Living "In the Woods"

K...

So, I wrote about feeding the homeless recently.

Well, this past Sunday, when it was warm enough to wear a t-shirt outside, me, Shawn & 3 other couples went out into the woods.  Not just any woods.  We went where the homeless live in Tents...kind of like little Tent Cities - each made up of 2, 3 or more tents...plus a few other "living areas" - depending on the particular "city".

We went - to give them blankets, gloves, chap stick & to feed them a hot spaghetti meal.

So...for a couple hours, we went from one Tent City to another...5 or 6 in all.

Here's a little of what we saw that day.

The 1st Tent City.  There were 2 men there when we got there.  "There" was a place off Military Highway.  A place where we were all trespassing.  We actually had to have the vehicles driven away so we could "sneak" into the woods undetected.  The Tent City was on private property too.

These 2 men had "just finished a game of horseshoes" when we got there.  There was an aroma of bacon in the air - they were cooking "something good".  The one guy said, "everyday he wakes up is a blessing".  Plus that day, he had found "a turkey & 2 chickens...it was a good day".  Of course, found means he had climbed in a dumpster somewhere...he calls it blessed.  On a tree - they had a mirror hanging - not sure what they need that for - but maybe it makes 'em feel a little more normal.  The guy wanted to show us in his tent - he had just installed "wall to wall" carpet...he called it "nice".

As we walked away - I asked "why are they there?"  "Lost his job...don't know about the other guy" was the answer.

The Next City was right beside a Grocery Store.  We didn't actually see anyone there, they were out, most likely looking for some "blessings" in a dumpster somewhere.  The most memorable part of that City was a piece of garland wrapped around a small pine tree.  That was their Christmas decorations.  We left their food under a basket turned upside down, so no animals would get it before they returned.  Blankets & chap stick on top of the upside down basket...

The Next City - was down the tracks.  Literally, we walked about a 1/4 mile or more down some railroad tracks, escorted by the citizens of the City we were going to.  They had 3 dogs chained up to guard their "city".  2 pit bulls & some kind of a mix breed.  Suffice it to say - you will not sneak up on them.  Their city was a bit more elaborate.  They not only had a few tents, they had ropes all across the trees - holding a "roofing" system made of tarps.  It had the most people we ran into - inclusive of a woman, who says she's a mother to twins.  One of the guys there, told me "they were using their military survival skills" to make it.  This place was also right behind a neighborhood...though it was the most elaborate, it was more like a garbage pit as well.  Apparently, they have lived their a long time.  We all stood in a circle, holding hands & had prayer with them before we left.  They walked us back out...thankful we came.

The Next City had no one there...at 1st.  After "talking into the air", the guy somewhere in there (the woods), must have been convinced we were safe.  He came out to see us, but took a little bit of a "sneak up on them route" - just in case we weren't who we claimed to be...?  This city has a little bit of the "tarp" system too.  I was told this City & the last were in some kind of tiff over something.  I found that to be very strange.  Like the others, we gave him food, a blanket & chap stick.  At the empty tent , we left the food, blankets & chap stick just like before...I learned, that the upside down basket trick is common in the Tent City.  Oh, I almost forgot this place was full of cats...they were everywhere.

The Next & Last - was behind some stores...behind some homes...beside railroad tracks.  It was a nothing more than a tent & a mattress.  Someone lived in the tent & someone lived "on the mattress" - with no cover at all.  They weren't "home".  We left the stuff under & on "the basket".  The most memorable, almost eerie, part of this City was the memorial set up.  It was a stick in the ground with a pretty nice flower arrangement attached to it (much like you see on the side of the road where someone died).  It was placed there in memory of someone who had actually lost their life, right there - in the City.  Only what really got me was that we knew the lady who had died there.   Years ago, she had attended the church I used to Pastor.  Now, in a Tent City, there was a stick with some flowers on it - to remember her by.

When it was all done...we each got in our vehicles & drove home.  The drive home was almost surreal...

One thing that got me is - we really don't know (or want to know) that those people are right behind our neighborhoods...right beside the grocery stores...right beside the roads we drive everyday.  That is the reality of the world in which we are a part of & are meant to help in.  Several of them - simply lost their job...now they are living in a Tent City - right near our homes.

So, today, when it's so cold outside, I couldn't help but think about & pray for "those that have none"..."those that live in tents & call it home".

peace

b