Growing Experience

A while back, before I was involved in The Movement, I got the opportunity to come to The Dream Center on Short Term Missions with my church. During the week that I was able to spend at The Dream Center, we went to the beach at Santa Monica and invited homeless people to a free dinner near the boardwalk. I got the opportunity to talk with several people, but there were a few that really touched me.

The first man that I talked with (I don't recall his name) was from Guatemala. He spoke in a fluent mix of Spanglish, and told me some bits and pieces of his story. He had come from Guatemala seven years ago, where he had once had a steady job. Why he came, he never revealed, but he did tell me that he had been homeless since then. From the time he had come, he had just been doing a barrage of work that came his way. While my conversation with him didn't get too overly spiritual, he began to cry as I was talking to him. Just reaching out and showing him love was enough. I prayed with him, and shortly after that, I saw him leave.

This one young man named Patrick (he couldn't have been more than 26 or so) shared his story with me. Patrick had grown up in Alabama, in a Christian home. I don't know when, or how, but somehow, he ended up being a male prostitute in Nevada. I don't quite know the circumstances that led up to it, but at some point, he felt the need to escape. To run away. He hopped in his car and just began driving. Driving to escape the pain that he felt. How did he get to California? It just so happens that is where his car ran out of gas on the freeway. That was a year ago. He has been living on the streets ever since.

The last man that I had the opportunity to talk with was named Brian. At one point, Brian had been quite successful. He was once quite a well-known hairstylist. He had come to California from New York with his friend, who has since died. He didn't really allude to what it may have been, but at some point, business went bad, and he ended up on the streets. However, his outlook was amazing. He was grateful for the trial in his life, because it had grown him into a stronger person. All in all, I didn't really get the feeling that Brian and I saw completely eye to eye on spiritual standings, but he did let me pray for him. He asked for a prayer of protection.

Talking to these people showed me a glimpse of the heart of The Dream Center, as well as Pastor Matthew and all of the volunteers here. It's a blessing to be able to go out and serve God and reach out to this city every day for ten months. The Dream Center is doing great work, and I can only imagine the things that God will do through me while serving Him here.

- David