LA Dream Center - Wednesday

Wednesday will go down in history as the longest, toughest and most rewarding day of the trip so far.

Wednesday morning we met at the tool shed yard where we loaded up and headed out into the neighborhood to collect trash.

A simple thing.

We realized very quickly how grateful people were to have us in their 'hood.  A small, simple gesture.  We realized that people love what we do in their 'hood, they will like who we are and then we can point them to our God.

Let me tell you, it wasn't an easy job.  It was tiring, it was hot.  Blood pressures bottomed out and we got thirsty, but not a person on the team complained about this task.

Not one.

I am super proud of this team.  They are growing and maturing right before my very eyes.  I stood back to take a photo and it came to me.  THIS is why we go.  THIS is why we do this.  We are facilitating a change in these students that will change them for life.

We wandered back to the Center and Anthony a DCD, (Dream Center Disciple) gave us his life testimony.  What a great story about redemption.

As we were listening, the team was asked to go to the Emancipation Home the 80 beds that were to be placed were here.  Our team, without hesitation, jumped at the opportunity to do more.

In the afternoon, we were to go to Venice Beach to do "Adopt-a-Block".  Basically we were going to do whatever they needed.  We decided since we'd be so close to the ocean, we'd stay for dinner and play in the waves.

As we gathered to get our directions and be given a leader....we were told that "things had changed".  They sent us to Skid Row.  Not a complaint, not a murmur of the change in plans.

We divided up into our groups and hit the streets of Skid Row.  The task:  Pick up trash and talk to people.  And did we hear stories.

In my group, I have Noah and Chantiel.  While we were walking down the street a bike patrol came to us to say that she had been talking all morning to a Muslim man, who's dog had died the day before.  In his faith, the Dog, Snaps should be buried in 24 hours.  Animal Control said they would take it and cremate it for him.  He was wounded.  He had his precious dog in a cooler, covered in ice, under a blanket with flowers atop.  His name was Sabat.

One thing I have learned here -- they say yes first, figure out the details later.  What a freeing way of living.  So, I said yes.  We finished our walk around Skid Row and found Sabat's blanket and cooler.  We talked to him, he told us how Snaps had passed.  He told us that Snaps was all he had.  With tears, he told us how Snaps had found him, been a closer companion than his Mother, Sister or Friend.

We again, told him we'd help him out.

So, for the 2nd time today, we were about to dispose of a dead dog.

Lindsay and Noah said, this is why we were here.  Why our plans were changed, we were answering a pray of a man.  God was using us to help him out.

We loaded Snaps into the car and headed back to the Dream Center.  When we got here there was absolutely nowhere to put Snaps.  The school told us, as with the other Dog we found this morning doing trash pick up, that Snaps would have to go into a Dumpster (like Noah said, it was a very nice dumpster).  At least, we were able to fulfill one wish, that his precious Snaps was not cremated.

As we finished our day, we then booked it to Venice Beach to watch the sun set, play in waves.  We had a good time of debriefing what we had seen and done today.

As many people as there are on this trip, there are 4-5 stories each of what happened at Skid Row.  Stay tuned for more stories.