i looked out my window a few minutes ago and saw an older guy racing a bright red shopping cart across the parking lot! it made me smile cuz i still personally get a huge kick out of riding shopping carts, and it's not too often that i find someone who openly shares this simple pleasure in life! (side note- i was VERY disappointed when i went shopping while living in Lithuania- their carts don't have the metal bar across the bottom, so you can't ride them...very sad indeed). anyway, the cart racer wasn't headed to the store but to the apartment complex dumpsters. every day people come and rummage through the garbage to find food, pop bottles, anything they might find value in, and i'm not sure what else. today the man flipped open the black lid, dug around a bit with his bare hands, ripped open a few trash bags, dropped a couple things into the plastic grocery sacks hanging from his cart, and then walked off, probably toward the next full and available dumpster.
who knows, maybe he is homeless and looking for any possible way to get some cash to pay for food. perhaps he has a home but a drug addiction has brought him to this place in his life of dumpsters and having his own personal shopping cart. does he despise and long for freedom from how he's living? is it normal and acceptable to him? does he have family? a place to get out of the rain? has anyone even talked to him lately? prayed for or with him? does he feel loved? how can I show him and others like him Jesus' love?
hey...here comes another guy with a red cart. he seems more tired...slower...has his hood on...he's using a metal rod to dig through every possible part of the trash...even recycling...takes a second to examine the random items on top of the bin left by someone who just moved...now he's moving on....i wonder what his story is? i wonder if he's my brother in Christ? how can i love him?when i first moved into this apartment i didn't like the view from my window. as time has gone by, tho, i've grown to appreciate it simply because God has used it to keep my perspective right. He's helping me to really SEE the people on the streets, and not just look past them or pretend i didn't notice....or that i can't do anything to love or help them. I don't know how long i'll live in a city or place like this, but i truly hope that i'll keep these guys with red carts in mind...even once i no longer have this view from my room. i know that Jesus wants to love them and others through my life. i'm finding that THIS is LIFE to me!!!
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." ~ Jesus
3 comments:
Cheryl, The was very well written. It really grabbed me. I didn't realize so many people are rummaging through garbage there. So sad for them.
While our garbage is kind of out of my window view, I walk by it nearly everyday and see the same occasion. Each day I wonder where they live and how to help them, or even if I can.
One of the things I found I could do is to take out some of our left overs and some of the stuff that is already packaged in a seperate bag from the garbage so that they can pick it up. One day I ran home so excited to share with them that the person was gone when I got back. Instead I fed the kitty's who now hear my voice and come running and left the good stuff for the next guy who looks for treasures in our trash.
how fun to be found in blog world!! I'll have to keep up with you through your blog now. I'm going to Evergreen Community and I LOVE it! Glad you're well...
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