The Word from the Streets - August 30, 2006

Today was such a beautiful day out on the streets, loving our guys. As we were leaving the Ashram, we decided to make silence our discipline while traveling in cars and walking into the parks. Of course, we would engage with our friends once we arrived at our destinations.

By this act of silence, it allows the awareness of what we are coming out to do and who we are serving to be in the forefront. There is such a beautiful dance that happens as we approach the shelter and start exiting the cars. The smiles start one guy at a time and several begin filing out to help us unload. We are greeted like house guests, as they shuffle out to us, hugging, laughing and taking our bags from us.

At first glance, this shelter is a dark, dismal and intimidating environment. As we walk through the doors and are with our friends though, the background melts away and we are in their home.

Our friend Brian has been asking for “shower shoes’ over the last few months, and this week we were able to find a pair …size 13! Brian was thrilled. He told us that these flip-flops are a Godsend….the showers are not very clean at the shelter..

When we arrived at Woodruff Park, we weren’t only embraced by our friends, but also by one of Atlanta’s police officers. He hung out with us and enjoyed us and the guys.

We saw one of our guys at the park that we haven’t seen for awhile. It was Mr. Samuel, who used to be a security guard at the shelter Peachtree and Pine. He told us that he is retired and doing great. He came to the park today specifically to see us. He knew our route and chased us down to catch up with us. Samuel looked great and was full of smiles. He was always so kind to us and the guys. Many of the men who saw him talking to us, came up and gave him a big smile, hug or handshake. They respected his beautiful man.

-- The Kashi Atlanta Ma Jaya’s Street Meal Team

“THERE ARE NO THROWAWAY PEOPLE” Jaya Sati Bhagavati Ma
“FEED EVERYONE” Baba Neem Karoli

Click on any image to expand it.