The Elephant in The Room

Janelle is a lady who is sleeping on the sidewalk next to where Lilly parks her car in the Men's shelter parking lot.  Her significant other could get a bed in the shelter but he refuses to leave her so he sleeps next to her on the sidewalk.  I commend him for that because I have seen many who go into the shelter and leave their wives or girlfriends outside alone. Janelle has a CDL license and is capable of working if she can find a few resources or someone just willing to take the time to help her.

 They have NO single woman shelters here and that is unacceptable. Whats even more unacceptable is that we have 3-4 woman shelters for abused women or women with children and a church on every corner. Big churches and little churches and Janelle sleeping on the sidewalk. Someone PLEASE explain that to me. I will tell you that a church did offer to put them in a hotel for 2 nights. After the first night they left, do to the fact that a roach crawled on her while she was trying to sleep and they could barely rest with all the drug activity going on around them. Janelle said her boyfriend got fed up and they left and it was the comment he made that struck me to my deepest core.

He said "A church should know better than that." AMEN BROTHER! Absolutely they should know better because if you are a representation of Christ and church is looked upon as a safe haven than surely you can do better than the crack alley roach hotel. AND if you don't have the fruit and the funds to back up your intentions maybe its because you treat Jesus the same way. Maybe its because you serve Jesus out of a dirty pot.  We wonder why people have lost  faith and don't trust the 4 wall  church anymore. I mean seriously if you cant trust the church who can you trust right?
 We wonder why people don't want to go to church when people walk into a building that has a fantastic state of the art sound system, a coffee bar in their foyer and a sanctuary the size of the grand canyon but can't or won't find the resources to put a single woman with no husband, AKA modern day widow, up in a decent hotel as apposed to the sidewalk.

Oh and here's a thought maybe just offer her a spare bedroom . Surely someone in a 1300 person congregation has one. My guess is you will find the poorest of the poor to  be the first to offer up  a sofa before you will find anyone in a large church who has to have 2 dreams , a vision and 6 confirmations from God before they would even consider getting uncomfortable enough to step out in that kind of selflessness. Don't get me wrong there are those who are kind and generous and who  wouldn't hesitate,  but very few.

So why is that? What are we so afraid of ? Lets just confront the "Elephant in the Room". People don't really want to host someone in there home for several reasons .One, they don't want to be bothered or put out, they have there own families to worry about. Two, they will give and serve but don't want strangers living in their home and they allow fear of the unknown to  paralyze them into not moving in Gods will instead of trusting that the Holy Spirit is there protector. Its called dicernment. Three, people don't want to step outside of their comfort zone , they think everyone was called to partake in Christs suffering accept them.

Fourth , My all time favorite "I would have to pray about it " or "I am not called to that." or "Its just not the right timing. " Well all I have to say about that is  Isaiah 58 clearly squashes the first two excuses and you know when the right time is to give up your spare bedroom and your privacy ? When someone is sleeping on the sidewalk in front of the men's shelter.

- Janelle and our volunteer coordinator / prayer warrior, Mandy Woodhouse

Prayers for Lilly

Y'all remember Cajun Lilly right? I saw her this morning briefly at the breakfast. She looked so tired and worn out like she hadn't slept all night. How much sleep can you get  in your car in the heat.

I told her I had to leave early to attend my sons graduation but that I would be around the parking lot to check on her. 

For those of you that don't know, Cajun Lilly is homeless . Lilly lives in her car in the parking lot of the men's shelter. This evening I went over there to check on her. She was sitting in the back seat of her car smoking a cigarette. They had two guys sleeping, one on the sidewalk and one on the cement bench.

Lilly walks up to the truck and says "I was waiten fuh ya, I'm wide awake cuz I slep all day."  I ask her how she is feeling , "Not to good cher not to good, dey suppose ta be waiten fuh my pepper work to go trew so I could git my lil house and Imma give dem til dis week den Imma a make a stink."  Lilly is a little bitty woman but she can be a  firecracker. 

" Is anyone following up on you  and do they know you are sleeping out here?" I asked " Yeah dey know butchu da only one comes see bout me." Lilly replied. That PISSES ME OFF! Lilly has C.O.P.D. she has to be able to take her breathing treatments and should be on oxygen 24hrs a day. Her Doctor has written several notes to the people who are suppose to be helping Lilly find housing that she needs to have these treatments and oxygen which really isn't very convenient when YOU ARE LIVING IN YOUR FRICKIN CAR!!

