A B-E-AUtiful day in Nashville. John didn't make it to coffee, but we ran into eachother at lunch! I was with my buddy Mike, who had insisted I come try lunch at the church. "If you want to be homeless, you gotta eat like the homeless. We don't get burgers at McDonald's." This following my proposition to go get 2 dollar menu burgers! haha. He then showed me his new wallet. A pretty cool bi-fold. We had a nice little joke about their being LITERALLY nothing in it. Mike has a great sense of humor.
(insert photo of lunch line.)
John had just gotten a late start and for obvious reasons giving me notice was not an option. Lunch was great, we had coldcuts, salad, bean soup, cookies and coffee. There were approximately 50 of us in the dining hall--another example of how churches and non-profits in Nashville are on top of their game. On a side-note, I struggled with finally going to take a handout due to my fear of taking food from those who truly need it. I talked with my Co-Founder and we decided it was worth it to gain the full experience and fellowship with some great people. I am a new face in the crowd, but everyone up to this point has been very accepting. The SSP team decided we are going to get a small check and thank you note to the church and will be continuing that pattern if/when I attend similar meals.
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Jumping back to my conversation with John down by the river yesterday.
I could go on and on about this, but I'm here are a few things that stuck with me. Probably in a random, illogical order:
-I AM NOT CONDONING THIS.
Homeless and enjoy coffee? Find a coffee shop that gives free refills. Then locate coffee cup (in the trash or wherever) and hide it near the shop. Need a cup, pick one up. Bushes are best. For optimum results hide one near several different locations if it is a chain. I do not know if this was something John partook in as he did not come out and say it was his tactic.
-Homeless people cannot afford to pay tickets.
I am not addressing the law in any way, and only sharing a story as it was told to me. There is a measure of frustration because he has been given citations in the past for being in a location he is not supposed to be. He said he got a ticket for sitting on the same ledge he had been sitting on from time to time for 8 years. He has been to jail twice over the years; claiming for violations such as these and failure to pay past citations. Hard to pay these fines, when you have zilch. Addiction is expensive and suppressing.
-"Can I ask you if your interested in housing?" "Sure you can ask me."
"No." John has a caseworker and this was a no-brainer from John's point of view. John does not want housing because they take a portion of his check to cover the housing. (He thinks it is 1/3). This simply wont cut it because from the little amount he draws now, he would barely be able to feed his addiction. He is content living by the river, and temporarily 'putting up' someone that needed a spot to stay.
-'Snipe Hunting'
I don't know how many of you have heard of this, but this was something I grew up with in a small town...some of you know what I'm talking about :)
John goes snipe hunting just about everyday. But his snipes are cigarette butts. He will walk around town until he fills his pocket with several. And just like true snipe hunting, he likes to do it with someone else, rotating 'kills.'
-John recently started learning how to use the internet in the library. The last time he had used a computer he had to dial a phone to get it to tuuurrrnn onnn OR connnnectt or sooommmetthing like that. Didn't make a lick of sense to me.
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I am a deep sleeper and my roommates will tell you I struggle to get out of bed before 9 usually. Not the case out here. The city wakes up--I wake up. Today has been nice. I had a cup of coffee, I walked, I relaxed in the park with Mike and a flow of other people, I had a nice lunch, had some quiet time reading the Book of James--something my mother and I are doing all 2015. Thanks mom :)
For any brothers and sisters in Christ out there...James 2:1-12 is a nice short read to go along with this blog. For any non-Christians--I would encourage you to glance at it. There are universal truths we can all appreciate.
-Peace Out
(insert photo of mike and I with peace sign)
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