Volume 8-
Tonight’s theme was, Hopeful. Traci and I left Detroit just a wee bit awestruck tonight. Words like Potential, Progress, and Inspired were thrown around a lot. Every week is so different. Something things get weirder and other things evolve into something better week by week.
The first person we helped came before we even left Covenant Care property. As I was talking to Stan, a lady came to the gate at the end of the parking lot. He dropped the box I gave him on the ground and ran to help her. After she was treated in the medic van, the medic team sent her to the truck. I noticed a large knot on her head with a bleeding head injury. I didn’t ask what happened. We made sure she had one of everything we had to offer.
The next place we went to was, how do I put it… Someplace I knew existed, but even after seeing it , it was hard to believe it was real. We drove down a bunch of alleys, behind some buildings, in the back of the rutted dirt parking lot. Traci and I expected ladies to come out of the building behind us. I couldn’t decide if it was the ugliest hotel, or the crappiest apartment building I had ever seen. Then, the medic team got out of the van and walked behind a fence and into the grass behind the parking lot. Under a low hanging tree, stood a small tent. Three of the team went up to the tent and gave a thumbs up to me and to Stan. One of the nurses told us that their next clients lived in the tent. Traci and I like to stay in the truck until people come out of the medic van. That way they can be sure to be treated for medical issues before being distracted by food. Traci and I got a chance to speak with the young man for a few minutes. He was very kind, obviously educated. Or least he spoke as if he was well read. He looked really, really young for his age. A good 15 years younger, we thought. He told us how he was living in his car, but now his car was in impounded with his phone, wallet, birth certificate, everything he owed in it. We found him some clothes in his size, blankets for him and his girl, hygiene bags, and a couple of sack meals. My dear friend Ann made the brownies.
“You will taste the Love.” I told him.
He told us that he was going to marry that girl in the tent. He loved her with everything. She was his true love. Tomorrow morning, they have an appointment to go into rehab together. He wants them to have a better life. A real life. He wants them to experience a sober, clean, life together. As soon as the finish their program, he told me that he was going to marry her. Traci and I both told him that we would pray for him. At first I apologized if he didn’t believe in such things.
Then I said, “Ah, fuck it. I’m going to pray for you whether you want me to or not anyways. You can’t stop me from loving you. How could I not? You are my species.”
And he literally took a step back. And I suddenly wanted to spray paint that exact quote across the sky.
I wished him the best of progress with his rehab, and a bunch more stuff you say to people who are about to do something that will be painful but good for them.
That’s their tent above. You’ll never find it.
As Traci and I sat and waited, I saw a rat that ran from car to car, and then off towards the trees.
One of the volunteers drove a young lady over to us. She was so sweet. She just kept saying “thank you, thank you” over and over. We asked her her size, but she had no idea. It had been years since she had gotten herself new clothes. We let her try some things on so she could have a couple of different pants and warm shirts. She was just amazed.
Before I even left for Detroit, as Traci and I were getting everything ready to put in the back of the truck before we left, I got a text from one of the other volunteers. He asked me if I remembered a certain young lady. Then he told me she left a very bad situation, but she couldn’t take any of her belongings with her. I asked him if he had access to her clothes and shoe sizes, and I would be on it! I found the cutest pink duffel bag someone had donated and filled it with clothes., and a couple of extras. I was able to give her a full size hygiene kit, a warm blanket, and even a small pillow! She smiled so much! She was so happy. She was so genuinely, truly, honestly, grateful. The best part? Her favorite color is pink! I had already packed everything into matching pink bags. How cool is that? (God is so cool)
Our next neighborhood was one we went to on our first night out. We hadn’t been there in a few weeks though. We sat in the van quietly with the lights off for about five or ten minutes. Then you see other people come from down the alleys. We took care of a few more groups of people. All of them so grateful, and surprised.
Our last stop was our favorite. We got to see our favorite girls. There are a lot of people in just the one house, but a few more people come to see us each week. This one girl has been coming to my truck for food, clothes, and hygiene bags for a couple of weeks now. She looks too young. Someone in a car drops her off and picks her up later. We are just starting to build a relationship with her.
One of the ladies is a special person to us. She always looks at you like the dog who was abused too long, and then left alone in the shelter for too long. Today though, we saw progress. We got out of the truck as soon as we saw her. She came running up to us and gave us big, long, tight, genuine, hugs. We saw her smile! Someone tried to steal her stuff again, but this time she stood up for herself and got it all back. We had some more items that Covenant Care had given us, panties, bras, undershirts. We made sure she had fresh ones, and a new hygiene bag for the week. We loaded her up with extra food. She promised she would eat it all up! She was excited for tuna fish sandwiches AND peanut butter and jelly. What can I say? I have to spoil my girl. She loves the extra love she gets from me and Traci. She seems to be opening up, like a flower to the warmth of the sun.
Another lady was looking brighter and brighter each time we saw her, too. It’s a light behind the eyes. When someone doesn’t have it, you notice right away. But if suddenly that light appears where before it was just sadness, no hope, it hits you like an electric jolt.
And we got to see our best girl, too. I told her about how Traci and I thought she was brilliant. That she was the most capable, qualified, and strongest candidate to be in control of of her her own rehabilitation center someday. I could, we all could, see her accomplishing Great Things. Any things, really. She is so smart, and organized, and intuitive, etc. She told us that she has 5 years of college education as a substance abuse councilor.
“Wow. Pretty ironic.” I said.
She looked down at the ground. This is the part that will punch you in the gut. She told me, (and I can hear it like it’s Memorex)
“I wish I would have known you and Traci back then. Maybe if I would have known you guys, I wouldn’t have given up on myself. I wish I could have known you so I would have believed in myself. I wouldn’t have wasted these years. There are people I met in jail. They have never been sober in their life. They don’t even know that there is another life. One with promise. One with purpose. I just cried my whole first night there, because I felt so bad for them. At least I know what I have to aspire for. They don’t even know that there is another life. They have never been free for a single day of it. I wish I would have know you back then. I wish I knew someone who believed I was good, like you guys do.”
One day, I hope she will love herself as much as I do.
Our best girl is signed up to go into rehab again on Friday. We tried to pump her up all we could. Thoughts and prayers, yo. I can picture her at the helm of her own community outreach group. She is starting to believe in herself. She believes that WE believe in her. That right there is powerful.
Through your donations, contributions, thoughts and prayers, we have been changing lives. Most importantly, for the better. I’ve seen people get jobs and find housing after several years of living in a vacant. I’ve seen people who no one would have, do good for someone else and seen their own life increase. We are making making miracles. We are changing the projection of people’s lives just by showing up and telling them we care if they live or die.
“You can’t stop me from loving you. How could I not? You are my species.”
From the biggest donor, to the most pathetic recipient, you are all my species. And I love you, too.
Sweet dreams on moonbeams. We made the world a little bit better place today. Now I can sleep. 2:57 a.m.
Peace out-
Love,
Kayla
