no money, no problems

Saturday I spent the day at a banquet (thanks Linda for the inspiration). This was not a regular banquet with silver platters and cloth napkins folded into swans. I wasn’t dressed particularly nice or very nice at all actually. Most of the food I ate was in a paper bag. Some of the food I ate was kind of gross. Oh and the banquet lasted all day and was outside, even when it rained.
Saturday those of us participating in mission year were challenged to spend the entire day on the streets of downtown Philly without the security of money, cell phones, or even our own clothing. I was wary of course, like I usually am when I am told not asked to do something. I went into the day thinking that I knew almost everything I needed to know about homelessness and the problems of poverty in America. How truly, madly, deeply wrong I was (sorry for that unforgiveable T.L.C. reference).
I spent the day with two other mission year girls (Faith and Linda). We got dropped off in the middle of downtown Philly with a few directions on how to spend our day. I suggested heading towards the Library because I knew a lot of homeless people hung out around there. My day began by eating turkey, sweet potatoes, and dressing with Larry at 7:45 that morning. When I met Larry I was having an inner struggle about how I had nothing to give these people and how helpless this made me feel. Not just helpless, but that I had lost a sense of pride of entitlement that I usually have when I enter ministry. Larry made me go over and get a platter of food. I ate in solidarity with him, even giving him the turkey leg that I was most definitely not excited to eat.
After Larry I met Keith. Keith and I drank coffee together. He suggested that I become a model. I politely declined. He then proceeded to refer to transsexuals as transformers (not on purpose) making me laugh. His friend gave me his apple when I asked where he got it.
Essentially the rest of the banquet day consisted of several moments very similar. Simple, beautiful, people loving and providing for each other, even me a stranger that they had just met. I met Angel a wonderfully kind man who told me he had lived on the streets of Philly for over 20 years (I heard this from more than one person). Angel started calling me Rebekah Copperfield because he was always taken greatly by surprise when I got out of my seat and “disappeared”. Sonya sang me heat wrenchingly beautiful songs about the Holy Spirit and God. Granted she also sang me a crazy song about George Bush, but It was still beautiful. Rome gave me a big purple blanket when it got cold outside. Fred took care of us all day and told us who was ok to hang out with. He also took us on a tour of some of the homeless hotspots of Philadelphia complete with his commentary. His knowledge of Philadelphia is pretty amazing. I would recommend him as a tour guide to anyone wanting to visit the city of brotherly love.
The people I met on Saturday gave me so much. Not only did they help me get food and give me a blanket when I was cold. They gave me their time without limit. There was never once mention of what to do next or where someone had to be soon. We just were together. They gave me friendship; even after they knew that we were just on the streets to learn more about it, not because we had no other options. It was beautiful to have a day where I was with people who loved without pre-requisites and limits.
My day was good. After a week of politics (i.e. me getting really upset that some people are getting really upset about the “future of our nation”/racism) It was really healing to spend a day on the streets with no money and for a little while no problems.