last night

Last night I went with a group of people to a park in downtown Seattle to serve hot chocolate to some men and women on the streets. Not all of them sleep on the streets, but the reality is that the majority of their days are spent outside, being shuffled from place to place by those of us with power, authority, and control. And by the looks on many of their faces, the amount of time spent out there had moved from weeks to months to years. It seemed good to be able to do something, as insignificant as it seemed in the moment. I sat with a guy about my age, and just listened to him ramble on for about an hour. One thought bled into the next, and I had a hard time making any sense of what he was saying. Sometimes the hardest thing is to just sit and listen. But then I wonder why this guy had so much to say. Part of it was the drugs, but I think an even bigger factor is how many people he has in his life to actually sit with him and ask him about his day... Who knows.

Anyway, I always have a tough time after doing things like this. I like the fact that we can provide some tangible thing to a group of people so obviously in need. But it depresses me when I think about my role (and the church's role) in systemic issues like homelessness, long-term drug addiction, race relations, etc. The problems seem so overwhelming, and the church's history in dealing with them is spotty at best. So for now I do what I can... Bring some hot chocolate, listen, ask questions, probe, learn. I know that we can have a substantial impact over the long term. I have to believe that. I'm trying hard to believe that.