My wife, Sandy, started several weeks ago to help with a group locally who are feeding hungry people once a week on Sunday evenings. She makes a couple of large aluminum trays of salad with chicken and corn and other stuff and mixes it all up with some ranch dressing just before serving it. I’ve been going with her the past few weeks and it’s been something really special.

The group is called “The Loving Hearts Club” and it’s one of those rare organic messes that defies logic. There isn’t really much organization, and although a guy named Billy seems to have started it and is usually the one who appears to be in charge (when he’s there, which he is almost every week), there isn’t much else that suggests a finely tuned machine. Nobody is committed to come and serve, so you never know who will be there. Nobody organizes a menu or even knows what kind of food/drink will show up (if any), so it’s a completely disorganized potluck for others who are homeless. Somehow there is usually enough food for the couple hundred people who show up and form a line and politely wait for us to set up and set the food out. Families and singles and youth groups and former homeless people show up with food or drinks or plates and cups and plastic utensils. The food is mostly hot and in some cases nearly gourmet, and we serve it to each person with joy and gratitude. There is lots of laughter and you see people helping those who are lame and who have children or an immobilized partner to feed. It feels a little like a really good church potluck.

I noticed right away when I first saw pictures of this outdoor meal that it was often hard to tell who the homeless were. They didn’t, for the most part, look much different than those who had come to serve. Families, singles, elderly, handicapped all lining up and gratefully receiving as much food as they can fit on their plastic plate, in their pockets, and in each hand. There are the usual addicts and mentally ill, but all are remarkably well behaved in our presence. And thankful. They are very thankful.

Another thing I noticed as I have served with these folks the past few weeks is that although many of the volunteers are from local churches (and from a large variety of churches), not everyone is even of the Christian persuasion. We don’t even know all the people who we serve alongside, and the line-up changes week to week. It’s not really a social time; we show up, we set up, and we start feeding some really hungry people. We meet a few old friends now and then, and we may make a new friend. It doesn’t matter, really. There is a wonderful beauty and kindness and genuine gratitude for this opportunity to share what we have with some folks who are needing it more than we do. Most of the recipients assume that we are all from the same church, or the same faith. Maybe we are. How else could you explain this?

I spoke with a guy who looked and talked as if he was homeless (only because he had some food on his beard, but like I said…it’s sometimes hard to tell who is who in this beautiful mess). He was amazed at how this all comes together each week, how generous everyone was and how fantastic all the food has been. I told him what was really amazing was that there has never been a menu or anyone organizing any of this, but we seem to always have enough to feed everyone, and the food was always great because everyone made food that they would serve at their own home and just brought it to share. He thought we could change the world with people like this, people who would do something so important without anyone telling them how to do it. It was so simple that maybe we could make a difference in other areas of need, like housing. I think he might have a point.

Yep. You just have to show up with some food and a way to serve it, stand for an hour or so and serve portions to as many as you can until you run out, and then head home. It’s not hard, it’s not complicated, and you don’t ever have to do it again.

But once you do, something gets in your heart that makes you want to come back. There’s a lot of beauty in the mess.

Thanks be to God.

By April Terry (personal blog http://faithwarming.blogspot.com)

My husband and I had a lovely night out on Saturday, spending time together at Dinner in Santa Barbara and a concert afterward.  I was thinking Saturday morning that I would attempt a little experiment and that I would go out on the town and try to be more “intentional.”  To me, this meant that I would go out intending to connect with someone, have a conversation with them, and maybe make a new friend.

I planned it out in my mind. I would chat up the person seated next to me.  I would start with an icebreaker, make small talk, and then ask them about themselves and just listen, but that wasn’t exactly how it went.

Read the rest of this entry »

From a somewhat anonymous person who sent their story to us via the website. Looks like he does street ministry with the homeless, and seems to bring new socks with him when he can. New socks seems pretty doable to me. Enjoy.

Today while in street ministry I came into a campsite. A note was left for me by one of the guys.

It read:

brbruce,
I want to thank you for the socks this Christmas.
I was not honest when I said I needed a pair for a friend.
I kept them for my self. I know how you always run out so I lied.
I have a chance to go to Florida so I will be leaving Sunday
I wanted to tell you thank you for the love you show to us.
Not many people come into the camp and you never pass anyone and not
say a prayer.

Please forgive me for lying. One day I hope we will meet again.
I promise that when I can I will buy an extra pair of socks
and give them to some one and pray for them just like you did for me.
Happy trails to you. friend.