“There by the grace of God go I,” was all that I could think of driving home. About 8 families donated to the Emergency Care Kits for the Homeless. Another 4 families put them together and made sandwiches. I stopped by Joanne’s and got some cheap fabric for some quick blankets. I went into Boston to hand them out. It was 27 degrees at 7:00 PM. I found about 4-5 homeless on the street in different locations and passed out some kits, blankets and sandwiches.
God bless you was the standard banter for me, and for then. I started to go from Haymarket to Harvard Square, about to pack it in, because I wasn’t finding too many people. When I turned and saw the line. I circled the block and sure enough it was a line of people waiting to get into a shelter. I didn’t know this place existed, but I do now. I stopped and opened my trunk. We had made about 24 kits. A few guys asked if I had more to give, they nodded to their wives standing in line. Just young people a paycheck away from the streets. The 24 kits only made through half the line. I started in on the sandwiches. Those only made it to some of the people too. Some people asked if I had more, but I ran out. One lady asked if I had any warm clothes, I gave her my last blanket. I said a silent prayer for them all.
If I could, I would have hugged them all. Hard to get back into the car, but that is all I could do. I did not know this place existed. It is called the Boston Night Center. It is a drop in shelter in Govt. Center for 60-70 people. At one point in my life, I worked a block away. I will go back. I need to go back. I thought three things as I drove home. Thankful for everything in my life. Thankful to be a part of a Youth Group and a Faith Community that likes to serve others. And thankful that in a small way I get to be a conduit of God’s love. Maybe in a small way, what I do matters. What you do, matters too. I need to go back. This is what I kept on thinking. We have always got some love, we need to find ways to share it.
