The One that Got Away

One Sunday, I arrived a few minutes late for church. I snuck into one of the short side rows. It was unoccupied except for one woman sitting all the way near the wall. I took a spot a few seats away from her.

After the opening songs, the pastor asked, as usual, that we greet those around us. I turned to the woman, smiled, shook her hand and said "Good Morning!" She seemed a bit surprised. I thought perhaps I had something in my teeth. I should check that out.

During the teaching, I noticed the woman fell asleep. I stole a few glances to make sure she was alright. It was then I noticed she had two bags stuffed full and that she was actually a bit disheveled. I understood then that she was homeless and was carrying all her possessions with her.

That realization spurred thoughts (rarely a good thing) and eventually I started formulating a plan. I thought that since she was in church, she would welcome having someone take her to lunch and listen to her story. The best laid plans of mice, men, and women are, of course, doomed to failure.

As the service ended and we filed out into the hall, I asked her name. I have never seen anyone run so fast to get away from me. Remember, she was carrying two full bags. So, she put extra effort into dodging me! OK, so it was more than just something in my teeth. It was something about me.

But I was wrong. Remember, it's not about me. It's about them. She didn't ask for my help. She wasn't ready. It's all about her. I need to respect her and where she is in her journey. I need to recognize that I may not be a part of her journey and she may not be a part of mine. That means letting go. And letting go is something I could stand to do a whole lot more often. After all, look what happens when I try to take control. They run!

Once again, I learned more from this brief interaction than did the person I thought I was helping. While I learned a valuable life lesson, I am pretty sure the only thing she learned was that she can run while carrying heavy bags. While that may be good to know, it's not likely to be life-changing.

I am going to go practice letting go.

Outside the Grocery Store

My first less-than-perfect attempt at this project was while grocery shopping on Saturday. As I entered the grocery store, I saw a man selling Street Wise (in Chicago, the homeless often sell this newspaper to make a little money). Did I have the care package with me (see The Least of These Project post for info)? Of course not. The first lesson here is: be prepared! And if you are not prepared, then improvise. I decided to buy him a variety of food and deliver it to him as I left. Then I could also chat with him and get his story. As I shopped, I periodically checked out the window to see that he was still there. When I finally got outside, he was gone.

At the end of the block, however, I saw a man in a wheel chair holding a tattered paper cup asking for donations. When I gave him the food, he said "God bless you." When was the last time I said "God bless you" to someone who hadn't just sneezed? Probably never.

He spoke with difficulty because he had been in a coma for six months. But he was animated and excited to tell me about how we was saving up to buy a new arm for his glasses because one of them had broken. He almost had enough money. Despite his illness and handicaps, he was happy to be alive. He said that God had kept him alive and that he just knew God had something for him to do here on earth. He was excited to figure out what it would be.

At this point, I was humbled beyond belief. He was doing more for me than I had done for him. What's a little food in exchange for seeing God reflected in the hope and faith of someone who refuses to give up despite what this world throws at him. He has his priorities straight. I had to ask myself, "do I?"

The Least of These Project

On August 22, 2010 Willow Chicago (that's a church) held a day of serving the city. I joined the 5 Loaves team packing care packages for the homeless. I thought we were just packing them and they would be distributed through the church. Little did I know that WE were doing the distributing. Uh oh.

Let's be honest. I was freaked out! I held on to that care package for two weeks...and I prayed. Really, God. Me? You can't be serious. I am not a talker by nature. What will I say? The answer came back, "I don't want you to talk, I want you to listen. It's not about you, it's about them." Yes. Of course. I should have known that. But that's great! I am a good listener. I can do that. OK, let's go.

Thus, I embarked on a project to not just give the homeless a few dollars, but to give the my time and attention (and a meal). I learned so much from each encounter that I wanted to share it with everyone else. And so was born The Least Of These project.

Through this blog, I will document their amazing stories (along with my foibles for a little comic relief). Let's begin the journey!