Today, Chris and I had the wonderful opportunity to serve with one of my good friends at a homeless barbecue in Detroit. It happens every Saturday, but this was our first time going. There is a street corner in the middle of the downtown area with a small gazebo. At 1 o'clock each weekend, a group of people (sometimes from a church, sometimes not) bring food and grill burgers or hotdogs for the people. They also set out boxes of donated clothing in the gazebo, which the people sort through.
The thing that gets me the most is the utter disorganization. No one is really in charge. Different people show up every week to cook the food. It's completely unplanned, yet the homeless people count on it to be there. But every week, a group of people show up. There is always enough food, and the Spirit of God is present. We met a man named Fred today who said that God had called him to minister to the people of the streets of Detroit. He knows his stuff but he can relate to the people. He speaks their language. He even refers to Jesus as "Super J." It was very humbling but also encouraging.
On the other hand, it was also a bit scary as my first time. There were over 100 people, mostly men. A couple fights also nearly broke out. Someone was smoking a joint. Someone else said that one man had a gun. But God opened my eyes to see the need that is right around the corner. I pray that I get to be a part again sometime soon.
