I hadn’t been to Washington, DC for our Street Ministry with homeless people for a while. It’s not necessary because William Daniels, our DC director, does an outstanding job of leading groups. But on March 8th, I took Dave Thompson, our Program Director, on his first trip to see the Street Ministry in action.
We got off the subway and walked to McPherson Square, just two blocks from the White House. William got off the bus a few minutes after we arrived. While we waited for the youth group, William gave Dave a preview of what to expect.
Before the youth group arrived, four DC police cars and two Secret Service cars pulled up. None of the officers seemed to be in a hurry as they walked over to a man who was sitting on a bench and arrested him. As they put on the hand cuffs, he said, “I didn’t do nuthin’ man. All I did was shake his hand!” William assured us it was nothing to worry about. I noticed most of the people in the park went on about their business. It seemed like an everyday occurrence to them. Sadly, that might be true.
The bus from Fairlington Methodist Church pulled up to the corner of the park as the police officers were wrapping up. After William assured everybody that everything was OK, a group of teens ranging from middle school to high school swarmed out of the van with hands full of food and drinks. The adults didn’t have to do much. This youth group showed their experience and functioned like a well-oiled machine.
As they were getting everything ready, the people in the park lined up and patiently waited. Dave was impressed by the efficiency of the youth group and by the orderly and respectful way the people in the park responded to the youth.
The teens were ready to serve just 5 minutes after they stepped out of the bus. As the people in the park started to go through the line, interactions between them and the youth were brief and mostly dealt with making sure people got what they needed. But what really impressed me was the kindness, dignity, and respect they showed the people they served. They made eye contact They smiled. And they conveyed to the people in the park that they were happy to be there serving. In return, the denizens of the park thanked and complimented their servers.
I can guarantee that some of the people at McPherson Square had not eaten anything yet that day, and they relished the chili, hot chocolate, and snacks. But I can also guarantee that everyone who was served wasn’t treated as an object of pity. Economic class or race meant nothing. They were just people who needed help, a kind word, and a hearty dose of respect and dignity. Without a doubt they got all those things in abundance.