Valentines for the homeless
Lon | February 15, 2006
For Valentines, Yvz and I celebrated, by getting our small group downtown to connect with the homeless in our city.
We split into three teams and gave out some quality sandwiches, brand-spanking new socks, drinks, snacks and roses. I thought the roses would be an interesting idea, but only managed to give out a few of them.
A few people in my group had never done anything like this before, and I’m glad they all had a positive experience. One person did have an individual on the streets say to her “Don’t think you’re so innocent”. Truth is, we’re not, but how easy is it for us to come off that way?
For me, it was just refreshing to connect with our city as it really is. Rather than avoiding eye contact, as I often do, I spent a whole night trying to look into the eyes of those we wish just weren’t there.
I find the real challenge, is not nights like these, but everyday I go about and pass by people. Yvz and I want to always try to have something packed that we can give away when we go out.
This night makes me think of a great Goo Goo Dolls song called Better Days that I think should be our new Christmas anthem.
and the one poor child who saved this world
and there’s ten million more who probably could
if we all just stopped and said a prayer for them
You can find the rest of the lyrics here and watch the video here.
That's a very cool idea. Way to take a traditional
Parke | February 15, 2006That’s a very cool idea. Way to take a traditional celebration of love and add depth and life to it.
wow so so very cool. awesome.
tony sheng | February 15, 2006wow so so very cool. awesome.
I love that idea - faith in action! So cool
Mark | February 15, 2006I love that idea - faith in action!
So cool
=) Great to hear man. Hope to hear more and
Albert | February 15, 2006=) Great to hear man. Hope to hear more and all the details soon!
Thanks for the comments Parke, Tony, Mark and Albert.
onelife | February 15, 2006Thanks for the comments Parke, Tony, Mark and Albert. Yeah, we really wanted to ‘take back the occasion’. Especially on a day, when we can be so busy turning inwards to one another, and forgetting those on the fringes.
I really wanted to hand out the roses, because it’s so different from what they’re use to getting. I know it’s not very practical, but I figure most of them get fed somehow usually anyways, and it’d be nice to have something with life and color and beauty. The socks were the real hit of the day though.
I wonder how else we could extract the heart of what we do culturally and reveal the heart of Christ?