Today I Met Andrew: Homeless and Hopeful!

This story I wrote in 2012, I have always helped with mission work but after sitting with Andrew, I extended my outreach to the homeless and hopeful, because on that day back then, I met Andrew!

Pan Handler on the Corner

How many times do you see a pan-handler on a corner, in a parking lot or propped up at the end of a intersection? Do make eye contact? Do you look away as if they were not there? Do you yell obscenities? If you do none of these things then perhaps are you are one of the few that gives a little money or even some food to these less fortunate people.

Today...I met

[caption id="attachment_999" align="alignnone" width="300"] Andrew[/caption]

Conversation...One

I can not tell you how many times I have turned my face for it has been too many, but I can tell you how many times I have engaged in conversation...one.

It saddens me that I have had only one conversation, one introduction, one moment of empathy towards a "panhandler" as Andrew calls himself.

Today...I met Andrew.

Cardboard Sign

As I approached a man sitting in the grass with a worn out card board sign that said "Will work anything will help" I was greeted with a great big smile and hello. I asked this friendly guy if he would mind if I took his picture and write a blog about him, he grinned and said "I would love that." So we shook hands and he introduced himself as "Andrew L. don't forget the L cuz there's two of us H U C K E N B E R R Y's."  I began by asking him if he wanted to go over and get something to eat while we spoke, my treat, he declined and said he would be fine speaking right there. So I sat down on the grass, on the corner of a busy street and we spoke. Andrew told me that he had been living on the road for the past 15 years. During this time he has had a job or two but mostly drifts around. He began living on the streets after he divorced and was heavily into drugs and alcohol. He has a tent so he finds a place to put it up and sleeps in it on cold winter nights. He no longer indulges in the drugs or alcohol and even bragged that he just landed a job as a dishwasher in Elko, Nevada. He also said that he was on the corner to get by until he receives his first paycheck.

Visited About Many Things

As we continued to talk I saw the twinkle in his blue eyes as he mentioned he had children and grandchildren. Yes very proud he is.  We visited about many other things as well, I felt no shame, nor any awkwardness of any kind while I sat there in the grass with him watching the glaring looks of all that passed by. For this is a day in Andrew's life, of which I only spent a moment.

Nearing an End

When our visit was nearing an end, I asked Andrew if there was one thing that he would want to say to anyone who might read what I wrote about him...he started to stand and asked me if I was religious?, I replied that I liked to think of myself as being religious and he looked right at me with a tear in his eye and said "BLESS EVERYONE that would be my message just bless everyone."  Yeah what a message! I offered food one last time, still declining, we shook hands again and said our goodbye. In the end he accepted no money or food from me, he was just glad to have a little company for the short time we visited.  A Pan -Handler...No! A Son, a Father, a Grandfather, a Friend...that is who I met today.

Today...I met Andrew!

HEY...if you feel led to help us in our efforts to reach out to the less fortunate we would appreciate it tremendously!  They are several things you can do...reach out to us to volunteer to help in our online programs, support our Bible drive by buying a case of Bibles through our link at the Dollar Trees (24 Bibles for $24 dollars and they are the large ones), or simply make a donation of any amount.  Then watch for updates as we hit the streets and what a difference you are making.  Be Amazing through God and let His light shine upon you and through you!  Your sister in Christ Jesus, Tammy, XO