February 15, 2022
The theme for this week was relationships. Our relationships are our weapons of defense. Traci and I are a solid team. We’ve been working together at this street outreach for over a year now. This week though, her role as a mom trumped her role as a volunteer. At the last minute she couldn’t come out with me. The van was already packed with clothes, blankets, food and bags. I can’t have 35 portions of macaroni and cheese and 50 packed lunches sitting in my house for an extra week. So I turned to my middle-child and said, “Hey. You wanna come to Detroit with me tonight?”
Marley said, “Sure.”
Marley is my junior. She’s been hearing me talk about what goes on in Detroit every week. I raised her with street smarts. I trust her infinitely to pay attention and follow directions. It was a great decision. Marley was absolutely boss tonight. I put her in charge of the food. She was fearless and full of love, just like I knew she would be. We got compliments from other team members that she was an excellent and amazing TC.
The first place we went to was a hotel where a pregnant girl was staying. While Marley gave her food, I got her a Mag Bag. I noticed that she only had short leggings with laces on the side. She was shivering. She confessed they were her only pants so I made sure she had something warm and comfy. There was also a pregnant lady at the next stop we went to. It was only three or four people. Everyone is so sweet as always.
Someone had donated a nice soft memory foam pillow. I knew just who it had to go to. I had it wrapped up on the side for her. It was for my Girl Who Sits! She really is the Mother Hen. I gave her a pillow to sit on a while ago. She’s the widow who panhandles. A stalker burned her tent down and she lost everything she owned inside it. He terrorized her for quite a while. He’s gone now, so it was just perfect that I could give her a new one. She was so excited. There is a lot of love built up in these relationships. We notice the little things about each other. We appreciate the little things about each other.
The next stop we went to was a bit more dramatic. Marley handled everything in stride. We saw several women at that particular spot. Most of them I hadn’t seen before. One of them, I had. It was the Girl Who Always Reads! I hadn’t seen her in months. She asked for a copy of my book a while ago. I gave her one. When I saw her she squealed and ran around the van to come give me a hug.
“It’s you! I love you! I love you so much! I’m so happy to see you!” she kept saying as she hugged me.
She told me she was reading my book, and she really loved it. She thought it was amazing. And she wanted me to know that she loved me. My heart was so full it made my skin tingle. I noticed she had a black eye. I asked her if she was okay, and if the medical team had a chance to look at her yet. She told me that she showed it to them already. Some guy tried to strangle her. He beat her up as she fought him off. Eventually she was able to reach her pepper spray. I gave her another little can of mace.
“I love you guys so much.” she said.
I told her she was beloved by me, and beloved by God. She was not forgotten.
You should have seen these girls. I couldn’t stand to watch it. They were gathering around Marley waiting patiently for food as I got out of the truck. The first girl I saw was wearing only a toilet paper thin, tight little hoodie and some worn, thin, black, short leggings. She didn’t even have shoes. Just sandals. The beach ones without toes. I saw her and went up to her immediately.
“Baby girl,” I said. “you need to come here. You don’t have any clothes on. You don’t have a coat on. Not on my watch. Come here.”
I began pulling pants out and put them on her. I got her a warm sweatshirt (or two) and then put a super warm coat over that. She just smiled and kept saying how thankful she was. Then one after another, at least four more, of these girls were also barely dressed. I re-dressed each one of them behind the van.
“You deserve better. You are so loved. God loves you and so do I.”
The looks on their faces! It starts with a tiny crumpled up person. Then suddenly, layer by layer they begin to uncurl. Their bodies relax. Their jaws unclench, and a smiled can finally emerge through the tension. You can see the light come back behind their eyes. a warm glow replaces ashy grey. They always grow a few inches. Backbones straighten as pride surges through their bodies. Dignity returns. Self-preservation becomes a reality. They were not forgotten.
And that, my brothers and sisters, is what it looks like when you walk in the Kingdom of God. It’s not on a pamphlet. It can’t be found in a symbol, or heard during a message. It is felt. It is felt in relationships with other people. It is experienced. It is shared. It is the act of caring about what happens to other humans. Whatever it is that you might do to change something in this world for the better. The Kingdom of God is not a noun. It is a verb.
We put out a lot of pepper spray into desperate hands tonight. We saw another girl who was walking alone down the sidewalk. One of the other team members recognized her. The poor thing was crying. I rolled down my window as she walked by. She waved hello and blew me a kiss. She told me that she normally would love to stay, she needed stuff, but she wasn’t safe and just wanted to get home. Between the three teams, we were able to quickly get her pepper-spray for her walk, and phone numbers to call for help. She stuck around to let Katie hug her until she felt better, but then she wanted to hide again in the blanket of night that peeked out between the street lights. Katie is an angel. Even the most scared person can feel calm and safe near her.
Marley got to experience a special treat tonight. She got to see where Thomas lives. When we got to the top of his bridge, we pulled over. Marley packed him a meal while the medic team grabbed him a box of tea lights. We made the trek to his secret hiding spot. She was in awe of his ingenuity to construct such a perfect fort. She was surprised to see the little hanging picture of Jesus in front of the door. Alas, he wasn’t home, so we just left our gifts and well wishes behind on his door step.
We were on our second or third spot on the east side when we finally ran out of goods. Marley and I laughed together all night. We had an excellent time. She really felt called to be a part of this type of outreach in any way. She’s considering a career as a medic after being inspired by the Street Outreach Team (no longer affiliated with Covenant Community Care. Same team, new name). She laid a solid foundation for building relationships with other outreach teams in Detroit that work with transgender homeless.
The relationship between the three different nonprofits is a thing a beauty. Everyone compliments a specific need that is also a highly valued need; harm-reduction, healthcare, food and hygiene. A lot of donors and volunteers make this effort a successful one. I know that the key to our success is that we all have the same center of values. We believe that human lives are sacred and beautiful. Everyone has a story.
My relationship with Marley has grown to a whole other level. Marley’s relationship with herself has grown. She knows now about some skills and gifts she didn’t realize she had before tonight. Marley’s relationship with her world has grown. Civic issues aren’t just something to have an opinion on. They are opportunities to affect positive change.
I built a few new positive relationships. Always Reads knows my life story now, and all the trauma I survived. I know about her trauma, too. And we genuinely love one another because we both appreciate what it takes to survive. I love Stan, Andy, Kate, Maria, and Ti (Shout out to Ariel, Lauren, Mary, Kennedy, and the rest of DRP & medics). Without them, I would never have had the chance to meet these complex and inspiring friends. I have the opportunity to do something I’m good at. I can share the unconditional love of Jesus Christ. I can love on people and help them to love themselves. All the good that comes from that, I give the credit right back Jesus.
What I have to say doesn’t matter. It’s what we do that shows our heart’s true agenda.
Because that’s how we do it in Detroit. Amen.
#peaceloveand hygiene #magdalenesmission
