Miracle(s) on Jefferson Street?

Miracle(s) on Jefferson Street?

The last man to shower today was a big man; we’ll call him “Charles.”  He had waited patiently through the twenty-three previous men who had showered, and through the sixty-three people who got “socks and hygiene.” (We take fifty-one names for “socks and hygiene,” but we also have the “Manna House Guarantee” that if you arrive before 8:30am, you can still get on the list).  Finally, Charles was called to come in for his shower.  As with everyone who showers, he got a complete change of clothes.  He turned in his old clothes to be laundered and put back on the shelves; it is a “clothing library.” 

When Charles finished his shower and got dressed, Lynn and Helen got him a hat.  But they were stymied when they looked for gloves big enough to fit his massive hands.  At the end of the day, the gloves remaining were one size fits all, which meant not big enough for Charles.  Everyone was feeling frustrated.  Then “Wayne” came back to the clothing room.  He had gotten gloves earlier in the morning.  Now he was wondering if there might be a smaller sized pair since the ones he had were too big.  What Kathleen called, “the miracle of the gloves” was underway.  The gloves too big for Wayne fit Charles perfectly.   Meanwhile, Wayne was smitten by some mittens.  He liked that they looked like boxing gloves.  Smiles all around.

While this was going on “Linda” started to tell me that she believes in angels.  One day, when she was in high school, she and her little brother got off the bus to walk home.  There was a tremendous rainstorm.  And her little brother fell into a culvert and was swept away by the rushing waters.  He was gone in a flash.  Hours later, when all hope was gone, a man appeared at their front door, with her little brother.  He was soaking wet and they hurried him into the house.  In the commotion and joy it was a few minutes before they sought to return their attention to the man who had brought back the little boy.  He was gone.  “This was in a small town,” Linda said, “everyone knew everyone.  But no one knew who that man was; no one had seen him before and no one ever saw him again.”  Her little brother simply said, “He pulled me out of the water.” 

“Yes, I believe in angels” Linda said, “and miracles too.”

On this past Monday night at Claybrook and Jefferson, one block from Manna House, a drug dealer started to beat up a woman.  Others broke up the struggle and sent the drug dealer running.  Today the woman showed up at Manna House.  Still bruised, “Suzy” works the streets and struggles with her drug addiction.  Like so many women on the streets, she has a long history of violence being done to her, that’s how she started out on the streets, running away from violence.

Today Suzy needed shoes.  Her shoes were torn, with worn out soles.  I found her a pair of shoes, actually some nice boots.  I wasn’t sure if they would fit because she needed a woman’s 10 or 10½ and I could only find a men’s 9.  “Give these a try,” I said, “I sure hope they will work for you.” 

But she hesitated to try them on.  “I don’t want to take these shoes off in front of you.  My feet stink real bad.”

“Don’t worry,” I responded, “I don’t have much of a sense of smell.  I won’t even notice. It’s ok.”  So, she took off her shoes to reveal some very dirty socks.  We got her some clean socks.  The boots fit perfectly.  Maybe this was the miracle of the boots.

Another guest came in the house.  He had on no coat, no hat, no gloves, and horribly worn out shoes.  He told us, “I fell down, and when I came to, all my stuff was gone.”  He was holding his arm.  “I think I hurt it pretty bad.”

Kathleen and Clyde had a look at his arm.  “It’s probably broken,” they agreed.  “You need to get to the hospital.”  But before he left we set him up with a coat, hat, gloves, and shoes.  Thanks to generous donors, we had everything he needed.  I call this the miracle that happens when people share.

As the day ended, “Roy” asked me if I could pray for him.  Roy told me, “I’m not feeling very well, not in my body and not in my head.”

“I’ll pray for you Roy, but maybe Moses can too.”  Moses was standing near us at the door.  They left together, and I saw them on the front porch a few minutes later.  Moses had his hands on Roy’s shoulders, and both of them had their heads bent in prayer.  For the next few days, I’ll be praying for Roy as well.  Maybe another miracle will happen.  I’ll ask Roy on Monday how he’s feeling.