Philosophers, Vagabonds and Men who Have Stolen my Heart

I met all of the above today at my first day of community service in the clinic at the homeless shelter. The first man I met, Gerry, has no real interest in sobriety but kept me laughing the whole time I washed and cared for his feet. (He also refuses to shave his sideburns because he thinks they make him look like Elvis.) He kissed me on the cheek after I prayed with him.

Although Willie (the second man I met this morning) got his footcare from Jessica, I spent some time talking with him while everyone else was busy running around. He is quite the thinker and shared some of his philosophies with me about how we hurry too much and how everyone is made in God's image and how "life is a lesson and a blessing." He is busy immersing himself in the Old Testament to gain knowledge from it. He hugged all of us after we prayed with him.

Neither of these men--nor any of the rest I met today--smelled very good. Very few of them had anything of earthly value to share with me, and yet they have genuinely stolen my heart. I really do love them although they probably won't change their self-destructive ways or even shower on a regular basis.

How is this possible? I have no idea, but I'm gonna keep on lovin' it. These guys make my time here in Oakland mean something, and I owe them for it.