Food On Foot

What an amazing day today was!

First, I made it to Mass at 7:30 am this morning.

The reason for that was because I met a homeless man named Chaka who was kind enough to let me know that "Food on Foot" has FREE meals on Sunday.  He also told me that there were job opportunities also.  He suggested that I get there around 10:00 am as there are only a few positions available.  I got there at 9:30 am.  I ended up being fourth in line.  There were only six people chosen.

If you have a chance to look up Food on Foot. com, you will be fascinated what a single person can do.  This is not a government program and this is not a church program.  All I know is that this group will end up being in my documentary.  Although it is run a little like a boot camp, I was thrilled to have been selected to participate.

If I tried to write about the entire day, it would take me another day to articulate all that took place.

All I know is that being there ONLY one day has changed my life!

Here are the Highlights!

1)  Being homeless and jobless, it was wonderful to be given a chance for employment.

2)  Before going to work, they filled us in on all the rules that would be demanded from us.  It was made very clear that if we did not comply, we would be suspended or terminated from the program.  They were not kidding.  I watched "Another one bites the Dust" two times.

3)  We had a group counseling session.  The question was, "When we lie, do you really think we are going to get away from it?"  My first response was "YES"!  After two people spoke, the paradigm shift for me is that WE NEVER DO.

4)  The job was picking up garbage on the streets of Hollywood with a bright neon green shirt for two hours.  Our pay would be $10.00 in McDonald's Gift Certificates.  I ate my pride and picked up garbage for two hours to not earn minimum wage.  The paradigm shift for me again was that I have walked Sunset Boulevard in shame being homeless.  Today I felt that I had helped improve the city of Hollywood and could lift my head up with honor.

5)  I was given a "purple" mirror to be able to reflect on the inner being.  Little embarrassed about the external being looking so "homeless"!  The mirror reminds me of "Romper Room".  When I broke my first mirror, I was very sad as I believed that "I would have another seven years of bad luck"!  That superstition and myth ended when I returned and was given another mirror.  This paradigm shift also equated as being a person being given a second chance.

6)  Being that we worked, we were sent through the food line first. There were over 200 people there today.  Everyone of those people have the chance to work and do what I did today, only 20 of us chose to be part of the first portion of the 10 consecutive Sunday program.  Not only were we first in line for food, but also for clothes.  We were also seated at tables with chairs in the shade.  Everyone else ate on the parking lot.  Unspoken biblical lessons being taught.

7)  Some of us were given sleeping bags.

8)  Besides all this, there was an awards ceremony and nine prizes were given by the volunteers who helped put the entire day together.  I am pretty sure the volunteers paid for the food and prizes.  To be sure, I would need to check out Food on Foot. com.

Hopefully, you will look up this group and pray for others to join up in your city and begin a group like Jay has done.  Today was his 796 consecutive Sunday of being present!