Now they are telling her they need proof she is living in her car in the parking lot. To let you in on how insane this  really is, the building that is assisting her with finding housing, is in FRONT of the men's shelter parking lot. I KNOW RIGHT? She has been there for a month and the people running the men's shelter see her there everyday . I cannot wrap my brain around this. I know if something doesn't happen she is going to fall through the cracks  and she will die before they find her housing. If you are from Louisiana you know how hot and humid it gets in the summer and she definitely can't keep oxygen in a hot car and for  a person with C.O.P.D. the heat is a nightmare. WTH so every single day you see a woman sleeping in her car and every one's OK with that? Its not OK with me and I so sick of people telling me I have to separate work from home. Seriously? And my all time favorite "You can't save everyone" well I'm sure as hell gonna  try because if others would step up and do there part, ESPECIALLY the church, than maybe I wouldn't feel like I have to take it all on. 

Where would we be if Jesus didn't take his work home with Him ? Oh wait... What home? That's right He didn't have a home. Jesus took His work with Him wherever He went. He carried it, His heart was burdened for it, He was passionate about His ministry. Jesus didn't hang it up at 5 o'clock and call it a day. Jesus didn't drop me at the door He took me with Him. Before He went to sleep it was me He was praying for , as He closed his eyes to rest it was me He was thinking of. I have a heart for Lilly and I care about what happens to her. Damn right I'm taking that home because if I don't than i will be just another self proclaiming believer fueling the inevitable fire of apathy.Well screw that! I am asking that you take a moment and purposefully and intentionally pray for my friend Lilly. Prayer cost nothing but a few moments of your time. I know not everyone can do everything but everybody can DO something!

P.S. If this post offended you in anyway please feel free to post a comment and I will be more than happy to accept your apology!

BFF"S

Most of my adult life I never had a BFF. I did when I was younger but we grew apart.Than I went through a custody battle with my son and that's when I found out who my friends were. Needless to say I was very betrayed by people I thought were my friends. Since than I found it hard to trust anybody so primarily my only confidants were older woman,wiser woman. My aunts,my mother,my mother in law and my very best friend was my grandmother.These are women I trusted. The only friend I had outside of family was an older black lady who used to be my bible study leader,Jackie,she was my TITUS 2 woman.


 Younger women annoyed me because I had been down those roads already and of coarse they know everything and had way more attitude than I cared to deal with.There are younger women wise beyond their years but they are few and far and in between. Women my own age got on my nerves because they were just to full of drama and bull$#!&. Older women were wiser and more mature for the most part.This year I got involved in a bible study full of all of the above except this time I had the decision to run or to stick with it and be that TITUS 2 woman for someone else like Jackie was for me. I have learned a lot from these woman younger and older. I consciously made the decision not to have a BFF anymore because it makes it seem as though one is better than the others.I don't see it as better I see it as different.There are some I connect with on different levels but I love them all.                    
I have learned that everybody has crap and everybody goes through something.Some are more needy than others but the one thing I have learned is that you have to love people where they are and it is important that you KEEP YOUR WORD.I am guilty of this myself and its not OK not to follow through. If you tell someone your going to do something than do it.If you say your going to be there than be there.This never offends me,it hurts me.Recently I had asked a friend to go somewhere with me for support because it was going to be a difficult thing for me to go through. They said yes and than backed out of it because they had somewhere to go.I wasn't angry ,I wasn't offended, I was hurt.That's when the light bulb went off and I heard God whisper to my heart "I'll Be There." I wanted my friend to be there to be a buffer between me and the fear so I could hide behind it,but if God is there He can REMOVE the fear.
The bottom line is people are going to disappoint you, there going to hurt your feelings, there going to get on your nerves sometimes and they are not always going to be there.The people in your life are not always going to have the same priority list that you have and even if they believe what you believe they are not always going to act on that.
God on the other hand will always SHOW UP! He will never back out,He will never say "I can't come " or "I'm too busy". He will never be late, he will never cancel , He will never say "I have to work" or "I'll be out of town." He will never say " I FORGOT". God is the one person you can count on,depend on to never let you down.God is a man of His word.God is many things to me. He is my Father , my wise council,my confidant,my everything and He will always be my best friend.God and Lori BFF"S 4 LIFE and than some!!


"God is not a man that He should lie or a son of man that He should change His mind. Does He speak and than not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?"- (NIV)Numbers 23:19

Hands, Heart and Feet!

