The theme for this week is Gratitude. First, the Comella’s are humanities Heroes of the Week. They graciously let me borrow their van for street outreach last night. I know, I know, I said I would write this when I came home. Traci and I didn’t get home until after midnight. It was the longest day. Another angel on the hero list was Julie G for driving bread, fruit and snacks all the way to my house from Flint in time to bust out 50 sandwiches and meals. Off to Detroit! I had more prayed over blanket donations, etc. to bring with us. Our monthly hygiene donation was there waiting in the Magdalene’s Mission area. A lot to be grateful for!
The food must be prepared before we leave. Extra hands from Lilli and Marley make it move faster. I have a volunteer scheduled plan for that. Message me if you want in on it. Warm food season is coming. I’ll accept canned food donations. Anything non-perishable, really. I am a very creative cook. You’re welcome to be creative one week, too.
About 2 o’clock is when the next work for the week begins. I pack p hygiene kits while Traci packs clothes. Then we both put together the odds and ends. If anyone would like to come help put together a night of street outreach, between 2-5 is when we get it all together at the church.
When Traci and I finally took our dinner break, we returned to the same Middle Eastern restaurant. There was a thin blanket blowing over a bump that was covering a steaming manhole cover. Traci and I looked at the man on the ground. Then we looked at each other. She grabbed him a blanket, a meal and a backpack. Then she laid the blanket over him and gently placed the brown paper lunch bag and backpack beside his shivering, huddled frame.
The Street Outreach Medical Team was a loaded team tonight. Doctors, Nurses, dentists, it was great! We saw our harm reduction buddy, Andy, before we went out! He’s been beside us the entire journey. He informed me of a certain young lady (the one who gave me the Care Bear air freshener) who was in desperate need of all the supplies and clothing. I gave her a quick text before we took off to let her know we were on the street and ready to see her.
We didn’t make it far down Fort Street before the ambulance pulled off to the side of the road. It was the guy in front of the place where Traci and I eat. We let them know that we had given him basic supplies, but not medical. After a few minutes, one of the doctors came up to Traci’s window. She had a look of horror and disgust on her face. “He told us that a lady had already helped him. But that he could use a cigarette. I figured I could ask you.”
Of all the inconveniences a homeless person experiences, I have learned that it’s often the tiniest luxuries that can have an intimate impact. I always say that I approach every person I meet on the street like my friend. Not like my client, or my donation recipient, or like a homeless person, or a sex worker, or anything other than a friend that I am glad to see. I buy smokes and bum them out to people all night long. It starts a lot of conversations. Builds a lot of trust. It’s what your friend would do.
Yes, I am trying to quit. But until I do…
Our next stop was to a tent fort where a lady was very ill. The tents that were donated are keeping people alive long enough to get out of there. Tents are not simple luxuries. They are life or death survival supplies. It’s worth way more than a Camel. The doctors were with her for a long time. We prayed that she’ll be okay.
My favorite part of the night was when we drove away and were cruising through the neighborhood. One yard was overcrowded with broken cars, toys, furniture, etc. Random semi-useful items were piled up held in by a chain-link fence. Traci commented about how houses like that one reminds her of Sanford and Son. And then immediately in unison- “Bum-bum waa waa!”
And we recreated the entire Sanford and Son theme song. Which was also written by… the nearly departed Q, the late Quincy Jones. Which meant that while we waited for the ambulance at the gas station, Traci had to listen to Secret Garden, my favorite Quincy Jones song.
Up and down the boulevard we went looking for our people. We found couples here and there. The blankets went fast. The dental hygienist was out with us. She can kill the nerve in cavities with this silver stuff. It’s awesome. Another man walking by was grateful to see us. Every person we served, I prayed for them. I told them they were so loved, and that Jesus did not forget them, no matter what. Not even in this dark hole. God was there in the donations. “You are not forgotten”
God believes in us, so that we will believe in God.
Every single person returned the blessing. Every single person prayed right back over us, and thanked God for Magdalene’s Mission.
A women saw the ambulance and ran across the street to meet us. A moment later, she ran back searching for a $20 bill that she dropped. She was frantically going through her blanket and bag, searching the sidewalk and curb like a detective. I felt so bad for her.
We saw my Little Red-Haired Girl. She smiled at me! Traci told me she told her how grateful she was to see us that night. She apologized for cutting it short, but there was a car waiting for her. That girl is always working every time I see her. I think she is the hardest working women on the streets of Detroit.
After serving a couple of more people huddled in doorways, we made our way down the dark, narrow alleys behind the buildings. The first alley we went down had been cleared out of homeless people. The next alley had a three people huddled up in the shadows. Two men and a woman. We pulled over and they came out to us.
We found a couple of senior men out walking on our way to a large, abandoned house with many elderly people all living together. It’s where Ms. GG stays. They took the last of the food, coats, and hygiene backpacks.
The one request we heard over and over was for gloves.
We are out of gloves.
We are out of purses.
We are out of brakes. We are out of a rear passenger tire.
We have a food hook-up, and volunteers.
We have blankets and clothes, hats and scarves.
I just need a way to get them there.
I believe in God. God believes me. So, I pray.
Then I get to work like I am grateful for the honor to be useful to this world, to God. I am grateful that I have found a way that I can give back to the world, to God.
Because that’s how we do it in Detroit.
Amen.
