Bridgetown Ministries

This morning after church there was a meeting for Bridgetown Ministries. Bridgetown Ministries is where a group of people go to downtown Portland and meet under the bridge and set-up different stations to "serve" the homeless. They have a foot washing station where they will wash the feet of the homeless and give them a fresh pair of socks. Hair washing station / hair cut, food and clothing. They said they can get anywhere from 100 - 300 homeless people that will show up.

Jesse and our friend Brandon did this a while back and did the foot washing station. I did not go with... I wasn't ready. There was no way you were going to get me to wash any feet!! I have a hard time touching my own feet! Washing hair - no way! I didn't think I could do it! Brandon and Jesse came back and told us what they did, they both enjoyed the experience. Of course they highly suggested that Natalie and I try this at least one time. We looked at each other with a worried look on our face... are you sure this is something for us?!!!?

Jesse and I decided to go to this meeting this morning after church. And let me tell you, it tore my heart open for these people!! Brain and Natasha are from our church and are trying to head a team up from our church to go down there twice a month. (They go every Friday night!!)

We got to hear a short story from one of the guys who Brain & Natasha met and helped him and his wife get married and get a job... and even a home of his own!!!

These stories just made me hurt for these people and why are they put in these situations. Afterwards Natasha had gave me a call... she seen my little nose turn red and wanted to know if I needed talk. I want to do this... but then I don't. What do I say to them? How do I act? Be yourself... but I don't think it is that easy! Anyway she shared with me some amazing stories....

Natasha saw this guy who is 6'2" dressed all in black, has a Mohawk and his street name is Dragon!! She went over to him and started to talk to him. After about the third Friday he finally opened up and they were able to talk for about 20 minutes. She said after a while she noticed him getting there earlier and staying later. One Friday night he didn't show up and she got real nervous because the last time she seen him he was depressed and she worried that he might try to take his life. She found out from some of the other people there that he was actually arrested for attempted murder. She asked around to see if anyone knew his real name, no one did. She was able to contact the jail and they gave her his real name and where he was located. She wrote him a letter asking him to put her on his visitor list. He did. Dragon is still in jail and has just found out that he might have a daughter in California that was born in January. The mother left and they can't find any family members. They are having a paternity test done and if Dragon is the father of this baby girl down in California, Natasha and Brain will take custody over her until Dragon gets out and on his feet and is able to support his daughter! Dragon had told them that they are better parents to him than his own. Natasha now calls him her 29 year old son!!

Natasha also told me about this girl she met who was 19. Natasha talked to her for a while and she said that her hair was just matted and she asked her if she could wash it for her. The girl said you can't even get a comb through it. Natasha took her over to the hair station and sat down on one side of her and the girl's boyfriend sat on the other and they sprayed so much detangler on her hair and combed and combed and combed. They got all the snarls out and Natasha washed her hair. She said the water was black! She washed and blow dried her hair. She said the girl was beautiful. She had this long strawberry-blonde hair. This girl stood in the empty parking lot and put her arms out and spun in a circle!! She felt like a million bucks!

So, I have come to the point where I want to do this. I can't say that I am ready to wash feet. But, I think I can serve food or even help someone pick out clothes! I am still scared out of mind to do this. Whenever we go to downtown Portland I am always right by Jesse's side because I am afraid of them. Natasha told me she felt the same way I did. And the first time she went down there she just observed and slowly she became more comfortable and realized they are just people! Brain has been doing this for a couple years and he said that it is completely safe! These people are very thankful for this ministry and truly benefit from it!

I think the first time we will go will be on November 10th! We will all meet at our church and prepare the food and get all the stations together. A big trailer will come up (they call it Night Strike) and we will load everything we will need that night into the trailer and car pool down to the bridge and set-up! I am real nervous yet real excited! I think it will be a great experience and a growing experience for me. I will be sure to post my experience when I go!!