Most of the time when I post about The Breakfast Club I talk about the people we serve.
This week I would like to tell you about the people who are spreading the LOVE.
I'll Start with Cydni. Cydni is a beautiful little girl who comes to the breakfast EVERY Saturday to serve breakfast to the community. Some of our patrons call her the CEO because she knows exactly what needs to be done and needs no direction but is extremely good at delegating ,which means she is especially good at telling everybody what they need to be doing. Cydni knows her stuff. Cydni is extremely kind and she takes pride in serving others, Cydni is the hands of Jesus.
Than there is Jordan, all I can say about Jordan is WOW. Jordan is fearless.
Jordan talks to everybody about anything and everything. He is the son of Jeff and Jo Cook, the founders of Servnlove. 
I have never met a child so charismatic and so full of life. Jordan does everything from sitting down and eating(Jordan is a professional eater) with our community to stirring their coffee for them. Jordan loves on every person in the building. As far as how our guests feel about Jordan,well lets just say he had them at hello. Jordan is the heart of Jesus.
That brings us to Anthony. Anthony stays very focused on his tasks at hand very much like his grandmother Maria who also serves with us.


Anthony is very handsome and is quite a hit with the ladies. His approach to love is making sure everyone gets what they need. He walks around making sure everyone has coffee in their cup and food on there plate and he picks it all up when their done and throws it  away. Anthony is the feet of Jesus.

There are other children that come and help serve but for the most part these three are here almost every Saturday.These kids are not forced to be here,their parents don't make them come,they DESIRE to serve. When most  children want to sleep in or spend there weekend doing something other kids consider fun, these three are here bright and early serving and loving there neighbor. How I wish that adults had the capacity to love like children who love like Jesus.How I pray that one day all adults like these children , will not focus on their communities homelessness but  focus on their communities humanity. I am a big believer in allowing children to volunteer and spend time with the people in their community because if they serve as children they will serve as adults and no one will be able to sell them the stereotype because they'll have been raised up with first hand experience and they will never be afraid of the poor and needy. The fact that these three kids get it at their age makes me proud of who they are but much more excited about who they will become.

James #7 update

Last week I posted about a gentleman named James AKA #7. I couldn't wait to give you an up date. After the Saturday we met Jame one of our volunteers, Maria, went to the Salvation Army looking for James to type up a resume for him and help him find a job. The following  Monday James had an experience he would never forget. When I saw James this past Saturday he couldn't wait to tell me what happened. I could see the anticipation on his face.
He said that he got a bike from some and was going to  apply for a job in Broussard. He didn't think it was far and figured he could make it back to the shelter before 5. He initially was lost but when he found it he discovered it was a lot further than he thought. By the time he finished up it was already after 3 and James was getting nervous because he had to be back at the shelter on time or he would loose his bed. He peddled and peddled and it was going on 4:00 and he still had a ways to go . He called the shelter and told them he was on his way but they told him they would not be able to hold his bed for him after 5.
James told me that anyone who knows him knows he is NOT a religious person but at that moment all he could think to say was "God if you would just please,please help me get there on time I sure would appreciate it. " Before he could reach the bus stop the bus was pulling off and didn't have a bike rack anyway. Now he was panicked and just when he thought all hope was lost he looked over next to him at a guy in a truck he thought was my husband. The man said to James "Where you trying to catch that bus?" James explained to him his situation and the many told him to put his bike in the truck and he made it to the shelter at 4:30. James offered the man his last $5.00 for gas but the man just smiled and told him to keep it" You gonna need that" he said. James told me "I know that was God I know it." Today James called Maria to tell her that he just got a job making $300.00 a day and was on his way to take his drug screen.
This is what happens when you LOVE people through their circumstances.When you take the time out of your probably way to busy schedule to do something for someone that doesn't benefit you in any way. This is what happens when you step out in faith, walk out Isaiah 58 and decide to become the hands and feet of Jesus. 
By the way, James is the 5th person to find a job since we started doing breakfast on Saturdays. That's one person a week that found employment through prayer, faith,  and LOVE!
Every Saturday more and more people are coming. There coming because they are hungry for more than just food. They are coming because we love them unconditionally, they are coming because we desire to go the extra mile for them, they are coming because they see a little light in the dark, they are coming because HE is there!

Proverbs 16:3 (AMP)  "Roll your works up on the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed."

