Two weeks ago I finally took the time to buy supplies for bags to give as gifts to the homeless. I put practical things in the bags: snacks, water, tissues, bandaids, handy wipes, a bar of soap, deodorant, rain poncho, a card for the Refuge, and a Gospel of John. So last week I met a homeless woman named Paula. I have been seeing her for weeks now as I drive up to church every weekend and I finally stopped so I could meet her and I offered her the gift bag I put together. What an honor to meet such a lovely person. She is originally from Florida, has a daughter and family in the midwest, works at the gas station where I met her and has one or two health problems. She talked to me quite a bit. I asked her if I could pray for her anything specific and she told me she was having athletes foot and needed a pair of flip flops. I told her I would definitely pray for her and I would see her again soon. After “celebrate recovery”, I went to walgreens and picked up a pair of flip flops and foot cream for her so that when I saw her the next day, I could help her out in some small way. I invited her to church and she said she would consider it, but she has to keep watch over her stuff. So maybe in the future, church will be an option for her.

This week, I picked up some laundry supplies for Paula and I left early this morning so I could sit with her and talk for a bit. I met a man named Jon who was with her who is originally from Connecticut, divorced with 3 children and homeless off and on for the last 10 years. He appears to be around my age and he watches out for Paula, which I think is very noble. So I sat down and we talked for about a half an hour. Paula’s athletes foot is much better and she was telling me her plans to go the beach and Jon was telling me about himself. He is born again, but hasn’t been to church in a while. He’s been in Florida since 1986. I asked Jon if there was anything he needed and he said nothing but prayer. I gave them healthcare info and cards for the Refuge and invited them to come some time and said my goodbyes. When I got up to leave, I noticed a Broward Sheriff police car parked in front of the gas station. I ran inside, bought a soda fro me and 2 bottles of water for my friends. I went back outside and gave Jon the bottle of water because we all need water and he thanked me. As I turned around, the BSO police officer pulled up behind me, got out of his car and immediately asked if I had ID. I told him I did and then he asked me where I lived and I told him Aventura. Then he asked fro Jon’s ID as well, walked back to his car to run the info through the computer. Now I’m thinking he obviously has nothing else to do and I don’t have outstanding parking tickets or warrants, so I shouldn’t be taken to jail, but if I do get taken to jail, it couldn’t be that bad cuz I would just call Robert to bail me out. I mean I have a lot of tattoos, I could be a dangerous criminal, right? I looked at Jon and he told me it was a routine thing! routine! How sad. I never said a word to the policeman because he never said anything to me and whenever you here about the BSO on the news, it’s because they have done something really bad. I’m not even messing around with that. So 5 minutes later, he comes back, gives me my license and tells me I can go, no thank you, no have a nice day, no nothing.

I just pray for my friends to be safe and not harassed just because they have no place to go. And I pray next time I encounter a policeman, he is kind and remembers why he is a public “servant” in the first place. And I thank God for keeping me from jail!!