Yesterday morning when my alarm went off at 3:30 I sat up quickly in my bed. I was slightly confused as to why I was up so early. To be honest, I sat there and debated with myself as to whether or not I was going to go back to bed. I wanted nothing more than to climb back into my snugly covers, close my eyes and go back to sleep.
A few weeks ago I was asked to join an outreach team that goes to groups of people living homeless, connect with them, and then invite them into transitional housing. The outreach takes place at 5:00a.m. They picked this time because it is when most people are sleeping.
The main location we went to was under an overpass of Interstate 20 . The overpass covers a long area where about twenty people have shelter. Some of the people living there were in huts that were donated by volunteers. Shopping carts, sleeping bags, trash, and more covered the scene. There was a whole community of people living there.
I was teamed up with one of the new volunteers. We went to the other side of the underpass and noticed some blankets drooping down where the bridge and ground met. I went to the blankets and began announcing myself. I eventually peeled back the blankets to see a man sleeping in the crevice. To be honest he looked like he was a dead man in a tomb. I said to him, “Sir, sir, sir.” Once he finally responded I asked his name and got closer to him.
Andre said he had been living there for about two years. His clothes were torn and dirty. He was sleeping on the concrete with nothing between him and the ground but a little bit of cardboard. His hair was matted and dreaded in spots. I cannot even begin to describe for you the smells that were coming from this makeshift cave.
After a little more chitchat I asked Andre if he would be interested in sleeping in a soft bed. He said, “yes.” I explained more about the transitional housing and then asked if he would be interested in taking that help. He said he would. I said, “Get your shoes on, get your things together and come with us.”
Andre was on his way to a soft bed. He would soon have his own snugly covers trying to keep him in bed when his day was about to begin. It made me think. Love lives through us in the moments we put ourselves aside and put the interests of someone else first. I was glad I got out of my bed to help another man find his. 5:00 a.m. is not that difficult of a sacrifice to let love shine.
If you would like to come with me on the next outreach send me an e-mail.