 

:)

Petes Pen

This morning was one of the most humbling experiences with the breakfast thus far. Many more people showed up,  so many wonderful things happened this morning I can't wait to tell you about it and I will. But , this cannot wait. Pete  has come only twice, came  to me and handed me a piece of paper and asked that when I had time if I would read it. After the breakfast  he was still waiting for us to close up,  I sat down with him and pulled the paper he gave me out of my back pocket  and when I looked I realized it was a poem he had written for me,for our volunteers,for servnLOVE.This is what it said:


"The Well" When you walk in the door your not alone in the streets.


The well serves hot food to the homeless
Here's a story of the crew led by Lori
They received a message from God
There lives are  in the light of Gods glory


There all blessed by the Lord
and they are selfless to others
and are all from one God 
That makes us sisters and brothers


We've only crossed paths once in this life
I may never see them again
I mean the flesh life we live
Not the eternal life in heaven


When you walk through the door
You can feel the love they all smile
"Make yourself right at home
we'll serve you food in a while"


There attentive to all
They lift a mans self esteem
There a blessing to all
There on the Lords team


The plate that they served me
Killed the hunger,my need
They say just thank the Lord
To all that they feed


They'll say " Now that your full
would you like a shirt for your back
Please take whatever you need
we have new clothes on the rack."


And if your in need of an ear
To get some weight off your chest
They will help lift the load
They will give it there best


I know when I walked through the door
I was blessed in so many ways
I pray the lord them right here
For many years ,many days.


-Pete Martinez


Again just re-reading it I am overwhelmed with emotion because I know that this poem was written with Pete's pen through Gods heart.
Pete shared his heart and I am overwhelmed with grattitude that he took the time to write that poem in the midst of his trials and circumstances to give thanks. Not just to us but he recognizes that it is God who is feeding him.  I believe the  poem was also God letting us know that we were on the right path and making a difference. God is telling me that while I have their back, He has mine.  Everyone deserves to be loved and let me tell you something people, love makes a difference ,love restores dignity,love brings change, love covers and without a doubt love WORKS! Without love you cannot BE Jesus to people.

Cajun Lilly

Lilly is an old Cajun gal I  met Sunday in the parking lot of a men's shelter a few blocks from my house. My friend Rachel's church had a bunch of leftover hamburgers from a BBQ and we handed them out in the parking lot of the men's shelter . Lilly was the only woman there and told me she was sleeping in her car.
Last night I took a ride over there to see how she was  doing and if she needed anything.
There she was sitting in her car puffin on her Marlboro in her long grey and black ponytail and her tank top and sweat pants she had been wearing for a week.
I asked her if she was afraid to sleep out there by herself . "No mais I guess not, dees fellas say if anybody mess wit me all I gotta do is lay on dat horn and dell come runnin."she said. I must admit I'm a sucker for those old cajun accents, I could listen to them for hours.
One of the guys that look after her said she never wants to leave and get a shower or clothes at the recovery center which provides that. I asked her why . "Mais  dey got to many guys over der sha and I don't like dat." A few of the guys offered to go with her and stand watch by her door . She said she would go but I wasn't so convinced. Part of the reason she won't go is pride. She doesn't want to ask anybody for anything.The guys bring her food because breakfast and dinner are only for those at the shelter . The homeless on the street only get lunch and dinner at the salvation army which is not a short walk. I asked her if she had any family and she said she had one son but he doesn't know she has been living in her car for 3 weeks. "Why don't you tell him?" I said "Because he got his own famly to care fa and his job is dangerous and I don't want him stressin ova me." she replied.
Can you imagine? Lilly is in a situation that has "suck" written all over it. See in Lafayette there are only shelters for woman with children and battered woman. No shelters for single woman going through hard times that are not alcoholics or substance abusers. What really sucks is that Lilly is oxygen dependent and has C.O.P.D.  My father died of C.O.P.D. so I am well aware of how critical it is for her to have that oxygen on ALL the time especially since she is still smoking. Oh and before anyone passes judgement thinking that she needs to quit smoking, let me just clarify that although it doesn't help it doesn't hurt either because if you have C.O.P.D the damage is already done. Lilly had been going to the public hospital when it got really bad but one of the guys told her she could go to the clinic which was closer.
Still I  don't understand why there is no place for her to sleep. She has applied for housing an those of us who know how the system works knows it could be a while.
 No one deserves to live or die like this. Lilly is sleeping in her car in front of a building that shelters 14-20 men and there is no place for her to go. I  have one woman sleeping in my old broke down truck in the front yard and she comes and goes. I have another man who is homeless that lives with us and works with my husband(future blog).  James , aka#7  keeps his big suitcase in the back of my wrecked van in the driveway but stays at the shelter and I wish I had room for Lilly. I thought I might be able to find her a place to stay for a little while but when I passed there tonight her car wasn't there. Please don't misunderstand, I am not telling you all my business to toot my own horn or to say "look at me ,look how gracious I am." quite the opposite. I am telling you to say, if I can do it so can YOU!  To Cajun Lilly "May da Lawd go witcha sha , an evry tom I pass imma tink aboutcha and imma  pray fa ya."


