Chronicling this crazy Life
When you have no set schedule your days can blend together. There is less rhythm in what we do here. This has many benefits in the go go go world we live in. We have no alarm set, nowhere to rush off to (thank goodness cause I don’t know how you get anywhere on time with the traffic) and meander a lot. We meet people in the most unexpected places just by being open and available. This can also can be a bit unsettling.
For someone who likes to be on time, have my day planned in my calendar and follow the system, it has required my brain to sit back and let go. This transition has been difficult but I am finding there are many advantages to the way you right-brained people live. So I am trying to embrace the unknown and lean into following the wind instead of the fastest route possible.
After about a week I realized we would never be able to remember where we had been or what we had done day to day. We were doing and experiencing so much, but with very little in the way of actual appointments, we could easily lose track. Our most common question to each other has been “what day is this”? So I became the Chronicler on our trip. Yes that is a word, I looked it up to make sure. I don’t like not remembering what we did three days ago or who we talked to. Each of our encounters has meant so much to us. So this blog will not bore you with letting you know which day we did laundry but it will go through our last 72 days and give you an idea of where we have traveled and some places and people we have met.
Because every encounter is important and each person has their own story.
JERRY…. ALEX …. TONY….. MARK.…. EZRA.…. ABBY….. BILL….. CATHY…... MONICA…... MIKE…... PAUL …. GINA…… CHAR..…. BUCK…... TARA…… KEVIN….... BILLY…... OMAR…... JAMES…... REED…... KIM …. JASON .…. JAIME…... DEBBIE…... KEN…... PAT…... ANNIE…... SARAH …. CJ…... ASHLEY…… TOM…... MEL…... BRETT…... AUBREY…... CHERI…... PATRICIA…... JEFF….... CINDY…... DAVID….... ROBERT……. AMY….... SCOTT…... KATHY…... KEVIN……. THOMAS….... ABEL .…. CHRISTINA …. SIENNA …. ZACH…... BRIAN…... AARON…... BEN…... HAILEY…... ANA…... ROSA .…. JOHNNY…... SONIA…... JACKIE…. MARCELLINO…... ARODI…... BYRON .…. STEVE .…. DAY …. OMAR …... DAN..…. MADISON…... OMAR…... JAMIE…. DOUG…. DARRYL.…. MIKE…… RUSS…... MARQUITA…... JAMES…... JOY….... TERON .…. GREG…… JODY…… TIM…. ANDY …. DAN…. ERIC …... AMY …...
FEBRUARY
Our first encounter on our journey was a gentleman who had been a pastor for 12 years with his wife. When they began to invite homeless people to their church they were told that this was not ok. They did not want homeless people inside. So he and his wife left the ministry and started a winery. Their venue has changed but their goal is the same, loving people. This was our first encounter on this journey.
Running out of gas is not ideal but it sure gave us a boost to meet people and share life in what could have been a stressful situation. We ended up having a great time learning about being on the road and that people want to help.
Meeting with our dear friends Rob and Carol in Hays, NM we enjoyed a wonderful dinner and a lot of catching up. We also learned so much about our camper from these two experts! So good to visit with friends .
Traveling through New Mexico we suddenly encountered a 60 mile an hour dust storm. The highway was shut down and we quickly made our way, along with many other travelers, into this little town. We pulled into the Walmart and parked ourselves right between two 18 wheelers. It was a great spot to ride it out as we were well protected from all the debris blowing around. We slept there, snug as a bug in a rug and woke up the next morning to sunshine. Though we continued to find sand in our vehicles for the next week we felt victorious to have survived and ready for what was next in this adventure.
Staying in Wilcox, Arizona on day 5, we headed to a coffee shop in the morning to get some admin work done. We walked into the shop and while Chris ordered I found us a seat next to three guys having a discussion about starting a homeless shelter. Well now that’s interesting conversation! We did not get much admin work done but loved the leading and confirmation that we are on the right road.
Ironwood Forest National Monument was five days of beauty and reflection. After staying a different place every night for a week we were happy to hunker down, put out the awning and sit.
The Desert- I entered the desert thinking I had moved to a new season just by leaving Colorado. I was wrong. The Father says there is a season for everything. I think we tend to stay too long in seasons we like and most of the time move too quickly through the hard ones before we are ready. Sitting and staring at the vastness oh this creation has led my soul to a place of quiet that I haven’t experienced in maybe ever. I realize now you can be still and yet still be busy. This desert has been the beginning of my decompressing and rejuvenation -excerpt from my journal
Our travels next took us to Phoenix and my hometown. A friends daughter reached out and convinced us to swing through town and surprise my best friend from high school. We had many laughs, shared a meal, met the new grandbaby, and caught up on life. Kindly they let us pull our camper into their church parking lot. We stayed the night and then met up with some sweet friends from Woodland Park, who happened to be in Scottsdale. The next morning, we met a few people from Revolution Church and were prayed over. A great visit and reminiscing from my first 20 years. We now were rested and ready to take on California. We got some coffee and hit the road with the desert behind us and all kinds of possibilities ahead of us.
