Many Needs

I forget from week to week how needy our friends are downtown. I had not gotten out of my vehicle, when all of sudden there were many all lined up to talk to me. Even when I was talking with one person, another interrupted and took me aside before I could finish that conversation. It can be very competitive when there are a lot needs and only one person who could provide a possible solution.

One individual exclaimed that he was finally going to break free from the homeless life style. He had purchased a car and just needed some gas money to get to the other side of Greenville where he knew there was a dish washing job at a local restaurant. I don’t normally give anyone money, but there were others waiting, so I gave him a couple of dollars which seemed to satisfy him.

Another needed medicine. His story was that he was hit by someone with brass knuckles which cracked several teeth which had become abscessed. His employer, a traveling amusement company, had sent him to the hospital in Gaffney, SC, but then fired him without paying for the medication. We are not sure how he got to Greenville, but he was lying on the sidewalk in great pain when we arrived. Bonnie went to the pharmacy during the Bible study and purchased some antiseptic mouth rinse, antibiotics, and pain medication.

Chris was distraught because his girlfriend had just died. I actually knew who she was because she rented rooms to the homeless on a daily basis. We have made a number of trips to her house on Tuesday night. He showed me her driver’s license stating that this is the only thing he had left of their relationship. He just needed some sympathy and someone to talk with about his difficulty. He was not handling the situation very well and he stated he has been drinking heavily for the last couple of days. I listened to him and prayed to give him some encouragement. Later, I saw another volunteer also talking and praying with him as well.

Then there was Danny. He had a fractured leg and a definite limp when he walked. This is not good for a homeless person because they walk miles each day to get food, shelter, and other necessities of life. One of our volunteers helped him with a ride to his “cat hole” after the meal.

Finally, one individual wanted a large print King James Bible. That is a request that we definitely want to fulfill because even though we may help him temporarily, we know that God’s Word will make a permanent change in this life and eternity.

Thanks to everyone who donates to Food for Life so we can provide medicine and some physical comfort to those in need. Last Tuesday, with the assistance of 14 volunteers, we provided 80 hot meals.

Each Tuesday night, Andrea who is a regular, sings and plays the piano alone. Most are familiar with him so he normally does not get much attention. Tonight I thought I would video some his performance. Unfortunately, the lighting and the sound quality is not very good but he is very good. He has a beautiful voice.

~Marc