Feeding the Homeless

Blog post written by Mandy Evans, Costa Mesa, CA

Tonight we had the most humbling opportunity to feed the homeless. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into it. I have fed homeless before, but that was in Costa Mesa and I knew this experience would be different. About 10 of us piled into the back of the truck and after praying a blessing over the food we were off! Driving through the city at night was so peaceful. Everyone was tucked away and there was a still peace to the streets. When Sus Hijos translators Angel and Josué yelled “comida” or “gringos” and whistled, all of a sudden people flooded from the dark corners on the streets. Their faces lit up; men jolted awake from their slumber. We saw people from all walks of life filled with happiness because they were given a bag of food.

A couple of things that surprised me were the people sniffing glue, and the prostitutes. The people had their little cups that they would sniff to bring them momentary joy. It is sad to think of the difficulties these people are going through to make them resort to such desperate measures. I put myself in the ladies’ shoes, I imagined what it would be like having to sell myself in order to survive. I couldn’t imagine the amount of pain they must be going through. I wanted to leap out of the bus and tell them that they are loved, that they are valued, and God sees them as his beautiful daughters. Overall, this experience was very moving and it gave me lots of perspective. I am not nearly thankful and joyful enough for the things that I have. Also, it doesn’t take much to make a difference in people’s lives. If we donated ⅓ of the amount we spend shopping every month we could feed so many people. Things that we expect like 3 meals a day with snacks is an unrealistic dream for some. I am so thankful that God has provided a new perspective on how thankful I should be for the blessings I have.