April 18-- Expect change-- Yesterday it was suppose to be dry and partly sunny after noon. It remained gray and overcast and suddenly roared with thunder and heavy downpour. The doorbell rang at the Center and Leroy, the self-titled mayor of 31st Street stood there. "Hey, Pastor when are you going to have something for the men? The women get breakfast and lunch and all of the nice things..." Leroy was soaked, pants wet and clinging.
Margaret called for food from the pantry. Her sister had dumped seven kids on her and she had no transportation. I felt for her and agreed to bring food on my way home. It was pouring. My nice jacket and decent pants soaked--bad hair day made worse by the pouring rain. I sat a mom.ent (maybe there is such a thing) in front of her house. Seven kids, surely one can run out here to get these bags. She was much younger than expected--seven kids--trying to keep them together. Wow!
Veronica's Voice called. Do we have ladies underwear, socks, and bras. Their client was going back to Iowa to turn herself in. "Tired!" We didn't--not new and white and in unopened packages acceptable to the jail. "I'm going back." "Death is getting closer." Stretching arms to demonstrate, "It used to be I heard of someone I knew dying, now its all the time. Death used to be this far, now its this close."
"Mama used to tell daddy, "I'm going to bury you at midnight so nobody comes." "I'm coming back when I finish my time. Can I help you?"
I got a letter in the mail today--only a last name and return address--no note. There were two money orders. I only saw one at first. It was for 100 dollars. Thank God! We need money so badly! Then I noticed there was another underneath--500 dollars. My God! We need money so badly! Who could have sent it? Check the files. Only two with that last name. Writing looks the same--he has no address, no phone listed. Homeless. Now he has an address and 600 dollars to give. Thank God! We really need the money. I can't remember the person nor the service but I know that things change.
About Me
- 31 on 31st Street
- Kansas City, Missouri, United States
- I raised in Gary, Indiana. No I never met Michael Jackson--I'm older. I worked in Chicago for years at Michael Reese Hospital and became a social worker--MSW--Jane Addams School of Social Work. I was called to the ministry and earned M.Div at Nazarene Theological Seminary and before that Montessori teacher's certification. How's that for the girl who graduated at the bottom half of her class. I eliminated the word "can't" from my vocabulary years ago. Now I say, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."
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