Thanksgiving in the park
Picture this:
It's 10:00 in the morning. 50 people are standing outside of IHOP wrapped in winter coats, scarves, mitts and toques (hats). The instructions are given and directions handed out and away we all go in a caravan bearing turkey, tables, mash poatatoes, chairs, stuffing, desserts, clothes to give away, beans, propane stoves to keep everything hot, and a whole lot of laughter.
We get there and in an amazing joint effort, and almost like magic, the tables and chairs are set up, the tarps are laid out on the ground and the piles of clothes are laid out, the sound system is set up and everyone is FREEZING!! (the wind is pretty strong on the top ot the hill!)
And the people start to come. The park is located across the street from three very interesting buildings... like on one corner is a homeless initiative called Firststeps (?), on the other corner is a gorgeous old church building called "set free" church, and on the corner directly across the sreet is a Masonic Temple. Thought we felt some tension in the area!!
I have no idea how many people came and were served a thanksgiving meal, but it was fun. I spent most of the time talking to two guys named Julio and Jacob... Julio is from Mexico and was genuinely SHOCKED when he heard there were homeless people in Canada... he said "isn't it too cold?" haha.
Jacob was a New Orleans "refugee". He was in the Astrodome and was relocated to Dallas, but he came to KC when he learned a friend of his was here. He made his way here only to find his friend wasn't here and he has been living at the "shelter" ever since. He lost everything and was quite emotional as he talked about the kind of stuff that when on in the dome. Amazing story.
I loved it. I loved being down in the "inner city" again. I loved it. I loved it.
Did I mention I loved it?
Anyway, this weekend is definitely a little slower than normal and I am loving that too.
It's 10:00 in the morning. 50 people are standing outside of IHOP wrapped in winter coats, scarves, mitts and toques (hats). The instructions are given and directions handed out and away we all go in a caravan bearing turkey, tables, mash poatatoes, chairs, stuffing, desserts, clothes to give away, beans, propane stoves to keep everything hot, and a whole lot of laughter.
We get there and in an amazing joint effort, and almost like magic, the tables and chairs are set up, the tarps are laid out on the ground and the piles of clothes are laid out, the sound system is set up and everyone is FREEZING!! (the wind is pretty strong on the top ot the hill!)
And the people start to come. The park is located across the street from three very interesting buildings... like on one corner is a homeless initiative called Firststeps (?), on the other corner is a gorgeous old church building called "set free" church, and on the corner directly across the sreet is a Masonic Temple. Thought we felt some tension in the area!!
I have no idea how many people came and were served a thanksgiving meal, but it was fun. I spent most of the time talking to two guys named Julio and Jacob... Julio is from Mexico and was genuinely SHOCKED when he heard there were homeless people in Canada... he said "isn't it too cold?" haha.
Jacob was a New Orleans "refugee". He was in the Astrodome and was relocated to Dallas, but he came to KC when he learned a friend of his was here. He made his way here only to find his friend wasn't here and he has been living at the "shelter" ever since. He lost everything and was quite emotional as he talked about the kind of stuff that when on in the dome. Amazing story.
I loved it. I loved being down in the "inner city" again. I loved it. I loved it.
Did I mention I loved it?
Anyway, this weekend is definitely a little slower than normal and I am loving that too.
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