UPDATE :  7/26/2012
Cajun Lilly finally received housing about a month after this post. Lilly enjoyed her little apartment and loved to watch T.V. 
Lilly peacefully passed away this past Sunday. I will miss my feisty little Cajun friend and I imagine Lilly somewhere in heaven sitting on the porch of her little cajun cabin.
R.I.P.   "Au Revior Mes Ami " (Goodbye my friend).

#7

This morning was our 5th breakfast for the community and they were welcomed to bacon and eggs, biscuits, fresh fruit and plenty of hugs and handshakes to go around.
A couple who volunteered last week spoke to their family and asked them to reach out to support us.That conversation resulted in phone calls made to employees to clean out there closets and donate.
Last week we had 3 pairs of shoes, 1 or 2 shirts, a couple pairs of pants, and  a few socks . This week we had 2 shelves full of shoes ,lots of pants and shirts new underwear and socks. THAT is the power of networking,word of mouth and the favor of God.
That was the good news now here is what pissed me off! The guys I met today need there story told and that's all they want is someone to listen to their story. This is Jame's story.
I met James who drove here from Alabama after the tornado's destroyed his house. When he got down here his car broke down, so without money to fix it or money to get it out of impound he just donated it .
He got a bed at the shelter and now he is #7. Not James the human being, just #7.  James was woken up at 5:00 am this morning along with all the other men who were told to pack up and take all their belongings with them and vacate the premises. Now James has never been in this situation before he is scared, he doesn't know where to go or how to get help. After 5days at the shelter you have to pay $7.00 a night to stay there and you have to check in at 7 and 12 or you will loose your bed and are not allowed to recover your personal property. $7.00 really? HELLO jobless, poor, and homeless.That is why you see most of the guys panhandling trying to get money to stay in the shelter. Are you angry yet? I hope so bc I'm just getting started.
James and a few other men arrived this morning with backpacks on and suitcase in tow. Imagine lugging that around all day with no where to go. As my friend John Slowdeck would say "What a big pile of suck that is!" If to many of them got to the library yes the PUBLIC library, they kick everyone out which is a little thing I like to call !@$# up!(sorry) Profiling , discrimination,  call it what you want but it kind of sounds like your borderline on infringing upon some basic human rights. I could be wrong  , just sayin!
Now here is the kicker damn near everyone that came this morning is able to work and actively wanting to look for work. They don't have the correct information they need to get the assistance they need which is  Internet access and a phone. Why is that so complicated? Well I guess you can't complain about the problem if your not willing to be part of the solution so by next week that is going to change. My awesome friends  are  working on that so hopefully by next week we can help in that area as well.
James has a TWIC card( Transportation Workers Identification Card) which is something you have to have to work offshore. He has every certification you can imagine , a boat captains licence , he has more experience than anyone I've met in his situation . He has never been unemployed and he can't find a job and here is why.
James has no phone , no address, no access to computers to look for a job and if he applies , no one has anyway of getting in touch with him. If he goes to look he needs money for bus fair but remember he has to be back to check in at the shelter or he  looses his spot. Lets say he has bus fair than he is still stuck carrying his backpack and towing his luggage wherever he goes bc if he leaves it at the shelter and isn't back on time he looses all his stuff. Maybe its just me but its almost as if the shelter system is designed to KEEP THEM HOMELESS! Something as simple as bus fair or the cost of a TWIC card, (which is about $100.00) , and the use of a phone, could get these guys working and on the road to housing.
Whats frustrating is the fact that  it is so do able. The system needs to be reworked and fixed bc its not working. James told me today that he didn't know how much more he could take and that he didn't want to start making bad decisions but that he can see why so many start drinking and doing drugs. "You feel hopeless and lost" he said. If we can help people before it gets to that ,than we've won half the battle.
I am so sick of people telling me "You can't save everybody. " Thank God Jesus didn't feel that way.

Jesus is the hope and the love that orchestrates what we do and God is the number one reason we do what we do. If there is anything I could say to James to encourage him , I want him to know more than anything that #1 LOVES #7.