Shoulder The Cross

What's in a name?

What's in a name? When we serve the homeless, we see a lot of the same faces week after week. Brian is very good at remembering names, myself not so much. I've often wondered why some people are so much better at that than others. I've read articles giving tips on how to improve at it, but still I struggle. Probably because I'm all about me and I can remember my name so that's all that matters? But I digress(as usual)

Today a man walked up that Brian didn't recognize, so he asked him his name. "Today its Bo." he replied. "Today?" Brian asked, "What is it usually?" "Well, yesterday it was Al, the day before it was John." he replied with a grin. "It's been Bob, Stan, Jackson... "Who cares?" "What's in a name anyway?" he continued, "You can call me Animal if you want." We were all laughing as we talked, and Brian and I were still laughing about it as we cleaned up, but I've thought some more about it, and I'm not sure it's all that funny.

Names are important to a lot of people for a lot of reasons. Some have deep meanings, be it religious, familial, or just because that name actually means something tangible. I'm not really talking about that. I'm talking about how names feel. When someone addresses you by your name, it gives you self worth. It says you matter, and at the very least it is proof you exist. When someone remembers you from a previous encounter, it means you impacted them in some way. Now this may be only because they want to make a sale, but hey, they remembered! How much better does it feel when someone remembers you that you hoped would? It feels good to matter. So how insignificant do you have to feel, how resigned to the fact you don't matter do you have to be to say names don't matter? How low must our homeless friend have sunk to feel this way?

Or... why are we so insecure that someone remembering our names is necessary to us? Why do we get upset if our names are mispronounced? If we put a name to someone, we now have a relationship with them. It could be a good relationship or a bad one, but it is a relationship. It's not as easy to turn away from or ignore someone you "know"

What if everyone's name was brother? I have a very good friend that refers to all women as "beautiful" Now, he did this purely for self preservation. Back in the day, he knew far too many. He was deathly afraid (and rightfully so) that if he was with a particular lady and called her by someone else's name, it might not end so well for him. So, I'm not suggesting we do it to avoid conflict or confusion, I was more saying treat everyone like our brother. Maybe "Animal" is so enlightened he doesn't have to "know" someone to help them. Maybe we don't either?

Or... maybe he's running from something, and doesn't want anyone to know his real name. That's a possibility too...

Crying Indian – Keep America Beautiful

“Good morning chief!” Gary was greeted when he came through the line this morning. I told him he reminded me of the Crying Indian in the Keep America Beautiful ads that ran in the late 70’s. Chief said “I met Iron Eyes Cody at a pow wow”. How interesting I thought. I asked chief if I could interview him and he agreed. Here is a cleaned up transcript of our conversation.

Gary explains that he moved from California and that is what brought him to Austin. When asked the question, why are you homeless, his answer was “I don’t know”. Chief explains his ex-wife lives in a gated community in Leander. His daughter is married to a developer and also lives in the Austin area. Chief says a lot of the reason he is homeless is because of Christianity. I never knew about homelessness until I became homeless. Chief believes God is showing him a different side of life. Previously he only cared about “Money, cars, sex and having a good time”.  During this time he says he never thought about God. He was aware of the existence of God but never thought about Him. “I went to a Catholic high school so I knew there was a God, a Jesus and a Holy Spirit but not once did I think about Him.” Chief says. When asked how this changed, he explained God clunked me in the head! He brought me to my knees after a bad situation. The clunk happened while being housed by a union rescue mission in LA. There was a gang he was supposed to testify against, that wanted him silenced. He was hidden in a hotel suite where he found a bible in the bedside table. He opened the bible to 1 Samuel 19 and read the first 2 verses and soon was hooked:  ¹ Saul told his son Jonathan and all the attendants to kill David. But Jonathan had taken a great liking to David ² and warned him, “My father Saul is looking for a chance to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning; go into hiding and stay there.

He saw this as God telling him that this is what is happening to you. Chief explained that the intent of Union rescue was to get him out of the LA area and send him to San Francisco. Somehow Carl Fielstra, from Vista CA, got involved. Carl was heading a Christian ranch in Vista CA. This is where Chief’s Christianity really strengthened. One day at church, Chief told his fellow parishioners “Nothing is happening for me here”. One friend asked him, “Gary, where would you like to go?” After a brief hesitation Chief said … “Austin”. That was about a year ago. He had already been in Austin because he had visited his ex-wife and daughter, so he knew this was the best place for him. Now debt free but jobless, Chief finds work when he can and mainly stays at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH). Chief has had 3 steady sales jobs in the past year but is currently unemployed and on the streets. Chief is a crowd favorite and we really appreciate his cooperation on telling us his story.

PS: Keep praying for Andy.

