Re-Ignited After All - a guest post

written by Terry McNichols
Re-Ignite Participant

My husband and I recently attended a Re-Ignite Exclusive weekend as a “fill-in” couple. Disclaimer: Richard is my brother and Leona is my sister-in-law. They have casually suggested over the years that they’d like us to come to one of their weekends, and we have resisted. We are happy in what we are doing in retirement, have lots of commitments, and didn’t want to disappoint them by not getting “re-ignited” in any meaningful way. We took all the tests, studied the materials, participated in the very interesting retreat and yet, still didn’t think that we really needed to change anything major.

However, one question at the retreat was to think of something that “makes your blood boil.” I immediately thought of the homeless issues we are having in our neighborhood and our entire city. I recently attended three very intense neighborhood meetings where those of us who feel the impact were trying to convince the mayor and the police that there is a huge criminal element causing trouble. Also, we are not anti-homeless. People attending represented the far extremes of either view. Over the last six months or so, we have had an enormous influx of rundown RV’s several blocks from our home (and in many parts of the city) and a massive increase in car prowls, stolen mail, mounds of trash including needles and human excrement, as well as house burglaries. The police have been turning a blind eye to the problems and only began to take action after significant public outcries.

So yes, my blood does boil. I am convinced that I need to do some things to show that I’m not “anti-homeless,” just anti-crime.

A week or so after the retreat, I went to a Saturday meeting at my church that was a follow up to some training we have been pursuing on missional living. I first sat down where I knew a few people but then got up and moved to a different table so I could see better. OF COURSE, I ended up sitting at a table with the woman who recruits volunteers to work at Mary’s Place, an amazing local shelter for men, women, and families. I had recently attended the open house for a new north end site and was impressed. Also, our church is involved with two other churches in hosting a roving shelter, once a quarter for two weeks. I realized that this was not a coincidence since I think about volunteering every time the invitation comes around and hadn’t done so yet. I ended up signing up for a shift when our church hosts next. I offered to buy the breakfast groceries for the first week and my women’s group decided to pay for them. Then I was asked to attend a meeting of church representatives, as our rep was out of town. So I am moving forward in my involvement with homeless shelters.

Then, last week, a young woman stopped by our yard and asked if she could have a flower. She had lots of stuff on her back, so I started asking her questions. She was wandering around with her boyfriend, who I met a little later. They were staying in a tent along the nearby trail and had been told they needed to move immediately. She was in the hospital the day before having a miscarriage, so was given an extra day to move. They were trying to find information on tent cities. Why they picked my out-of-the-way street I don’t know. We aren’t close to anything they needed. I ended up talking to them, gave them a $20 bill to get clarinet reeds, a map, and called the tent city and gave them the information. I even offered to drive them, but I was pretty sure they wouldn’t go as they wanted to be together. I asked how they make money and they said they busk locally – she plays the clarinet, and he plays a synthesizer. But he currently didn’t have a synthesizer. He gave me his Facebook page address and I saw that he actually does play well! They weren’t begging and didn’t ask for a thing. They were grateful for the help I gave them.

In looking over his FB, I saw that a local homeless support group had been in contact with him. This group had raised money for a synthesizer about a year ago. I wrote to the manager of the group and asked if she thought getting him another synthesizer was a good idea. She said that she tells people that they need to “let go” of anything they give and not worry about it. So my husband went to a used musical instrument store and bought a synthesizer and a case and tried to rig up a strap (he carries it around on his back) and I delivered it to the homeless support office. They messaged the young man and he and his girlfriend picked it up and, reportedly, “cried.”

After I delivered it, my husband said, “I suppose you thought that was Jesus?” That’s from another story several years ago when I kept passing a very disabled man on a corner and finally decided he might be Jesus so I’d give him $5. In my head, I heard, “WELL, if he’s Jesus you should give him $20!” I did, and that is now the bell in my head which signals which ones to support. I don’t usually donate on the street, but once in a while, the bell goes off, and I am compelled to respond.

My front-yard encounter was a heartwarming experience. We don’t expect to ever know if the young man uses the synthesizer, sells it for cash, or gets it stolen, but I’ll be keeping my eyes open for them.

The upshot of all of this activity, however, is that attending the Re-ignite retreat made me realize that somehow I needed to get more involved with actual homeless people in our city and pay attention when God puts someone so directly in my path.

I guess perhaps I did need to be “re-ignited” after all.