MARCH
Arriving in California we landed at RISING TIDE RANCH in Vista, CA. This was a friend of Charlie who we know from the shower ministry at Sanctuary Church in Colorado Springs. A Sober Living Ranch on 5 acres run and owned by Buck and Tara Chaviarra. They offer housing for up to 11 men who live on the property and work on the ranch while encountering a holistic approach to restorative recovery. They have pigs, roosters, cats (and now kittens). We worked on building a cat tree house for the cats to stay in at night as our work project while we were here. Chris did a little carpentry, led bible studies and we got to know the staff and guests. Buck and Tara are amazing people who love well. We spent 9 days here as our home base while visiting nearby ministries in San Diego and Oceanside.
BROTHER BENNOS CENTER- Visited this ministry our first day in California. Daily serving breakfast to 200 souls and a sack lunch to-go for those who come in. You can talk to Darryl about volunteering whether to serve food or help Carol organize the huge amounts of clothing donations. Carol came in one day to volunteer and has stayed for 5 years. Dennis can give you a tour of their facility if you like and four days a week the Mobile Humanity Showers show up and give showers to 25 people an hour.
BREAD OF LIFE MINISTRY- Met with the director, Tim to see this facility and hear about what they do. Met many volunteers including Dan, Matt, and Jem who help with showers, food, haircuts and their thrift store where all proceeds pay for the utilities.
SAN DIEGO RESCUE MISSION- Toured this work which offers all sorts of resources from emergency shelter for women and their children to a 12 month residential program offering training and the tools to transform their life. They have an on-site preschool for children of the families who reside free of charge. In the emergency shelter there are bins to leave their phones in to be kept safe, charge, and really to just get away from the digital world for the night.
This room has been redone for women coming into the 12 month program.
A safe place to store and charge your phone
Some of you may not know this about me but I love ice cream. It’s my favorite dessert. I am also pretty particular. Probably from working at Pikes Peak Chocolate serving up Josh and Johns all those years, I have my standards! Well, we decided to stop one day on the long drive back from Oceanside up to our campsite north of LA. I chose Cali Creamery and we met Annie. What a treat and the ice cream was amazing as well! We told her about our project and this sweet girl teared up. The encounter was encouraging and so fun for us. It’s a good thing we ordered single scoops because as you can see in the photo they serve up some crazy cones of ice cream!
ORANGE COUNTY RESCUE MISSION- This facility is on a beautiful campus whose goal is to minister the love of Jesus to the Least, the Last, and the Lost of their community. They have services from food to shelter, and job training to counseling. Our tour with Darrick was an inside look at the heart of this place and their desire to help. When asked what do you want people to know about this place? His reply was “We’re here to help”.
Getting propane seems so mundane but a necessary chore so we went to fill up because even in California you need the furnace at night still! Met Tom who saw our CO license plate and asked what we were doing and offered to pray for us. That’s how we like to do mundane chores!
A five day stay in an old horse paddock brought some rest and beauty while visiting the towns of Lake Elsinore and Murrieta.
Wandering into the town of Lake Elsinore we found the Dream Center. The usually closed on Fridays office was open when we stopped in and met Mel. Spent awhile hearing about this great ministry whose goal is to Restore and Rebuild the People and Property of Lake Elsinore. Touring the newly acquired run down hotel that will eventually house men, women and families physically, emotionally and spiritually will be a great asset to the town. We were fortunate to meet and spend time with the Executive Directors, Brett and Aubrey Masters and hear their story and heart for their city. We went on their Adopt-a-block event the next day and prayed with neighbors and shop owners. Cheri was encouraging to us that we were just what they needed for inspiration and as excited about our project as much as we were about theirs. Aubrey had a vision for us while we were praying and we think of it often on this trip.
Getting turned around has happened a few times and this morning was no different. So instead of heading to the Starbucks we have been to a few times we '“accidentally” ended up at a different one feeling a bit miffed at the misunderstanding. Then Robert walked over to us and said the Lord told him to go ask that couple what they are doing. Robert prayed for us and gave us $40 for gas. There are no accidents out here, we just have to be ready to see what comes each moment.
Staying with a friend of a friend on their land overlooking the Pacific Ocean for two nights. A lovely spot to lay our heads and enjoy the company of our new friend.
Tired of driving and sitting we pull over into an Open House in Pasadena Ca. This is where we meet Sonia. She shares her story and we are excited to join with her volunteer group Down But Not Out on skid row to hand out food and necessities to those who need them. What a blessing to meet these people who faithfully spend their Thursday nights on the street loving people.
