Jesus used it... fish and loaves, bread and wine... Jesus knew that food was and is at the heart of human needs and He used it to build relationships. People are hungry- to be remembered, the way their mom use to remember them -with hot stew on a cold night... for someone to remember that they're hungry, cold, waiting. That's Bart hugging a gal who's relatively new to our line. Several months ago she started being first in line week in and week out. She's fighting a number of health issues and some weeks, more than others, it's obvious that life has taken its toll. Before eating, she wants a hug. Before she leaves, she goes out of her way to say "goodbye" and "thanks again." Don't know how early she has to get to the corner to be first in line... the only ones who are ever ahead of her any more are a husband and his wife- and she's in a wheel chair... wasting away... weighs maybe 75 pounds... greets me with the sweetest smile each week...poverty and disease are eating her alive... but they don't have to come early to be first- wheelchairs get a free pass to the front- kind of like Disneyland... except dark, cold and filled with desperation seeking hope. I never remember the woman in the picture's name- but as I approach from the van, sometimes singing, sometimes just trying to put my "game face" on- she calls out to me for a hug. Don't know how she keeps her spirits up- but every hug is healing and reminds me that the food we bring is only a tool- that God invites us to healing in Him as we hang out together. I'm sorry for every night you miss it... God really is too Good.

Ignoring poverty... it's the way I grew up. Not that my parents didn't do their best to open our eyes. My father even traveled to skidrow and preached on the radio from the old Union Rescue Mission when we were kid's... I never bothered to listen. I was busy with my stuff and poverty was far away. Sunday night I tried to talk with the guy in this photo- his sweatshirt caught my eye -but he spoke less English than I speak Spanish and it was a lost cause. Someone obviously gave him the sweatshirt- in proud block letters it read: "Kanvas by Katin." That was the only board short to wear, growing up surfing Southern California. So many days I remember driving back from a day of surf and waving at Nancy Katin- watching her grow old and frail -in front of their little shop in Surfside, CA. No clue who owns the rights to their name now that they're gone... but it brought back plenty of old memories just looking at that sweatshirt. I've still got a pair of old Katin board shorts - we use to call them "trunks" - stashed away some where... wish I could still get in them! Most of us have jackets, sweatshirts, sweaters and blankets stashed away that we'll never wear again. Today, most of us will take the time to vote for whatever candidate and propositions we support, can't help but wonder what it says about us that day in and day out we keep good, dry warm clothes in our closets- that we'll never use again, while people struggle against the cold? Who "wins" at the end of the day when our lifestyle leaves out the needs of the poor? Jesus said: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you were doing for me." He also said: "Whatever you didn't do for one of the least of these, you didn't do for me." This morning, some old surfer's in my thoughts. Some guy willing to release his/her Katin sweatshirt that once warmed against morning offshores on early surfchecks... but found it's way to the back of a closet. Today, it's warming for life, giving new hope, helping a brother make it through the night. Don't forget to go through your closets. If you can't get the jackets to us- get them to someone who'll make sure they get to the streets. It's November and all of winter's out ahead of us... even in sunny southern California. Vote with your "threads."

Poverty on skidrow is one of the things we're trying to prevent at Siempre Para Los Ninos, our children's home in Tijuana, Mexico. We believe that after growing up with a good education, protected and safe at Siempre, children like Juan Daniel will become productive members of society in their own community's. They won't join a crowd in the parking lot of Home Depot or end up waiting for a meal on skidrow... their lives, their examples will break the cycle that continues to gnaw away at the heart of humanity. You may have read about the violence in Tijuana brought on by wars between the drug lords and their dark minions. It continues and it's impact is profound at Siempre. Children of families lost in poverty, of prostitutes and of those involved... and brutally killed... because of drugs, all live and take refuge at Siempre. Siempre Para Los Ninos means ALWAYS for the children. The fear and anxiety moving through TJ has only increased as a number of schools have had to be closed and every campus has had to lock out all adults after the children of police officers were murdered to strike fear in the hearts of those who are needed to enforce the law. In the last two weeks two pastors have been among the kidnapping victims- one a good friend of Pastor Israel -with criminals demanding huge ransoms. Last Wednesday afternoon a young man came to Siempre and tried his best to lure one of our little girls- who's mother was deeply into the local drug scene -away from her safety at Siempre. Poverty is brutal and breaking the cycle will not be easy. Ignoring the situation- turning away in hopes of protecting ourselves, our comfort, our wealth -will always be easier. Pray for our children and leaders at Siempre as their calling and resolve is tested. Pray for the safety of the teams that have planned trips to Siempre in the weeks to come. Pray that we're able to surround our property with a fence... soon. It was so frightening watching a man actually come and attempt to approach one of Siempre's kid's while we were there... so thankful he was able to be sent away. The cycle of poverty is not easily broken. Success will require us to see the needs of others... as our needs. For us to look at our wealth- whether it's the food in our pantry or the jackets in our closets as tools... tools that can help us begin to build relationships of love. The easiest thing to do is walk away. You're invited to stay the course through these challenging times. Siempre's kid's have no choice. We do. Cast your vote with me some Wednesday afternoon at Siempre, some Sunday night on the streets... with a jacket... a hug... ready to build a new relationship. Do you have something better to do with the rest of your life? You're invited. You're needed. Now, more than ever.

for changing lives,

Eric M. Denton