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2:32:00 PM PDT
IN GOD WE TRUST
Saturday, 14 April 2007 Day 96 Homeless
A couple of weeks ago I had taken the Southbound 107 Boulder Highway bus to Henderson. Some one told me of a church by the name of St. Timothy which offered good meals to the homeless.
I had spent a week sleeping on sidewalks in front of a funeral parlor on Foremaster street. Fierce Las Vegas winds raged through the nights across from St. Vincent Catholic Charities where dozens of homeless people tried to sleep. I'd been without shower or shaving for more than a week. The last few nights I had slept in my shoes because there were midnight and early morning attacks on the homeless sleeping along the sidewalks of Foremaster and Main Street.
The first attack occurred shortly after midnight.
These attackers, drove in two crew-cab pick-up trucks and stopped in front of the homeless people shouting "Bums get outta here!" Then they tossed lit road flares. One landed two men down from me burning a 12" hole in a sleeping man's blanket and an equal size burn hole in his jacket. Plums of thick gray smoke lifted into the air quickly with the blowing wind sending ambers spreading. The two pick-up trucks drove off as quickly as they appeared. Fortunately the man whose blanket was hit with the burning flare escaped injury although it landed on the portion of the blanket which had been covering his head.
Another flare had fallen short of its target landing harmlessly between two homeless men on top of the hill. One of those men was, Alfred, who I have mentioned in earlier entries. There was another attack at 5:00AM.
The following night smoke bombs were thrown by homeless hatred groups in the same two pick-up trucks. Again, fortunately no one was injured. That night, A Friday night, I had chosen to ride buses all night long instead of sleeping in harms way on filthy sidewalks.
It was now Saturday afternoon and I was returning on the Northbound 107 having been unsuccessful in locating the St. Timothy church. I decided to go to the Las Vegas Rescue Mission and get in the soup kitchen line in order to get a meal. God was watching over me yet I did not know he was about to put people in my path that would change the course of my journey.
With a week's worth of growth on my face from lack of shaving. My clothes dirty from wind blasted desert sand, I moved into the dining area of the soup kitchen. Being in the handicap line, with my needing a cane to walk, I am ahead of the line. My body odor could not be pleasant. A man approached me. The man was a volunteer church worker helping out serving the poor in the soup kitchen.
"River?" The man with a familiar face called.
"Scott?" I gasped. We shook hands. I was embarrassed. Shocked. Surprised. Blessed. I couldn't believe my eyes. The man I was shaking hands with was a technician who used to work for me or rather with me at a local car dealership where I used to manage.
As Amazing as that was, another man was calling my name and shaking my hand. That man was Mike R., the General Motors area representative I had known for the last six years. He too was helping out by volunteering his time at the soup kitchen. Scott and Mike only knew each other casually before this night. Neither could believe I was homeless. The men had told me how things were not running as well at my old work place since I had left. Through my embarrassment and surprise I finished my bowl of soup. Today God hid a church in the desert so I could not find it. That led me back to the Rescue Mission where I found Scott and Mike. During all the years we each hadworked together none of us had known of the other's Christian devotion.
Mike and Scott gave me their phone numbers and later Scott picked me up at the DTC buss terminal. That night after a shower, shave and long conversation I slept in his son's room in a comfortable bed. For about a week each night I stayed at Scott's and then took the 108 bus downtown while he worked. On Sunday we went to church and once to a musical during Passion week. Then Scott went on vacation with his son and I stayed a few days with Mike and his family and again attended church. (Lots of things happened during this time, which I'll write about later. But the fact that God united us again is incredible.)
I spent a few days here and there on the streets and sometimes riding buses since then. Keeping in touch with Scott and Mike. Then I had an allergic reaction to one of my medications. Being in too much sun caused a rash to develop. Since I had to go to UMC for an Echo Gram and then the following day to my first meeting at Vocational Rehabilitation which I had waited four solid months for I decided to stay at the Rescue Mission to get these things done and to heal.
While standing in line after getting a bed ticket and waiting for a meal I saw my name on the bulletin board which post missing person notices. Surprised, I lifted the few pieces of paper which covered the message to me since several messages were fasten with a single tack. "Call Sarge..." The note read.
Because I was a half hour late getting to rehab I was rejected. (That's another entry) But I had waited four months and several more months would likely take place before I would ever see a pay check on a job.
I called Sarge and he told me he would pick me up in front of the Mission at 7:30AM the following morning. (Friday the 13TH no less) Sarge picked me up as agreed. We went to have coffee. (The Mission does not allow overnighter to have coffee. Staffers and those in programs can have coffee and drink it in front of others, but overnighters are refused coffee...really Christian, huh?) Over coffee Sarge offered me a job. He offered me a place to stay with him and his family until I get a few pay checks coming in and can afford my own place.
Sarge and I used to work together. Later we drove to a dealership and I met some of the guys I used to work with. Monday I start full time and soon I'll no longer be homeless and I will have my own place.
God blessed me with far more than I could have ever expected. God brought me back in contact with many of my friends. I walked with Jesus and I saw the destruction on the streets of the homeless. Soon I will return to help them. God has shown me so much. Soon I will be able to organize my notes and write about those events.
In the near four months since I have been homeless not a single government agency nor government worker has helped me. Not a single charity worker has guided me to getting off the streets. All of the assistance which has helped me came from street people, homeless people or family and friends.
I'll be in touch soon. Thank all of you for your prayers and your concerns. There are others left back out there. For them we need to keep our prayers going.
Thanks for joining me. God Bless You!
And always remember, JESUS LOVES YOU!
RIVER
Las Vegas, Nevada
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River...I'm just checking in to see how you have been getting along. I hope everything is well with you? Please God you are settled and have a home and a job.
God Bless
Jeanie -
River.. I was sent over to read your journal by Bea (The Wanderer). I must admit your entry brought tears to my eyes. I was without work for almost a year, and had no source of income. Fortunately for me, my children and sister assisted me through the hard times, and I am now working full time again, and getting back on my feet. What made me teary, was the fact that you never lost your faith.. and because of that, God managed to put you right where you belonged, so you could get the help you needed.
I read the above entry, and now know that you are no longer homeless. Praise God for that.
You know... whenever I feel like my world is falling apart, I always try and remember that there is someone else out there that has it far worse than I do. That I should be grateful, and I have tried to be like that, no matter what happens in my life.
I'm looking forward to reading your journal, River.. and welcome back..
Jackie
http://journals.aol.com/siennastarr/Hopefloats/ -
River, I think about you. Where are you? What are you doing now? I keep hoping that you will return to your journal and post an entry, give an update. I pray that you are well, and that this long absence is because you have begun a new life, and have not been able to get to a computer for the purpose of journaling. God bless you, River. bea
http://journals.aol.com/bgilmore725/Wanderer/ -
Where are you? I do hope that all is well. Looking forward to a post from you.--Sheria
4/13/08 7:27 AM
I know, no homeless. And you have opened my eyes. Wouldn't the world be a better place, if everyone of us, brought each of you in for food, shelter, until you could again, get on your feet. I am so sorry the world has been cruel to you.
Thank you for allowing me to see a part of the world, I have only seen as a man, sleeping on the street.
Angel in KY