Meeting Larry

I don't view myself much as a blogger. I know that people blog on a regular basis as a hobby or something, but I just want to share my experiences in Detroit and remember that things that have happened to me. It's kind of like journaling- I love to journal, but I hate to take the time to journal. This probably stems from the fact that I am not very good at taking time for myself to stop, be still, and reflect on my life. I always feel like I need to be on the go, doing something productive. This blog probably has more purpose to my life than I could begin to imagine!

Anyways, Larry. Last weekend, one of my friends from DSO (Detroit Summer Outreach-the program I did in Detroit this summer) was visiting Detroit, and we went out to my new favorite bakery/coffee shop in Detroit called Avalon International Breads. Side story: I was going around a neighborhood in Detroit dropping off fliers for a benefit we are doing for Youth Works Detroit, and I ran into Avalon. It felt like dejavu (I have always been a poor speller) because I knew that I knew the place. That's when it hit me- Avalon would come to our house this summer every Tuesday to drop off expired bread. I call Avalon my "hippie place" because most of the people there are hippies, they recycle, have compostible coffee cups, sell fair trade coffee, and use 100% organic flour. Avalon is my little get away place in the midst of craziness of life and ministry. After working there Tuesday morning, I decided it was my goal to befriend two people that regularly go to Avalon. But this is just the side story... back to Larry.

Avalon was really packed last Saturday, so Marie and I went outside to have our coffee and breakfast. There was a homeless man outside who was pretty boisterous, and he would create music with his drum sticks, a garbage can, and newspaper stand. It made me chuckle a little bit because it was your "typical inner city" scenario. While we were talking, Marie received a phone call and upon answering it, this homeless man stopped playing his "drums" so that it wouldn't be too loud for her. After hanging up, he approached us and asked us for money. I told him that I didn't give out money.

While being in Detroit, I have learned that you just answer the question they ask you. You don't need to offer food or something else out of guilt. It can sometimes be offensive to offer something else that they didn't ask for. It's balance between acknowledging people with respect, but also not getting bogged down with requests. It's easy to just pass them by, but they are people created in the image and likeness of God. Sometimes they don't want food, they just want money, so I have found it's better to say I don't give money.

But Larry was a perfect example of what I hope for when I talk with somebody who is homeless asking for money. He said, "Well, it would be really nice to just have one of those" (pointing to Marie's breakfast sandwich). Marie went inside to buy the sandwich while I stayed outside talking with Larry. I usually ask people if they are originally from Detroit. Larry wasn't. I don't remember where he was from, somewhere down south I believe, but he had traveled all over the country. One of his favorite places was California. He told me about walking along the coast line for hundreds of miles. It gave him time to think and contemplate who he was as a person. He also told me about a time when he was younger that he spent at a monastery. We ended up talking about God and who we are in relationship to God. When Marie came back out, the three of us held hands and prayed. It was such a beautiful testimony more to the people who were looking on at my "hippie get way place." It was also fun to see Larry light up when Marie got him an extra goodie. He didn't expect it at all. It was definitely worth giving the extra bit to see his joy and gratitude.

I am excited for the next time I am at Avalon and run into Larry. He's a kind of person that I want to talk to and learn from. I have been reflecting a lot about how everyone has a story, and I want to start asking and listening for people's stories and testimonies. The world truly is a classroom with people like Larry as my teachers, and I NEVER want to stop learning!