Peace, Love & Hygiene- Vol 65: The theme for tonight is Friendship. Magdalene’s Mission is a successful endeavor because of a lot of real friendship. I don’t mean the polite, acquaintance kind. I mean the genuine compassion and understanding that comes from someone you have kinship with.
My friendship with Traci is essential to a successful outreach every week. She came over after work Monday evening to organize clothes. She came over Tuesday morning and helped me pack clothes, lunches, and Mag Bags. She rides along and sings along to all my favorite songs with me. She’s fearless when it comes to engaging anyone she sees on the street. She’s my Street Outreach Director. She does all of this because I am her friend, and she wants to see me succeed. Even more, she sees my vision of helping people. She treats everyone with respect and dignity. She helps people where they are and doesn’t judge them for it.
Friendships with other team members mean we travel well together. We all have a common goal- Save Lives. We respect each team’s unique contribution and knowledge.
Friends from all over the country have trusted me to help the neediest people in the most direct way possible.
Tonight, we saw people who were living in the most precarious places. I am always in awe of human ingenuity to survive.
What it’s all about, is the friends I have who are homeless and struggling to survive. They are my friends. They never judge me or look down on me. They respect that everyone has a story. We are all humans. They are always honest when I ask for opinions. They inquire of my well-being and pray for my safety. We bless each other.
And they know I am their friend, too. I want them to survive. I want them to make it. I want them to know that someone believes in them and loves them unconditionally. When they see Maggie the Magdalene’s Mission Van it’s like running into a friend. A friend just wants to help and isn’t keeping tabs or deciding if you are worthy of it. “When a friend asks you for help you help them.”
The quote of the year comes from Stan. According to him, “We do good for people in bad situations with even worse equipment.”
Or as Abraham Lincoln would say, “You do what you can with what you have where you are.”
Because that’s how we do it in Detroit. Amen.
(Forgive the short report, but I am exhausted. A good night of good work well done. Sweet dreams…)
#Magdalenesmission #peaceloveandhygiene
