I was in the bathroom last night at the Homeless Ministry and this guy came in singing:
It’s wonder I’m not a criminal. It’s wonder I’m not in jail. It’s wonder I’m not insane. I’ve got too much time on my hands.
I never heard the song but it’s a captivating tune that keeps rolling around in my head. I guess there are songs for any situation in life including the homeless.
Last night my friend Homeless Eric and some of the volunteers were talking about some of the different terms that the homeless use like “Flying a Sign”. Everyone knows what that is if they have seen anyone holding a sign asking for food or work (it really means give me some money). Eric said he has tried it few times but without much success. It seems he is too friendly and happy. A colleague told him he should look sad and hungry. Eric can look hungry but not sad. One of the volunteers said they had read about an individual that did that for a living. He put on some dirty clothes and drove his fancy car to crowded intersection and collected more money than he could make working. Of course, there are always draw backs on a good thing; it’s against the law. Panhandling can get you a fine of $250 and possibly jail if you have had a bad day and had not collected enough to pay the man. But as one volunteer said, “you do what you got to do” to survive.
Our numbers were down last night. We served 55 meals with the assistance of 12 volunteers. We had two first time volunteers who attend Heritage Bible Church and Brittney who is a returning volunteer after some time off for school. All of them have a real heart to see the homeless and volunteers transformed by the power of the God. We have fun every Tuesday night but no one losses sight of why we are there. It is for the Gospel.
~Marc
It’s wonder I’m not a criminal. It’s wonder I’m not in jail. It’s wonder I’m not insane. I’ve got too much time on my hands.
I never heard the song but it’s a captivating tune that keeps rolling around in my head. I guess there are songs for any situation in life including the homeless.
Last night my friend Homeless Eric and some of the volunteers were talking about some of the different terms that the homeless use like “Flying a Sign”. Everyone knows what that is if they have seen anyone holding a sign asking for food or work (it really means give me some money). Eric said he has tried it few times but without much success. It seems he is too friendly and happy. A colleague told him he should look sad and hungry. Eric can look hungry but not sad. One of the volunteers said they had read about an individual that did that for a living. He put on some dirty clothes and drove his fancy car to crowded intersection and collected more money than he could make working. Of course, there are always draw backs on a good thing; it’s against the law. Panhandling can get you a fine of $250 and possibly jail if you have had a bad day and had not collected enough to pay the man. But as one volunteer said, “you do what you got to do” to survive.
Our numbers were down last night. We served 55 meals with the assistance of 12 volunteers. We had two first time volunteers who attend Heritage Bible Church and Brittney who is a returning volunteer after some time off for school. All of them have a real heart to see the homeless and volunteers transformed by the power of the God. We have fun every Tuesday night but no one losses sight of why we are there. It is for the Gospel.
~Marc