Cold Day and warm hearts

It was mildly cold this Friday morning. More people were lined up than we have seen in over a month. Many of our friends were boasting about time with loved ones during the Christmas holidays. It was such an awesome feeling to see so many happy people. Chun showed up in his normal last minute fashion.  We forgot to fill his request for rat poison last week. Chun has a storage area with a lot of mice and rats that seem to be destroying his belongings and asked us to help him exterminate them. James was there, and it’s always real nice to see James. He is still writing articles for an online magazine. James sure has a golden pen. Leo mentioned that James looks a lot like Robin Williams. After Leo said that, one could definitely see the resemblance. Bruce was at his normal spot in the front of the line. Brice can be so funny “What do I need again?” he asks us, then fakes a cough and says “Oh yea, cough drops!”

We ran out of sandwiches this week. It is so nice to see the kind hearts of the people we help. Chun gave up his sandwich this week to a hungry late comer telling him “Please take it”.

Kim was there again this week. She graduated on Saturday. We started helping Kim about 4 years ago when she was homeless. She has since raised herself from the streets and now has a bachelor’s degree from Colorado Technical Institute in Health Care Management. She graduated Magna Cum Laude. It was a great show of determination. We are so excited for this new beginning for her. Here is a link to her graduation celebration. http://vimeo.com/57281037

Authentic Community

It was 39 degrees when Shoulder the Cross showed up this morning. There were only 20 or so people in line and the reason was given, “because it is too darn cold”. We had a great time with our friends this week. We talked briefly about the unfortunate fire that caused 68 families to be homeless. Leo, a Shoulder the Cross volunteer, mentioned that he was there, fighting the apartment fire. Leo is a fire truck driver for the city of Austin. James, a homeless friend, told us a story that happened to him several years ago. He told us he called home and talked to his kids and they were bragging about how they had started a fire at home that day. James told them, that’s great, but we don’t have a fire place.

David and his Daughter Macy came out to help this morning. It was really nice having the extra help. Whenever we get volunteers to help for the first time, we like to ask the question; “What about your time with Shoulder the Cross, left an impact on you?” David said he really liked the sense of community he saw. He noticed how orderly everyone was in the line. David and Macy felt a sense of authenticity as many of our friends stayed around to chat after we were done serving. David liked how Shoulder the Cross seemed to meet and greet the homeless where they are, so to speak. David especially remembered that after we finished serving, a man wondered up, looking like he was just checking things out. Once we saw the man, we greeted him by name saying “Hi David, can we help you with anything” He had the same name as I did, so that really stuck out. He asked for coffee and really needed nothing more. Finally, David mentioned that he enjoyed the humble and simple nature of our ministry and looks forward to helping when he can in the near future. 

It's getting colder

It’s always nice to see faces we haven’t seen in a long time. John came out this morning to visit and pick up some hygiene items. It has been at least 6 months since we’ve seen John, this this was awesome. Sometimes when people disappear we get worried something happened to them. John was scolded and asked to at least reach out to us once a month. John has an abscessed tooth and was in extreme pain. We reached out to one of our partners who helps with homeless dental care, to see if they could help. John will go in for an evaluation next week.

Gayle came out again this morning. She had a great time getting to know our friends on the street. Kim showed up for the first time in a long time. She is working nearby and wanted to stop to say hello. Kim is a success story who was able to get a job and some wheels (a bike), and is now off the streets. James came out also to say hello. James recently published an article in the homeless paper “The Challenger” about Shoulder the Cross. Daryl gave us his spare copy of the paper.

As we approach Christmas, a lot of people have been asking, how can we help Shoulder the Cross? For those of you wondering the same thing, here are some ideas: Bus Passes, travel toothpaste, batteries and radios. God Bless.

Back to the streets of Austin

God has blessed Shoulder the Cross so much in the past few months. We’ve added a full time volunteer, Leo Rios, to the team. Leo has been making the sandwiches every week and has gone on the distribution run while I was in China. Leo has been welcomed well and Else has already stated how much more he likes Leo. Gayle is also a new volunteer. Gayle has joined us on the weekly runs and has made coffee and sandwiches as well. Gayle has a goal of starting her own day soon. This would mean Shoulder the Cross would be expanding. Pray for us and our growth.

We had a short line of maybe 25 people this morning. Although the line was short, the needs were many. Almost all of our supply was passed out, which proves for a very successful morning. We ran out of deodorant and shampoo quickly this morning. Bryan showed up with his famous string cheese and Clementines. Our friends love these special treats when Bryan shows up. Bryan knows what it’s like to be homeless as he was a victim of the 2011 Bastrop fires that took his home and all this belongings. Helping Shoulder the Cross hits home for Bryan for sure.

