I'm still surprised by the number of rough sleepers we encounter in our little borough everytime I go out on the Saturday morning breakfast run. At the homeless charity kitchen we cook bacon or sausage, and put it in bread rolls, place a slice of cheese on top, and add to this a hard boiled egg for each homeless person. Armed with a flask of hot water, tea, and coffee we go out seeking the guys that we think may be easily located and up for a bit of breakfast.
Last week we encountered nine people. Two guys were laying on the porch floor of an Anglican church, still sleeping when we arrived. Otheres were up and waiting for us, one chap poured himself a cup of cider to go alone with his breakfast, another bloke was too busy and too angry to aknowledge our presence having a cell phone stuck in his ear, but we left his breakfast on a bench before we drove on anyway.
As we chatted to a group of rough sleepers on the sidewalk before coming home it all seemed so natural to be taking breakfast out to these guys. But everytime I go out I pray for the gift of kindness to flow to every person I serve. I think acts of kindness, however given, are priceless in our 21st. century, post modern, Western culture.
Didn't Jesus say if you do it to the least of these My brothers, you do it unto Me?