It's where everyone wants to be on skid row, the front of the line. Not that every person standing with a bag in hand waiting for a plate wouldn't love to own a home in one of our finer communities. But wherever you live, whatever your situation, there's always going to be a better spot and on the streets it's the front of the line. No one wants the to the food gone before "they get theirs." It rarely happens. Our kitchen team usually prepares more than we can serve and such was the case Sunday night. Jodi and the team bought chicken to serve and spent their day boiling and dying dozens and dozens of eggs, bagging Easter candy that had been donated. Everyone enjoyed the treat. Who ever gets tired of boiled eggs in pastel colors with uplifting messages written on them with a wax pencil? Not me!

Maybe you remember them from college in Psyc or Soc 101, they were usually the most interesting part of the class. The real world stories of people who'd been through heart rending problems and now lived on in the texts of our general ed. requirments. Everyone loves the background stories of people living on the streets. I've often thought of doing a book of case studies. A famous writer for the Los Angeles Times jumped to the front pages with his involvement in the homeless community, doing little else than telling the stories of those we stare at in curiosity, when we think they're not watching, wondering how they ended up on the streets and how they survive. I hear the stories every week and they still draw me in- even knowing that each of our stories is far from an accurate accounting but more of a retelling of "this is how I remember my hard times."

His name always eludes me. He'll be in our line for weeks on end, then be gone for months, then back again for years. I've taken to calling him "movie star" for his good looks. I'll tell him he needs to ride the bus to Hollywood and get work as an extra. He's the silent type and always just smiles. But enjoys the extra attention and overt compliments. He doesn't hang out with other guys in line- seems to be a loner in every way. People will sometimes say to me about an apparently healthy, attractive individual, "How do you think THEY ended up on the streets?" The homeless are aware of our curiosity. When seeking help, most request begin with a well rehearsed, "case study" in "how I got to the point that I'm now trying to bum $2- off of you for bus fare." Call me a cynic, not only do I not trust the stories, I've stopped listening to them years ago. They're degrading. Like the price someone's willing to pay to get the $2- bucks out of our pockets. It's one of the many reasons we don't give out money. In a culture consumed with good looks, in a community surrounded by wealth and stories we do our best to be more than curious visitors. We come to serve.

We worked to the back drop of "Star Wagons" (the mobile changing rooms of the stars on movie sets) again Sunday night. I always find it interesting that in a community that can manage to set aside millions to keep Hollywood productions shooting films, that earn billions, on our city streets we can't put together the programs to keep poverty off our streets. I've wondered what happens to "Star Wagons" when the "stars" are done with them? They'd make great temporary shelter for the homeless. The entertainment community is incredibly generous with the poor of our city: serving in the missions, funding shelters, donating left over catered food to the homeless and usually, on a film set, if they're able, being very gracious to those who drop by for a hand out. Because of this, there's very little resentment among the homeless as the young and wealthy slip in and out of the city to make movies after dark. Even the homeless realize our problems are bigger then something Hollywood can handle. Jackets for Jesus is just a beginning. Your love, your support, your prayers are making a difference. When it feels like our part is so small, we realize that it is our part and we long to stay faithful. Thanks so much for your loving encouragement: we need it, now, more than ever,

for changing lives, Eric

email: eric@centralcommunity.com

phone: 1-951-689-5806

web: http://www.centralcommunity.com