Scottie and I posed for a picture with John and Sunshine. We found them in front of the Stew Pot getting ready for the night. We gave them hand warmers and toboggans to help fight off the cold. We talked with them for a good 30 minutes before moving on. John was hoping for dry weather so he could work the next morning for the city's sanitation crew. Notice the writing on the window above Scottie.
Scottie and Dana shaking on a Superbowl bet. The wager was 50 push ups. Dana for the Colts, Scottie for the Bears.........Scottie loses. He pays up the next time we see Dana, I can only imagine the hoots and hollers Dana is going to have. The struggles of street life are wearing Dana down. He's tired. He's 47 and has been on the streets for a long time and he's just tired. Sometimes life just doesn't make sense, sometimes every corner you turn down there's a bigger obstacle in your face. Please be in prayer for Dana. Pray for his strength, and understanding.
Tom and Jennifer's "humble abode". We met Tom and Jennifer when we first started going to Austin St. and have become good friends since then. They now reside on the steps of the Presbyterian Church in downtown Dallas. They both just got a job at a nearby restaurant that opened today. Tom wanted us to take a picture of where they're staying now so he can look back at it and see where they were. They're hoping to be off the streets very soon. From what Tom has told us his boss is a very nice man and he is going to help them find housing. Tom says the people at the church are really nice to them and they have their permission to stay there as long as they keep everything clean.
This is Tom and Jennifer's front porch :)
Tom and Jennifer
This is a picture of Jody, Stephen and Lacy. We met Jody in front of the stew pot. When we got out of the truck he said "Y'all are the ones everyone's been tellin me about." He said he's missed us the last few times we've been down there. Jody is a very nice man that has no problem talking. He's full of jokes and doesn't seem to have any complaints about life. He's staying on the steps of the church also. After leaving the church we questioned whether Jody had blankets for the night. No one had noticed any in his area so we decided to turn around and go check. We gave him a sleeping bag because all the blankets he owned were wet.
Tavis "Travis without the R". Tavis came up to the truck when we were visiting with Tom, Jennifer and Jody in front of the church. We gave him a cup of hot chocolate and he asked if we had any clothes because all he had on was a pull over and jeans. I went to the truck to check out what we had and gave him two coats to put on which both looked to small but he didn't care. He saw a starter jacket under the back seat that I was saving for Billy and he asked about it. I told him I was saving it for another friend and in that same moment God told me to give it to him. I told him to give me the jackets he had on and I looked him in the eye and made him pinkie promise that he would not sell or trade the starter jacket if I gave it to him. He pinkie promised and I gave it to him and started singing Jesus Loves Me and clapping. (like a big dork per Scottie) He knew he had been blessed and was very thankful for it. He said he recognized us from a few weeks ago when he saw us at the Union Gospel. He gave us a hug, posed for a picture and disappeared into the darkness. I bet that was the first time in a long time (if ever) he had to pinkie promise.
For the past month or so when we pray before we go out into the streets I've asked God to gently push us out of our comfort zones and "disturb" us. When I prayed this I was meaning for those that go with us to be affected not myself. But the opposite was true, I was pushed out of my spiritual comfort zone and I was and still am disturbed. I'm being broken and I don't have words for it yet.
Till next time,
Britney & Scottie
2 comments:
Hey you two. You are doing great things. I am so touched by your words and your follow up with actions. That's what I need to do. You are challenging me to do better for others. Thank you. I love y'all. Jenni
You know how you think your life sucks and then you feel like a big dork because you've been put in your place. When I went to the streets with y'all I was without a doubt put in my place. I think we all think at times it just cant get any worse than this. But to see the people I met with y'all in Dallas I realize that it could be worse. But the difference is how we deal with it. I met so many nice people that aren't mad at God for being on the streets they just feel blessed that people like yall come by frequently to see them. I find myself sometimes getting mad at God for letting me be in the situations that Im in, but in reality I believe that God has shown me that we all need to look at the big picture and feel blessed for the things that we do have and thankful for the people that we have around us or think about us frequently. God has called us to be a community and community is a group of people that care about each other,and pray for each other. I was definitly moved out of my comfort zone and dont ever want to go back to it. Thanks I love y'all
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