Chen, one of Austin's homeless, showed up this morning. He was excited to hear about my trip to China. I told him about my fun times in Guangdong Province. I told him about my friends Hans, Faith and Lilly. He was proud of the Chinese I had learned. I told him “Jesu tiemi sin’li”. Chen smiled and said “He is” then he rattled off in Cantonese something I did not understand. Leo was excited to hear of the China trip as well. I told Leo how many times I felt the spirit while I was there. Leo hopes to join us next year in our trip to see our friends in China.  

We hope to be better about blogging in the future. Make sure to leave your comments in the section below.

Latest update from Shoulder the Cross ... the past six months

It has been way too long since we have last blogged. It seems that life gets busy and the priority for blog writing is very low. Visitors from Minnesota helped since the last blog. One of our homeless friends admitted to having a crush on Diane. It was entertaining to say the least, to see his face turn red as cherry pie, when her name was mentioned in later weeks. Connie has been a great asset as well. Her kindness to our friends is always a welcomed site. Connie has taken a sabbatical from the weekly Shoulder the Cross endeavor due to her being a teacher at Austin’s Community College (ACC) and the new semester starting. She returns when she becomes available. Bryan is a new face to the ministry. Bryan lives in Bastrop. With the recent fires there, he has realized that there are many in need in Bastrop and all the surrounding cities. Bryan contacted us to see if he could help. Bryan is a frequent deputy for Shoulder the Cross now and is always there when his schedule permits it. Bryan found out quickly that apples are not a desired cuisine for our brothers and sisters on the street. Oral health is not a priority for most in need, so eating apples could do serious damage. We have had quite a few volunteer opportunities since the last blog as well. Volunteers from all walks of life have gathered to help sort through and organize donated clothing. The job of 2 taking more than 10 hours has been reduced to a mere 2 hours, thanks to volunteers and those who help Shoulder the Cross. Thanks to all who have helped in the past. Contact us if you would like to volunteer in the future. Thanks to the For the City Network, they have been providing the space for the clothes sorting. We are in talks with the Austin Stone Community Church to open up partnership opportunities with Shoulder the Cross.

We were surprised to see Christopher return to the streets of Austin. Christopher told us he has spent the past 3 years nursing his father back to health after a bout with cancer. He says his Dad is stronger now and is back to work at the age of 71. Christopher’s Boston accent is stronger than ever after his 3 year vacation in the Red Sox city. We heard from Gary and Rebecca at Christmas time. They have moved to Bastrop and say it is a nice place and a safe lifestyle. Tim still comes out to see us when he can. Ozzy is a nice site to see from time to time as well. Keith doesn’t come out as often as we would like, but he stays busy working odd and end jobs. Rudy has been a frequent face lately. He is always so quiet and polite, such a pleasure to see in the morning. Greg has been out helping with leaves and cleaning up on many occasions. Wayne is getting his teeth fixed. Scott, a great friend of Shoulder the Cross, is also a dentist. He does some pro-bono work for us and is giving Wayne a whole new set of teeth. Wayne had to raise just $500 for the procedure which normally costs $5000-$6000. It’s rare to see Wayne without a smile on his face lately. We can’t wait to see the final product.

On a sad note, we have lost several of our homeless friends since we last blogged. Dogman, one of the favorites, passed away recently. He will be remembered for his prototypical beard and the guitar he could never part from. We also lost Sam. Sam was always a friendly face to see. He was one of the most kind and gentle men you could ever meet. Unfortunately his addictions finally overwhelmed him. His death was shocking and very sad. Last but certainly not least, Mark Wolfe. I am consistently queried on Mark. “Make sure to tell him hello” they say. Mark was very technical and was the go-to guy for any technical questions or fixes. Mark hid his drinking from almost everyone. This is what eventually took him to the mighty kingdom. Had we found out he had this problem, we may have been able to help.

We hope to be better at blogging in the future.  Hope to see some of you real soon with our volunteer opportunities.

Dogman. -May he rest in peace.

Mark Wolfe - Mark hated his picture taken. This is the best I've got of him. Rest in peace Mark

Sam - Always smiling. Rest in peace Sam

 

 

Developing a relationship to share the good news

It was a great week for Shoulder the Cross. Samuel showed up this week with his normal smile and great attitude. When asked about Jesus, Samuel said "I don't know a lot about Him, but I want to learn". the following day, we treated Samuel to lunch and talked about Jesus. Samuel was wearing a hat with the names "Luke, Mathew, Mark, John and Peter". Samuel asked "Who are these dudes, were they Jesus' friends?" This was a great lead in to talking about the Gospel. "Who is Peter then?" Samuel asked. He soon found out Peter's denial to his best friend Jesus. We talked about Judas a little as well. Samuel later explained why he was homeless. "Drugs and Alcohol" he explained. Samuel agreed to go into detox, then rehab and future hopes of a halfway house and being lifted off the streets. After agreeing to getting treatment, we brought him to Blue Bonnet Trails for his OSAR (Outreach, Screening, Assessment, Referral) evaluation. He is waiting for a Detox bed to open up. We took Samuel back to his home in the woods near Lady Bird Lake, when asked what he had learned that day Samuel said "That Peter guy, he gave Jesus the finger. Judas? He put his finger on God and lost" Given this translation, it is obvious why there are so many translations of the bible. The New Living Translation is already taken, right?

