DEREK

The Sacred Heart Residence a catholic convent in the heart of the Chelsea district is the place that I am staying this trip. It is an old Brownstone with the long steps leading to the big heavy doors. Everyone here speaks Spanish or Japanese, and always broken English when speaking to me. I am a minority. Anyway, I woke up early, thought I had slept in. It was only 6:30, but I couldn’t wait to get out, and begin my first day of my second week in NYC. I was excited, but apprehensive. I had had a lot of difficulty the day before with my trip into the city. Now that I was here, I was second guessing a lot. I was fearful, doubting and questioning. I just kept praying. There was a lot of oppression. There were things happening at home that I needed to help with, as much as I could being this far away. What did God want me to accomplish here? The only plan I have when coming is to volunteer at the Mission. God fills in the blanks. I know I have to go to the Mission, and I know I have 50- $5 Dunkin Donuts cards to give out to the homeless for the people who have provided them. I had already given one away the night before. That was to Rodney. I didn’t want to force things. I wanted to be led. There was a lot of chaos going on in my head. I felt overwhelmed, but I kept walking through it. So my first morning, I had to get breakfast, because the convent doesn’t serve meals on the weekend. (No, I didn’t go to Dunkin Donuts.) I went to the Skylight Diner on 33rd street, and had a nice breakfast. I came out of the diner, and decided to go to 34th street subway station to catch the train to lower Manhattan. I hadn’t bought my Metro card yet. I stepped up to the kiosk. For some reason it was temporarily only taking cash. I wanted to pay with a credit card. So I decided, since it was a nice day I would walk the few blocks to the next station down, which is 23rd street & 8th Ave station. I walked down over the stairs and sitting on the landing before the next set of stairs was a man with a cup that contained a few dollars. He didn’t say anything. He just sat holding the cup, as if willing people to give. I interrupted by saying, “Do you have a few minutes to talk?” He said, “Yes.” I asked if he was homeless. He said, “Yes.” I could tell he was tired and worn, but his eyes were kind and gentle. Once I asked the question he took off talking saying, “I only take the 1 line (subway train), because the others are more dangerous, because of people’s attitudes about homelessness. They set you on fire, and beat you up because you are homeless. So I stay on the 1 line.” He kept talking about himself. He has prostate cancer. He doesn’t go to shelters because as he says, “people take your stuff and do drugs. I don’t want to deal with any of that.” I asked how long he had been homeless. He said, “Two years.” He said he took on to much financially, and then lost his job. He has no family. I asked if he had faith. Enthusiastically he said, “YES! I couldn’t do this without Jesus. With Jesus I can hold my head up and keep walking.” I presented him with a D & D card that someone had bought. I told him that it was a $5 gift card, and could be used at any Dunkin Donuts. I told him who it was from, and handed it to him. He rubbed his eyes, but had been a little bit as we were talking. I figured he might have allergies. He admitted that he was rubbing tears from his eyes. He shook my hand and told me how much it meant to him that I sat and talked, and that someone else cared enough to send him a Dunkin Donuts card. I asked if I would thank her for him. I said I would. I asked to take a picture. He agreed. I shook his hand and told him I would pray for him. We said our goodbyes. I walked down to the kiosk to get my metro card. That kiosk was not working either, so I had to walk back by Derek. He saw me coming up the stairs. He was still in tears. He said, “You made my day,” He smiled and laughed a bit. I shook his hand again, and encouraged him to keep the faith and not give up.” He said he wouldn’t. I asked if he came there everyday. He said, “Yes, same spot, pretty much the same time.” We made a time to have coffee together. I have not seen him since. I’m praying.