Where is the Hope?

As I pulled through the drive thru at Sonic, the last person I expected to see was Robert. Robert is a homeless man I met 3 years ago.  At the time he wasn't homeless.  He lived in a nearby apartment.  Since then, he made some bad choices, ended up in jail for a while, and could be found camped out in his truck in the Ministry Center parking lot for nearly 7 months last year.

 I did a double take at the man sitting at the picnic table.  Was that Robert, I thought?  I hadn't seen him in his silver Dodge pick up truck parked under the tree at the Ministry Center since last November.  Seeing him sitting at the picnic table at Sonic was out of context,  I just wasn't sure.

As I was placing my order for my diet peach green tea, a scruffy man walked up to my window.  Amy?  It was Robert!  I asked him quickly where he had been.  He recounted his whereabouts of the last 4 months and what he had been doing.  As I was moving up in the line, I said, "well, we have missed seeing you around".  The 54 year old homeless man began to weep. 

I stared at the pain in his eyes.  I invited him to follow me to the Ministry Center, because I was headed there for Homework Huddle.  He nodded his head yes, too choked up to speak.

As I nudged forward in the drive-thru line, I watched him out of my rear view window walk back to his truck.  I wondered if he would really show up.

After nearly 20 minutes had passed, I saw the silver Dodge truck turn into the parking lot.  Robert proceeded to the end of the parking lot and backed into his usual parking spot under the tree, like he hadn't been absent for the last 4 months. 

He slowly walked back to the picnic table outside the Ministry Center and plopped down.  I could feel the heaviness of his body as he sat across from me. 

About the same time, Craig pulled in with a bus load of kids for homework huddle.  He joined us at the table.  Robert shared his struggles with us.  No job, filing taxes, needing to be on anti-depressants and heart medicine, but not being able to afford it. We were able to help him trouble shoot some help with free income tax filing and prescription help.  These little helps seemed to give some hope.   He lamented about his family wanting nothing to do with him because of the choices he made years prior.  He talked about how lonely he is.  How he has lost hope and has even contemplated suicide. 

We asked Robert where he found hope when he wasn't feeling so low.  He really didn't have an answer.  He told us he had been helping other homeless people in Olathe.  He had given them rides to the shelter in Shawnee.  He gave them some clothes and blankets he had, leaving him with nothing, but he had his truck.  He said we were the only people who seemed to care about him and ask how he is doing.  He said we were always nice to him.  How lonely that must be?  We haven't seen him in nearly 4 months!  He shed lots of tears sharing his heart.  This man sitting across from me was completely broken and hopeless.  Sometimes just listening to someone provides hope. 

Craig and Robert exchanged phone numbers with an encouragement to pass along any job possibilities that might come our way. 

As the afternoon wrapped up, I saw Robert head down the train tracks to the South of the Ministry Center parking lot.  He was headed to the tree lined area he used to sleep in and hang out in.  He disappeared for about 15 minutes and returned wearing a smile.  He jumped in his truck to go purchase some chicken for some homeless friends he found in his old stomping grounds.  This man who is completely broken, has very little material possessions, no money to buy the medicine he needs, was sharing what he had.  It was evident to me, that Robert found hope in encouraging others and sharing what he has.  Please join me in praying for others to encourage him.  All people want to be known and cared for.  Pray he can see Jesus through us and learn of the hope found in HIM while we are listening and caring.