Some Effects of Homelessness... that we don't think about.

I know that these pictures, to some are just gross! This is a friend of mine that has come to our bus for clean socks and some hot soup. After we had prayed with our friend (let's call him Allen), he went to a nearby bench and started to air out his feet. As he started to take off his socks they were very dirty and sticking to his feet in some places taking skin with the sock. He told me that he didn't change his socks very often. I had built a rapport with Allen and thought that I could ask him a few questions. I asked Allen if he had been to the doctor recently. Allen said that he had, and the doctor told him that as a result of sleeping sitting up on the subway, he was allowing all the blood to go to his legs, making his circulation very poor. I took a better look at his body and it was not just his feet and legs, his whole body was swollen. He couldn't tie his shoes and his pants were ripping at the seams due to the swelling.


We got him some socks and some Vaseline to moisturize his feet. Not only does his body swell and hurt it is hard for him to walk on his feet due to the sores and the swelling.
New York's homeless face problems unknown to even the poorest New Yorker's with permanent residence. Pray for Allen. This is just one of New York's homeless that try to find some sort of warm place to sleep on the subway. Which as you can see create even more problems for the people that have no place to call home.

Austin

My Friend, Orlando

When I first met Orlando (about three months ago), he was wearing some sweet shades. The kind of shades you only see the movie stars wear. Nevertheless, he stood out. He was so drunk this day that he was passing out up against the fence. I tried to talk to him, but he had no clue what I was saying. I told him to come back next week so that we could hang outI started to see more of Orlando, as he would come to receive soup and prayer. He would come and hang out for a little longer each week. He would tell me that he loved Jesus and Jesus loved him. One week we were really close to placing him in a detox for his alcohol abuse. He left before a ride could get there.
This past Saturday, Orlando came and looked especially sick. Although he wasn’t drunk, his whole body was swelling up. I did not want to hurt my friend’s feelings, but I felt I needed to tell him that he was going to die. As soon as I said that, he started to cry. He told me that was what the doctor had told him 2 days prior. I asked how I could help him. He said that he needed to get his documents from his wife in order to be helped at the hospital. His wife lived over an hour away but it just so happened that we had volunteers helping us that day that live in the same city that Orlando’s wife does. BINGO! God had already set up this appointment without consulting my day planner or me. I love it when God does these things!
Before we got him back home he wanted to change his clothes. I asked him “Orlando, why waste any time, let’s get you back home.” He told me, “I want to look good for my wife.” You see, Orlando has been living on the streets for over 3 months. He often told me how much he loved and missed his wife. He hadn’t taken a shower or had a place to lay his head during that time. His clothes smelled and so did his body. I felt terrible for even asking him to hurry up. He put on a suit jacket and some nice pants that we gave him. He looked sharp!
Before they left to take him home, he looked at me and said, “You are my angel, God sent you to me to be my angel.” I couldn’t help but cry and didn’t say a word. I know that I am so far from being an angel but it was so humbling to hear him say those words.
Orlando returned to his wife who was so happy to see him. For Orlando, that day, we as a team acted as Jesus to him. “These things we do… that others might live.”

--Austin