As I mentioned a few posts ago, I have a very special place in my heart for the homeless community. Ike and I met a great guy, Mel, when we moved to Los Angeles who started a charity. About a year ago, he established Monday Night Missionaries (like them on facebook). Mel gets a group together M-F and serves dinner to our homeless family on Skid Row. It's an overwhelming experience to say the least. When we arrived on Friday night the line to eat a warm meal was already formed. It's quite remarkable, the faith these people have for Monday Night Missionaries. They come every night with the faith that we will show up, give them a nice meal, call them by their name and engage in a conversation with them.



Ike and I preparing sandwiches. We used 7 loaves of bread this night.


A beautiful young soul enjoying a warm meal.


There are 8,000 homeless people on Skid Row. Alone.


Here's the line already formed when we arrived.

Immediately after we arrived on Skid Row I was overwhelmed. There was so much going on I was trying my hardest to stay focused and not completely lose it. It was very very loud & crowded, and my face must have said it all, because one of the girls grabbed my arm reminding me to focus. Reassuring me it wasn't always so loud. I volunteered to go to the front of the line and pass out the plates of food. I smiled and made eye contact with each of our skid row family. When they come to get their food they tell us their name and the entire group of us say, "hello ______." Mel says that when these people hear their names it reminds them they have a family and they are important. I think it's a wonderful idea. Hearing your name is very intimate vs "hey you". After everyone in the line was full we had leftover sandwiches so we were able to walk, in groups of course, in the alley and to the Midnight Mission passing out our leftover sandwiches. Everyone was extremely grateful.

Leaving Skid Row left my heart filled with so much love and compassion. My heart absolutely bleeds for these people. I so look forward to returning as often as I can and doing my own part in helping my Skid Row family. What will YOU do for the homeless community in your city?