Friday was a great day, because for the first time Mike was home to help me load up the SUV with supplies for the  homeless.  Believe me, that was a special blessing, the older I get the more laborious the chore. Mike always makes sure I have everything I need, loading all the carts and making sure Melchizedek  (the SUV’s name) is gassed up.

At Nohl Canyon, the elementary school where we make the sandwiches, the students were lined up ready to help. There were more than 30 students and what normally takes 2 to 3 hours to make 300 sandwiches we accomplished in one hour. My friend Sarah and all three of her daughters  were there as well.

Saturday was not such a good day, as I was in an unusual mood. As the morning progressed my spirit was filled with dissension. I was upset because we had to pick up one of members of our team, going 20 minutes out of the way. I started complaining what a hardship this was and that this person needed to make other arrangements. Why was I allowing myself to behave this way? It was as if I had no control over my negative thoughts. The more I tried to show any type of remorse, the more this angry spirit prevailed. I have been picking up this person for years, I am often irritated  about this,  but this time it was bad.

Once we got to Skid Row, I felt the anointing fall as soon as we opened the rear door to the SUV. I was so conflicted by my poor behavior that I felt unworthy to pray for anyone. This how the enemy works; yes, I was out of the spirit, and because of my anger, I was reminded by Satan that I could not be used of God. That is a lie, and once I snapped out of it I was able to minister to my brothers and sisters on Skid Row.

As soon as we parked, two women approached us to inform us that “Refresh Spot” had recently opened. This wonderful group of people offer free showers and clean fresh towels for the homeless. The Refresh Spot people also allow them free charging stations for their cell phones, and the use of clean restrooms at no charge.  Evans, the project manager, also informed us that in a few weeks they will be providing free washers and dryers for the displaced. This is the biggest improvement on Skid Row that I have seen in years.

We met a group of people that were feeding the homeless for the first time. They situated themselves in the most awkward place, where almost no foot traffic passes. I asked them what church they were from, and they said that it was their first time doing this. No church, and just standing waiting for people to come to them. In a loving way I told them that they needed to walk around and hand out the meals and to get to know the people. The irony was that most of the sandwiches were in large paper Gucci bags, the type that designer bags come in. The Lord will bless their effort because their hearts were in the work.

We were blessed to meet so many loving people like Esperanza and her four children, Jocelyn, Jazmine, Richard and Alexa (in stroller not pictured). Esperanza and her children live in a shelter and she is expecting another child.  Amber could not stop crying about her children and wanted to be with them, so we need to pray for her to be drug free in order for this to take place.

We handed out Rosaries, and it was a joy to see how many lovingly received the prayer beads. For those of you that may not be familiar with the Rosary, the prayers said are all in the Bible. The Hail Mary is in (Luke 1:28; 1:46-55) and the Our Father is in found in the middle of the Sermon of the Mount (Luke 11:2-4; Matthew 6:9-13) when Jesus is teaching his disciples to pray. A homeless woman, Selene, held her Rosary to her heart while thanking us, she needs prayer for housing.

When we experience this type of peace on Skid Row we can only conclude one thing; we that ministered are going to be under attack. That ugly spirit returned to torment me and instead of praying on the way home, I was again unpleasant. Gary, part of our team, talked to me about being loving to everyone, but I did not want to take his counsel. I called my old buddy Cindy and explained the situation; she promised to be praying for me. After a couple of hours I felt the dark cloud lift, and I repented and was back to my cheerful self.  The way the Devil works is to attack our minds or our bodies or those of our loved ones, but in the end the victory belongs to the Lord.

This behavior was out of my character, and I apologized to all that witnessed this unfortunate display of ungodliness. Thank God Mike was not home because for sure I would have picked a fight with him too.  After lunch I orders a large serving of humble pie and ate it all alone while praying.

James 1:19-20

I heard my grandsons Lucas and Jacob arguing over sidewalk chalk. First came the destruction of the artwork, then the face-off. Lucas got in his younger brother’s face and called him an S.O.B, before I could make it the the door Jacob’s reply was “No! you’re the S.O.B.!” I ran out screaming “What did you say?” I was so upset screaming and yelling, that I restricted them from everything possible. I’m not that grandma that says, not my grandsons, they are boys and they pick up garbage from everywhere. I called both parents to report the incident and Russ, their father, asked Luke, “Where did you learn that?” Lucas’s honest answer was, “From you Dad.”  It seemed that earlier in the week, there was a minor road rage exchange in which the foul words were used.

