Sid

Well, I know it's 2 in the morning, but I'm still gonna write this thing, and I think it's gonna be semi-long.

I went for the van run tonight, which is basically where three of us YWAMers join an employee of Vea'havta(or something like that) in a van loaded with sandwiches, bottles of water, coffee, gloves, hats, mitts, scarves, jackets, pants, shoes, socks, etc, and roam the streets of downtown Toronto.

Roaming sounds a bit broad...the staff member actually has regular spots that she knows of all of which we visited--this is literally her job five days a week: feed and clothe homeless people at night and counsel them when needed.  Her name is Lauren by the way.

We also visited a shelter where we were completely swarmed, but it was wonderful to have so many people asking for things they need, and then being able to say, "Yes, I can give that to you!".  I will never ever ever ever ever be able to communicate the feeling to someone who has never done something like a van run, and the main reason is because of the pre-conceived ideas of homeless people in their head.

The first person we stopped with, we talked to for TWO HOURS about Christianity and Philosophy and homosexuality!  He was a christian man from India, who was wiser than any single human being I have ever met, listened to, or heard of in my entire life!!  He gets it!  He literally told us that he has been on the streets for seven years, and if someone offered him a chance to get off, he WILL NOT take it.  Why?  Because he has never had a greater opportunity to watch God provide for him.  The other day, a rich person who gives to him on a regular basis, gave him a brand new 400 dollar winter coat!  Just because!  This man was humble, but also confident in himself, he was wise, but he still told us that he even learned from us by talking to us(that is beyond almost any wisdom any single human possesses today), and he was friendly, polite, and most of all, happy!  Just like everyone else we met tonight!!

All the people we stopped to help out and talk to were friendly and happy and so grateful for everything we had for them!  And they loved to talk to us!  They were honestly more pleasant than every single person I pass on the street every single day when I walk around Port Credit or Parry Sound.

Some people were sleeping--literally just sleeping on the sidewalk--and so we just left bags of things by them to wake up to in the morning, but most were still awake and very open to talking and being friendly.

We met people camping on the sidewalk, and we met people camping in little park forests.  I never before in my life felt more like I was spreading the kingdom of heaven.  I felt God's pleasure and God's joy, and I felt His love going out to all these people and out from all these people.  It was beautiful.  I wish I could do that every single night!  I seriously envy the woman whose job that is!  Granted, some nights are not so pleasant and she has to quickly leave places, but most of the time she's building relationships with beautiful people who society has disregarded as garbage.  I seriously couldn't believe how many people I saw simply walk by a lump of sleeping bag without even acknowledging it.

I honestly am so excited about all that happened tonight.  It was just simply beautiful.  People loving people.  To be able to say to someone in need, "Oh yea I have that right here let me get it for you!" and give it to them completely for free, and then see the smile on their face and hear the sincere gratitude in their voice is wonderful!  I just want to do it again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again!

Everyone should check out Veahavta(I still don't know if that's spelt right) and see about volunteering for their van runs.  It cannot be described with justice by anyone.  You have to experience it.

To top it off, our train home was cancelled and we found ourselves squished onto a bus full of complaining people about the stupid transit system.  Needless to say, God was giving us a nice, whopping plate of perspective.

Catch you all tomorrow.