Lets Get Talking

Thursday,

So I decided Thursday to take “the guys” McDonalds and start asking questions. As we were sitting down I said, “Ok, I want something today…I want you to start by telling me your story.” They were hesitant obviously. I had to pry with questions like:

1. Where were you born?
2. What were your parents like?
3. What happened next?
4. Did you finish school

They were slow to reveal, and I’m confident that there is a lot more there.

Then I told them why I was here. I told that my belief in Jesus is that he would be doing the same thing. They agreed. Then I told them that there were a lot of people who were questioning me (in my work and in the church) about why I would do this saying, “They are homeless because they choose to be.” Wow…that was a hot button. Conversation became real easy after that. They have plenty of insight and opinions on the subject it was very insightful. Then I told “the guys” that I was researching homelessness in Austin and found that there are a bunch of organizations and church who have a specific goal to tend to the homeless, so my question was, “With all this money being thrown around, why are there still homeless people in Austin?” This was another BIG conversation starter which they had plenty to say about.

My goal today is to go back and clarify their perspective on the two above questions. Everything happened so fast and got a little emotional, that I really didn’t even catch it all. What is more, if they were in charge of the money, how would they spend it to help homeless people? I have a feeling that this will be great. Maybe.

Well I say maybe, because the next day, Friday, I went back to talk “the guys” and bring them Pizza but Mac “was up” and she told me that Terry Allen had caught the bus to the hospital for a staff infection. I am eager to find out today how he is doing and if he made it back or not.