he admittedly was embarrassed. We tried our best to be sensitive to his feelings and to help him feel welcomed. He walked into Subway and handed the card back to my husband. He said, I'll just have the cheapest thing on the menu. I am not sure exactly what unfolded between them as I was sitting down at a booth away from where they were standing in line. All I know is that John got a hearty sandwich and gave the gift card with the remaining balance back to my husband.
My husband followed John outside and did not return for several minutes, maybe 5 to 10. I stayed inside with Zach as he ate his meal. I asked when he had a good meal last. He thought for awhile and said he didn't remember. My husband returned and the three of us sat and had a nice conversation for over an hour as Zach ate. Throughout the course of the conversation, we learned a lot about Zach. We learned about his life up until that day and we learned about his dreams and beliefs. I honestly believe that Zach has a mental illness. He confessed that he suffered from manic depression but I think there was more to it than that. He repeated himself constantly and told crazy stories of his life and family. I'm not sure what was true or false, but I do not know the only time he seemed lucid was when we discussed Jesus. We asked him if he knew the gospel and he said he did. Then he began to tell us what he knew. Clearly he did not know the true gospel. He had no idea of the real Jesus Christ who died on the cross for his sins and who loved him. We asked if he would like a Bible. He said that he loved to read but he didn't have a safe place where he could read. He always had to be on the lookout. Police, other homeless people trying to claim territory...so many aspects of life on the street were brought to my attention. However, we took the opportunity to sit and share the true story of Jesus with Zach. His face became red and his eyes were teary as he read scripture aloud. I started to recite John 3:16 and he joined in with me. He knew the verse. He might have known the verse, but I think that he did not know the true meaning of it until today when he learned that Jesus loved him despite the fact that he was a convicted felon. He did not know of the grace that come from love. The Bible we gave him had several reference study guides in the front. One was about grace and forgiveness. I asked Zach to read it aloud. As he began to read his entire demeanor changed. His words made sense and he seemed like a totally different person. He read aloud the Beatitudes as well. We asked if he had ever heard any of this before and he said no. There was something so incredible about hearing Zach read the scriptures aloud. I cannot even begin to describe the beauty I saw in that moment. Zach said he really wanted to read the Bible, but he reiterated the fact that he did not have a safe place to read it. My husband asked him if he could read it at Subway. He said he felt safe there with us. We sat with Zach for awhile pointing out different scriptures and Zach read them aloud. My husband challenged him to stop picking up the bottle and to start picking up the Bible instead. We told him about Open Door Ministry as well. Eventually, we parted ways but not before praying with him. As we began to pray, Zach reached out and held both my and my husband's hands. It was amazing.
Later, my husband told me that John had once been a successful employee of a big company but lost everything including his family. John was a believer and he had a Bible. He was open to prayer so my husband prayed with him and afterwards he said, "I love you brother. Thank you," then walked away. I'm not sure what happened in John's life to get him to the place that he was today. I spent the least amount of time with him than anyone else but I feel as though he touched me the most. He seemed as though he just needed to see kindness from someone and to have a little hope restored. I can only pray that this was the beginning of something great in his life. This educated man went from making a substantial amount of money and having a family to being alone and homeless. He seemed so riddled with grief that it almost came across like he was trying to punish himself for something or that he thought he deserved to live like that. Thankfully, God is bigger than all of that.
I am not sure exactly what happened in the hearts of these men, but Jesus does. All I know was that my husband and I tried to share the love of Jesus. We were scared to death to step out of our comfort zone and share the gospel but I am so glad we did.
After leaving Zach, we drove around Denver distributing the water, food, and scarves that we had left. We came across three men, one was with his wife. Everyone seemed so grateful.
Matthew 7:9-12 says, "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you."
I cannot tell you how many people I have passed by and not stopped to help. I have smiled, waved and looked into the eyes of people needing help and have even said, "I have nothing to give." How ashamed I am that I have been so selfish. I have been so richly blessed! How dare I keep what I have if another is starving or cold. I know that I cannot save the world, but shouldn't I do my best? Even today, my husband and I passed by nearly a dozen other people asking for help. I know that we cannot help everyone, but isn't this where the church is supposed to step in? As I stood on the street corner before heading over to meet Scott, I remember looking around and taking a mental picture. There were at least ten people with cardboard signs asking for help on three intersections. Ten people. Now, how many cars and other pedestrians were there surrounding them? I could not say other than to say well over one hundred. If everyone did something, could you imagine how much the world would change!?!
I certainly was aware of the things I have in my life. My husband and I were both well aware of the cars, food, clothes, warm home, safe neighborhood, loving family, education, hot shower, clean water, comfortable bed, safety, security, future, hope, and Jesus...just to name a few. It truly is amazing how much we take for granted every day.
Both my husband and I feel as though our whole life has been changed since yesterday morning. It is amazing how much can happen when we are obedient and faithful. Today was one of the best days I have ever had in my life. It was not glamourous or anything but it was one day that I will remember for the rest of my life. I just hope I remember the feelings I experienced and the lessons I learned. I hope this is a step in the transformation of my heart that I have been praying for.
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