Timotheose - A son in the Faith

I woke up this morning quite stiff. Funny considering that I now have some blankets whereas before I didn't have any and my back seemed to be fine. Because I am now carrying everything that I own in a black garbage back I have got first hand experience into why the homeless tend to 'throw out' their laundry. The fact is I have to carry all that I own wherever I go, and as I don't have a car that means I walk wherever I go. All that I really 'need' to carry with me is my bedding, which btw takes up quite a bit of space. So, I like others in my situation 'ditched' my clothes back at the Servants house and am only carrying what I am wearing.

While Gio and I were coming back from the Central Library yesterday afternoon we were having a 'discussion' about a sermon we heard the other day. I noticed that a young lady was listening to our conversation with some interest. As it turns out her name is Caitlyn and she was a Salvation Army 'Sergeant' and was a member of the 614 Corps, a of core mostly young dedicated Salvationists living incarnationally in the DTES (Downtown East Side). They have a War Room which has a prayer room and they had a great idea I think I might want to steal. As each person leaves the prayer room they write in a journal what it is that the Lord spoke to them about. I was priviledged to read a few of the entries and I was touched by the outpouring of love that these young, brave souls are witnessing coming from our God through their fervent prayers. As an aside Caitlyn made a great comment when I spoke to her about the whole 'laundry' issue. She said that she loved to see it when friends she had met on the streets asked to borrow their laundry facilities because it showed that they were beginning to 'take care of themselves more'.

In the morning Gio and I decided to stay at the First United for breakfast and had the joy of tasting weiner soup !!!! Along with the shredded wieners were a few sliced carrots and some diced onions, VERY salty. I can say that I will most likely not be having that again (due to the fact I will be fasting for the last three days of my stay here). The place was getting pretty 'rowdy' and chaotic and so we took our leave and began to make our way to the Library. I begin to see why some people 'choose' to sleep outside. Through the night there is no silence and no break in the background noise of snores, yelling, moans and or people shuffling around the place. The other night I was awoken at about 3:00am by a knocking as someone was knocking on the pew I was sleeping on. I tried to be calm and 'let it go', praying for patience but I eventually got up and partly yelled, partly asked the person to stop it. Others chimed in and I finally was able to get back to sleep. Imagine someone without my HUGE (joking) amount of self control in a situation like that and you can see why some leave these places and camp outside.

On the way there we made a stop at the Holy Rosary Cathedral church, a magnificent Roman Catholic church on Richards Street. We walked around the perimeter of the church amazed at the stained glass windows that depicted the life, death and resurrection of Christ and we even managed to decipher one panel dedicated to St. Patrick of Ireland. We took a moment to pray just as the pipe organ began to play. Beautiful, and all too soon ended as we then hit the 'concrete jungle' and left the serene oasis of the church.

God is good and continues to reveal himself to us. I am seeing how my experience these past few days is hardly anything like what those who live here deal with and yet God still teaches me and continues to soften my heart. I know that this will end. I know that on Friday I will board a ferry and come back to Victoria where I have family, friends and loved ones waiting. I know that I will wake up on Saturday morning, warm, in a quiet bed and I will look forward to the day knowing hope, happiness and freedom. This knowledge gives me strength to continue and to find joy in my simple experiences. Those that I meet and speak to do not have that luxury and I pray that I never ever forget that.

Gio's cold/cough is getting a bit better and I thank God that the First United is open for us.


Maranatha and Shalom to you all, thank you for your prayers.