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  I told the boys that they had to do something kind for using bad words. We made sandwiches for a picnic and packed two extra lunches for the homeless.

I have in the past mentioned our friend Carlos, who is a staple on Skid Row. Carlos has been and will always be our ally. As soon as I exited the vehicle there were signs that our friend had fallen hard off the wagon. Carlos was reaching two years of sobriety, but it was evident that he was not in good shape. As the friendly, loving Carlos was swallowed up by a negative alcoholic spirit, it was heartbreaking to witness his suffering. According to the statistics from the Centers of Disease Control, the probability  of a relapse is 40 to 90%. I would image that the numbers on Skid Row are closer to the latter.

Our service to the homeless was powerful. As we arrived the rain was gently falling, thus creating a slippery, muddy, messy sidewalk. I never realized how poorly the streets on Skid Row are maintained. Part of the problem is that the permanent tents in the area impede any upkeep that the city can provide.

We have a positive rapport on Skid Row so many of the regulars recognize us and are receptive of our ministry. Some of the homeless keep their area tidy but others are not as considerate thus breeding an epidemic of flies. Once you get through all the obstacles and start praying for people, all these outside distractions and bad scents disappear.

We met Yolanda, an attractive young lady in her mid-twenties; she explained that she was just released from prison. She was honest, and received prayer in a humble and loving manner. Good looking women are always surrounded by men and she had three men bidding for her attention. I prayed for her to find her way out of this situation and for her to find housing.

We made our way to the Cuban section and the people were as usual, kind and receptive to prayer. The Cubans are homeless due to their excessive drinking and smoking pot, but they do not get into meth or other hardcore drugs. They seem to be less violent, and stick to each other for protection.

We came across about seven sweet teenage girls standing in a tight row and handing out water. Some of them seemed displaced, but the fact that they were there to minister was a testament to their bravery. As we passed the girls, we met and prayed for many, with one man very excited to announce the birth of two kittens. His face beamed with great joy as he held out a one week-old-kitten. This new life gave him a sense of purpose and responsibility.

In front of the Midnight Mission I came across a young girl, whose beautiful black eyes spoke of deep hurt and pain. She did not want prayer, and could not even verbalize the response. She simply shook her head with a no. Whatever she was harboring was more than her spirit could bear. She broke my heart. As we walked ahead, part of the team stayed to pray for others. The Spirit of the Lord was moving so powerfully on Jane, Robert and John that from a distance I knew they were touching the hearts of many. Gary and I waited for the team at the corner while witnessing to our youngest volunteer, Dillian. Earlier Dillian had mentioned that he needed scientific proof of God’s existence. He got a view of both God and Satan in a few hours for good and evil manifested on Skid Row. Dillian has a special calling to the poor, and God will continue to tug at his heart until he is yielded to the call.

Whatever the homeless do not use it ends up on the street. It is a monumental task for the city to keep up with the debris of the homeless. The task force of volunteers work tirelessly cleaning up the mess.

We had lunch at Paul’s Kitchen, which our family has frequented it for over 35 years. This restaurant has the best Chinese food in L.A. and is located a stone’s away from Skid Row.

My Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, every person we encountered on Skid Row has a purpose in life. Lord, as we plant the small seed of love, I ask that you would cultivate and nurture your people. Let them hear your still, small voice in this chaos. Move mightily and speedily in their lives, give them dreams, and allow them to experience the presence of angels. Dear Lord, protect them from the elements, the cold, the rain, and the sun, and always provide food and water for them. Put it on the hearts of their loved ones to intercede on their behalf and offer them tangible help. Open the floodgates from heaven for those who are looking for housing. For those who have lost all hope, Dear God, I pray for restoration of their spirits. Please Lord, be with them, especially when they cry out to you. For Carlos, Lord, you know his heart’s intention; help him to dust himself off, and lead him to the road of recovery. Thank you for using us this day, Father, and allowing us to serve you. Amen