The Homeless Have Names

Yesterday was a very powerful and impactful day for me. I partnered with my good friend, Tunya to meet and greet the homeless in our community. There was an opportunity to meet some homeless people in a neighboring community and we needed to bring something to share with them and spend time with them. I made food packs and bought these Bible verse silicone bracelets. I figured these bracelets would hold up when it rained and the imprint was bright and easy to read. I bought them on Amazon for $16 and they were of amazing quality.

I read each bracelet before sharing them to make sure they were comforting and uplifting.

As the first person arrived at our tent, I asked him his name and introduced myself. He smiled and was very kind. The first thing I asked him after our introduction was if he would like a bracelet with a Bible verse. He said he would and as I placed it over his hand and onto his wrist I said, “When you look at this bracelet you can always remember that Jesus is walking with you. If times get dark just read your bracelet and be comforted of His love for you.”. I then offered him a drawstring bag filled with food items. Included in the bag were a tuna fish lunch kit, protein bar, fruit, 2 drinks, mints, granola bar, fruit snacks, and socks.

Tunya and I made a point of putting every bracelet on each person. It allowed us the time to say over and over that Jesus was with each of them. I was amazed that each person had different size hands yet the bracelets fit each wrist perfectly and with the room so as not to be tight on any of them. The bracelets are shown below in the bowl.

We offered a prayer for each person. We placed our hands on each person’s shoulder or held their hand as we prayed. Some were prayers of hope, most were for protection, some were for clarity from God for a better life, and some were simply just to make it another day. Everyone said yes except one lady and she said she would be back. She wasn’t ready to be prayed over. After praying we listened to whatever they chose to tell us.

We heard stories of broken relationships with family, the loneliness and feeling lost as a veteran, the preaching nonstop in our faces of the Bible, how friendships on the streets started, the sadness of people looking down on them because they were homeless, and some shared how they ended up homeless. I had one sweet 8-year-old girl draw this picture of a church on her Etch-A-Sketch for me. This touched me because even though her family was struggling she knew God and what a church was.

As the day was coming to an end, I looked to my right and saw an image that summed up the whole day for me. I may be in my home in my comfortable, safe home but this was the home my new friends lived in. Their home was a gathering place outside with a wheelchair, a folding chair, a rolling cart, and bags of food and toiletries to last until the next time they could find a community sharing what they needed.

The two most important thing I want to share with you is every one of them still trusted and loved God and proclaimed their faith. I also now know their names and stories. Thank you for being my friend, Steve, Veronica, Eric, Janet, Jean, James, E.L.O., Easter, Alan, Gayla and kids, Carmella, Carmen and kids, O-Say, Bridgette, and many others. I hope to see you all again.

Thank you for reading my blog. May you feel God’s blessing today. LoLo