We are growing!!

What a wonderful time it has been for Shoulder the Cross. It is very excited to see growth within the ministry. God's glory has shined as several volunteers have stepped up to help out. A trip to California kept one of us away for doing Jesus' work on the streets. As soon as word went out that we were canceling the Monday run, Rene Dorsey stepped up to fill in, preventing the cancelation. The Sandwiches for Monday's run were made by Hillarie Smith. It was amazing how heavy the bag was. There were 2 dozen eggs, 2 dozen cookies and about 3 dozen meat sandwiches. Rene plans to reorganize the truck for comfort and workability. Kimbra Wolf plans showing up on Monday morning to help distribute some of the socks and bus passes she donated to Shoulder the Cross. Connie Park will be there to help with coffee and chips. Even Tom Kopecky said he wanted to stop by to help. Just a few short months ago, Shoulder the Cross was a ministry of one. Today we have over 12 members. The next goal of the ministry will be to get a truck for distribution. If anyone reading this knows of a dealership wanting to donate a truck, please contact us through the website at http://shoulderthecross.org. Last week, shoulder the Cross was serving our brother and sisters in need on 3 different days. Monday was covered as it usually is. Friday, AlanMichael Luck distributed with his best friend Aaron Gonzalez. AlanMichael told stories about Marcus, a 32 year old machinist. He mentioned that Marcus has only been on the streets for about 7 days now. AlanMichael really liked Marcus and was impressed with positive outlook. It was evident that Marcus was scared, but doing what he needed to survive. On Saturday, Rene joined us to learn the ropes. Rene has such a comforting demeanor, all the friends on the street immediately warmed to her soft heart. We spoke with Gregory on Saturday, who was there with his 4 legged companion. Gregory told us how he had spent 32 sleepless hours recently. Not sure of why, we prayed for Gregory and his Diogee, as he called him. We also brought water out on Saturday. After 90 minutes with our homeless friends, almost 5 gallons of water were consumed. We served about 45 homeless friends in all. I know that God is doing some amazing things with this organization. Please be with us in prayer as we continue to do the work of Jesus, and grow as a ministry.

Street Retreat in ATX, no birth certificate required ...

It was another awesome week serving the homeless in Austin TX. Shoulder the Cross was privileged to serve those on the annual Easter street retreat hosted by @MLFNOW - Mobile Loaves and Fishes. Rene came through the line this week and kindly said "Are you sure you can spare a sandwich for me?" We made 3 loaves of bread worth of sandwiches this week, so of course there were plenty to go around. Rene expressed interest in helping us with bus passes and socks. We also met Lamar this week. Lamar, @lamarstockton is a local artist who plays the bass guitar. Lamar fills in for the Justin Cofield Band, @justincofield from time to time and we know the JCB very well. Many of the members of the JCB have been out to "help Shoulder the Cross" in the past. There was a nurse who also stopped by for a sandwich and some hot cocoa. She also expressed her interest to help. One of the street retreaters needed a Band-Aid and some triple antibiotic cream. "You never know what you might need on the streets, then when you do need it, you find out how hard it is to get it" she explained. We were happy to help all those in need. Rene is a radio producer for a local Christian radio station, KLGO at klgo.net. She has invited Shoulder the Cross onto the show to bring widened awareness to homelessness in Austin Texas. Lamar plans on helping Shoulder the Cross real soon and I should hear from the nurse soon. I listened to Amy Dillon Live this morning. Alan Graham referred to a quote by Mother Teresa that really gets you thinking:

"It is very important that right from the beginning, we simply live the Gospel. Live the Gospel in prayer; live the Gospel in words. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t reach the height right away. The fullness of our heart comes in our actions: how I treat the leper, how I treat the dying person, how I treat the homeless. Sometimes it is more difficult to work with street people than with the people in our homes for the dying because the dying are peaceful and waiting; they are ready to go to God. You can touch the sick and believe, or you can touch the leper and believe, that is the body of Christ you are touching, but it is more difficult when these people are drunk or shouting to think that this is Jesus in that distressing disguise. How clean and loving our hands must be to be able to bring compassion to them!"

Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta