Some Sunday as you’re walking through the courtyard going or coming from Sunday service you might see a young man sitting at one of the tables, having a donut and a cup of coffee. He is a rather heavyset man with very thick light brown hair and a small mustache and beard. He is one of our homeless guests who have been coming to Showers Of Blessings almost since the beginning, a little over a year ago.
Recently I stopped to say good morning and asked how he was doing. “Oh I’m doing great,” he said. “I have a place to live now. I’m at Father Joe’s.” He was smiling broadly. I congratulated him and asked how he liked living there. “Oh it’s really great,” he said. And then after a reflective pause, “When I was living in the Park, it was tense, you know, scary. You can never relax there. I didn’t have a choice so I, you know, I just did what I had to do. There is a lot of drama that goes on in the park, so you worry all the time, and it’s hard. I am glad I don’t have to do that any more.” I said I hoped he would still come to the Showers, and he said, “Oh I sure will, and I will be in church too. See you next Sunday.”
I have Christian’s permission to share this little part of his story with you. It is a little measure of success for one man, progress and hope for the future measured in a smile. If you happen to see Christian sitting in the courtyard next time you come to church, stop by and say hello. Ask him how he’s doing. He would really like that.
Claudia Dixon
Showers of Blessings
