Joyska's Journal: "keep warm and well fed"











Thursday, September 28, 2006

"keep warm and well fed"

Tonight the temperature in Kansas City will drop down to 43 degrees Farenhiet (roughly 6 or 7 degrees Celcius). Not too bad, if you have a roof over your head and four walls to keep out the wind and the damp.

Too cold if you live in the bushes.

Let me tell you the sequence and the roller coaster of my day downtown.

I left my house in a t-shirt, walked outside, turned around and got one of my many fleece zip up jackets. On our way down to the city Ronna, Jane, and I prayed for some things that were on Ronna's heart and talked about all sorts of things, laughing, praying, and in general trying to solve the worlds problems (which we will let you know when we do!)

We drive down into the park... legal? who knows... we do it every week, no one has stopped us yet. There are about 6 -10 people WAITING for us! woo hoo! We get out of the van, and a bunch of them jump up and help us unload and set up chairs, the table etc. We have a great meal today (smoked brisket from the celebration last week!) and everyone is hungry. This is a bit of a new crowd for us. We met a few of them on our handing out sandwiches excursions, and now they come to us in the park. Suzanne and Ray, Michelle and Frog (yes... they call him Frog) and others. As we sit and eat with them on our blankets and lawn chairs, their stories begin to unfold.

Suzanne and Ray... on the street for 2 1/2 years, looking out for each other... sleeping during the day so they are alert (and therefore safer) during the day. Michelle, recently diagnosed with Pneumonia and even more recently diagnosed with Diabieties and taking three shots of insulin everyday while she lives on the street. Her man, Frog, had two mini strokes this week and one of them caused him to need CPR from Michelle while she waited for the ambulance to come. Frog told me that the reason for the strokes is past drug use and years ago, in a time of deep depression, he shot himself in the head... and lived.

They all however talked again of their fear of the winter. There seems to be a growing sense for these guys and gals that this winter is going to be colder than it's been in a while. Last night they "squatted" in an abandoned building because they were too cold to stay outside where they normally stay. They asked me for basic things... necessary things... essential things.

Frog needs new shoes, (his current ones are worn out completely) Suzanne needs warmer clothes and a sleeping bag, Michelle needs to get off the street as her kidneys and liver are suffering greatly from the Diabieties, they all want long johns and warm socks, and gloves... the list went on. I have received money from some of you for these very things and we are going shopping soon for them. (THANK YOU!)

They were all hungry. They go to the soup kitchens and churches and are fed, but even they say the meals are small, and lacking real nutrition. Michelle and Frog clean the bathrooms so they can take some food to go with them so Michelle always has something if she needs it. They are resourceful, intellegent, wounded, hurting, hungry, high spirited, human people. I prayed for both Frog and Michelle for healing and safety.

"keep warm and well fed" is not enough.

Adam was in a t-shirt and was shivering as he stood talking to us. I gave him my hoodie, cause frankly I have four more at home. Frog needed to go to the hospital to get the pills for his high blood pressure and his heart. I had a dollar on me... he'll take the bus.

I stood there listening to their needs and feeling a little overwhelmed and heart broken. We had filled their stomaches with GREAT food and lots of it until we had none left, and we had given them all we had to give them and told them to join us on Monday where we will do it all again... but I kept thinking... "keep warm and well fed" was all I was doing.

We dropped Zeke off at his apartment, but before we did, we prayed for his healing. He has such poor circulation, the skin is cracking and peeling right off his hands and feet. He was wearing gloves to keep them warm... it isn't even 50 degrees yet! (10 C).

Then as we were leaving the area, we stopped and got a burger for our friend Ron who sits on a wall all day pan handling. He's got a place now and is feeling human again (his words). When we drove up, I jumped out of the car because He wasn't there last Monday and I was kind of worried about him. He greeted me with a hug and a big smile. I asked him where he had been and he unfolded the story of the last week for him. He got his daughter to help him get his birth certificate and then his state ID. He has a job interview tomorrow at Home Depot. He was concerned that the last two years that he has lived on the street would be a problem, but he said he had 15 years experience as a maintainence man in an apartment and hoped that would qualify him for something.

I told him how thrilled I was (we are) that things were coming together for him. He said, "well, you guys gave me hope." And my heart soared and wept all at once.

We aren't just saying it... we ARE doing something about it... it may be a couple of fish and a few loaves of bread, but we give what little we have and count on the Lord to bless it, and multiply it.

Please continue to pray that God lead us to the next step in what we are doing... and that it would always be more than a "keep warm and well fed".
Joyska at 8:29 PM

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