We are honored to host a private screening of the award-winning documentary Poverty, Inc. at the Angelika on November 10. As the winner of 30 film festival honors and recipient of 11 awards, Poverty, Inc. is changing the way people think about helping those in need.
Read MoreBobby's Story: Amputations & Awakenings
Bobby (last fall, before the amputations)
Photo by Christena Dowsett
That long, tangly mess of gray hair billowed off his chin, matching his booming voice. It was impossible to miss his happy-as-a-lark presence. It was also impossible not to whiff the whiskey.
Despite the elongated speech, Bobby was a delight to be around, an adventurer at heart. He was the first man to attend our art classes last fall, not afraid to jump in when others were skeptical.
Read MoreWhat do you want from me?
where we stood to talk. also where my friends store their belongings during the day, in trash bags, as they await the shelter's opening.
"They said you would help me if you could."
I was cautious, a little stand-off-ish. I'd never met her. What did she want from me?
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Feet & Hair
Twice before we have washed feet on the streets. On November 7, we are having our last Street-Side Salon of the season (before winter comes).
That day, we're also going to set up to wash feet. We are compelled to offer feet washing again because we have been recently reminded of the significance of simply offering to wash another person's feet.
Read MoreWhat Cops Will Do
image source: policemag.com
Much is told lately about cops who do the wrong thing. Today on the streets, some people I was talking to decided to celebrate the good cops -- with three good stories.
Read MoreMeet the Need: Reginald & Reading Glasses
Meet Reginald. When we first met, he immediately asked me if we had any reading glasses. It isn't a request we get every day, so we were curious as to why he had such a need.
He told us, "I lost my job not long ago when my company went out of business. That's why I'm homeless."
Read MoreRECAP: Street-Side Salon // October 2015
Joe has been homeless for two years. As we sat and talked on Saturday, he said, "I'm getting my hair cut so I can look good for my job interview!"
"Really?" we asked.
Read MoreA Different Kind of Church
I am accustomed to homogeny at church. All my life I have attended nearly-all-white congregations of mostly affluent people. Meanwhile, I have always heard talk of what church could (or should?) be like: rich and poor, black and white, all worshipping Jesus together. I have heard that this is what church will be like one day, when we're all in glory together. But I haven't experienced this ideal.
Until Sunday.
Read MoreUs
photo by Kye R. Lee // The Dallas Morning News
“I wanted to stab him. I told him if he didn’t apologize we could take it outside. I woulda stabbed him.”
Aghast, I stared off into the distance. What if he has a knife on him right now? I wondered. Could he stab me?
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