Cold and Flu season in Austin TX

I arrived at Wooldridge Park in downtown Austin Texas at 7:30 AM sharp. There were a few guys waiting patiently in line. Others were just waking up in the park, who eventually made there way toward the truck. "Tim, you look tired" I said to my friend who is homeless, "I just woke up" he smiled softly, then said thanks for coming. It was a chilly 45 degree morning. You could see our breath as we chatted together and prepared for out weekly Shoulder the Cross ministry. "I am freezing" a fresh faced lady said. Being the first time she had seen the truck, she was delighted to see plenty of things she needed. She went away with a warm fleece hoody, lotion, soap and shampoo and much more. Mark was there and mentioned that Shoulder the Cross is the only source of Vitamin C on the streets of Austin. Vitamin C is great for the cold and flu season. 3 pots of coffee and 2 liters of hot water were soon warming the bellies of our satisfied friends on the street. Connie handed out the home made hard boiled eggs as well as helped with the coffee, cocoa and sandwiches. We discussed changing the day we come out from Friday mornings to Monday morning but agreed to keep it on Fridays through the end of the year. 60 minutes flew by and soon it was time to leave. The truck was packed back up and off we went. There were two stops to make before getting on IH-35 and heading north. First stop was St. David's Episcopal Church on 7th street. This is where the leftover sandwiches and eggs are passed out. It broke my heart when I saw 2 young boys, maybe 8 and 10, grab a sandwich with their hungry hands. Their Mom and Dad seemed delighted to have them get something to eat "Tell them thank you" The Dad said. I wanted to do more, but they disappeared faster than I could find a safe place to park and talk with them. If you are reading this blog and feel compelled to pray, please do so. The recyclable trash from today's service was dropped off at the Ecology Action center of Austin, then it was time to head northbound. After getting back to the Shoulder the Cross headquarters, the shelves were restocked in preparation for next week's trip. I continued to quietly pray for those who are homeless in Austin as well as in all of America.