Harvest Hosts has some crazy places to rest for a night. From an antique store parking lot to someones’ back yard we have met some amazing people. Take Kathy, who after staying a night on her property in Altadena told us her family was renting their home the next day and had to finish moving out in 24 hours. Knowing the stress involved in that scenario all too well we offered to help and spent the afternoon cleaning and shoveling gravel with the family while hearing their story. What a treat to get to physically bring help to new friends.
Finding the Dream Center in southern LA we roll in to join up with their adopt-a-block program. This happens every Saturday and has been for over 15 years. We met up with some great folks and while I helped hand out food, Chris was invited into homes to pray for people. The folks were so happy to have a Pastor in their home and asked for healing prayers as well as Sierra who asked Jesus into her heart! What an honor to be invited in to this ministry.
HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES- A much anticipated event getting to tour this well known and loved ministry. Hearing stories from the recipients of Father G’s work gives new meaning to hope. This ministry offers jobs to previously incarcerated and gang involved people to bring restoration to their lives, family and the community. The stories go on forever. This place that began in the poorest section of LA now has a recycling center, cafe, bakery, silk screen shop and catering to name a few. Father G believes everyone deserves a second chance.
In Father G’s office with Omar our amazing guide
Went into LA and down to Skid Row to hand out water and talk to people. There were many contacts but meeting Dan and Madison was by far the best and hardest. A young couple in a tent on the sidewalk. Someone’s children, alone and thinking California was a healthier place to be than what they had left in Alabama. We were able to offer water and prayer and tell them about local resources.
While back in Oceanside for a week to watch over the Ranch while Buck and Tara take a much-needed vacation we got to enjoy a special event with them before they left. They were having a baptism and it took place in the Pacific Ocean. I have never been to an ocean baptism before and it was awesome. We have gotten to know this gentleman who has graduated from the Ranch, been reunited with his kids, and comes back regularly to help at the Ranch. There was such joy from the family and friends who were there, and we were honored to be included.
“You have to meet Jordan” people kept saying. Well when we finally were able to we understood why. A 32 year old who started a shower ministry in 2014 with a kickstarter campaign and a lot of energy. He now has 6 shower trucks and can give 200 showers an hour. He has talked to thousands of homeless people who answer his question of what is your #1 need with their response being “ to be clean”. He has taken that to heart. He believes that everyone deserves dignity and calls his ministry Humanity Showers.
We headed to an RV supply place that ended up being shall we say, off the beaten path. But no worries this was the place for us. Rick’s Trailer Supplies had exactly what we needed. Our part, as well as James, who loved what we are doing. We got to share some stories and pray together. James gave us our part on the house and declared we had made his week with our conversation. Agreed James!
We made some new friends at our campsite who are friends of Woodland Park friends, what? Yes, such fun to trade stories from home. This was a real treat for us, meeting some kindred spirits and sharing a few meals. Aaron and Joy and their three littles are on the road full time. We will most definitely be meeting up with them again!
Birthdays come and go and mine just happened. We took a quick break to run up to Santa Barbara and rent electric bikes and ride along the coastline. The ocean is beautiful and we honestly don’t see it much when in LA. Took some walks around town and enjoyed the time off.
Deciding to head into LA we find ourselves in Skid Row again and at the Union Rescue Mission. The largest mission in the nation housing 1000 people a day. We enter the “reception area” with the bullet proof glass and meet Jody. Jody went through this program and now is on staff at the mission. It seems that 25% of the staff have graduated from here and are now giving back. Jody has no idea what to do with this couple from Colorado who want to learn what the mission does so she calls the only number she can think of, Tim, Director of Philanthropy. We begin to talk with Tim and Chris and I realize this is a divine appointment. Tim says as much as we share stories. He drops us off with the CEO for a moment while he pushes back two meetings to spend more time with us. The CEO, Andy, is just giving a mini tour to a candidate for Governor of California and we tag along. We get to hear how the mission started and a little of Andy’s story. Catching back up with Tim we take time to talk and he tells us his own story of the people in this neighborhood and the many years he has been ministering here. This work deserves its own blog so I will leave this here. We left feeling excited about all we had seen and those we had met. As we headed back to our truck I was relieved to see that it still had all four tires and was just as we left it on the streets of Skid Row. A great day indeed.
A dear friend from Charlottesville put us in contact with some of his friends who are in Southern California. Funny because we had heard their name for years from mutual friends. After making contact we realized we were only an hour from each other. Here in LA that’s practically next door! So, we happily made plans and went to visit them. We spent the afternoon exchanging Charlottesville stories as well as learning of their time in the country of Georgia. When you are traveling it’s hard to be in community. And yet we have spent time with the most familiar faces and histories in this land far away from home. Truly it is a small world.
New friends in LA from VA!
Each day brings a gift. A rose, a bright spot, a treasure. However you look at the best part of your day, be intentional. These people, places and experiences are some of ours. I hope you name your daily gifts.
I may have written this blog just for me. A reminder as an antidote for the hard days that we’ve also experienced. But I do hope that you have enjoyed hearing some of our stories. I look forward to sharing more.