South Coast Rock Tour
~ Day 12 ~
Church Under the Bridge…Reclaimed Skateboard…Sarah…Schlung
Haven…Guarded.
I went to bed in the backseat of Tumbler at 3am Saturday
night and set my alarm for 7am. Many of my new brothers had told me about
“Church Under the Bridge” at 8am Sunday morning. Still physically and emotionally
tired from the busy night on Dirty 6th, I parked downtown and grabbed
my backpack and skateboard. Headed to the I-35 overpass bridge on 7th
St. We were all early for “church” but there were already around 50 of us
there. More kept coming as time went by. Seeing a few people I knew, but
wanting to acclimate alone, I found a cement pillar and sat down on the
skateboard. My sleepy gaze was straight but my peripheral vision saw a guy
running towards me from the right. As he got closer, this dude started swearing
and yelling… soon realizing his words were directed at me. I won’t repeat all the
words. When he was next to me, he said (without the every other word
expletive), “*** Give me back my *** board, you *** ***!!! You *** stole it
from me ***!!!”” I was starting to stand up to give him the skateboard I had no
doubt did belong to him, when he reached down and yanked it from under me. More
swearing at me as he stomped off, I sat back down and pulled my backpack close
between my knees. The scene that drew stares from everyone around was now over
and the people went back to doing nothing. Then my buddy Baltimore, a friend I
had gotten to know over the last week, came over to check on me. “Did that punk
disrespect you, Katie? If he did, I’m going bum rush him.” --- “It’s okay, bro.
I didn’t steal his board. He got t=it back now. Just let it be.” Baltimore, one
of my many protectors, wasn’t going to let it be. He went over and gave the guy
a good verbal pounding which I wish he hadn’t done.
After a few minutes, my friend, Slim waved me over to where
he was sitting with some other guys. I met Slim the first day on 6th
and he is tall and not slim. He is someone who I love to give hugs to and he
got a huge one right there and then. Then Baltimore came over stood behind me
and Popeye came and sat on the other side of me. Eddie, a drug dealer who used
more than he dealt, gave me a hug and paced around us. My brothers surrounding
me, I let out a deep sigh and smiled at each of them, which a smile and nod
they returned to me. Slim leaned over to me and said, “You’re okay, Daisy May.”
This was the street name he gave me several days ago and how he introduced me
to his friends in the 10 days I was Austin.
I stayed at the “Church Under the Bridge” for the next 2
hours. There was no building, no singing, no sermon. Instead, there was a
parking lot under a bridge, tables with food and clothing, and people that
would walk around handing out essentials. I wanting to talk with the
servant-hearted, compassionate people who had come to put on this “church”, but
I mainly stayed by my brothers. The guy with his reclaimed skateboard was seen
across the lot, and I felt compelled to walk over to him. He took a few steps
back as I approached him, so I put my arms out with peace signs at each end.
“Hey man, I didn’t steal your skateboard. I waited 10 mins before picking it up.
Just wanted to apologize and make peace with you if you’ll forgive me.” I then
pulled out a rock with a heart on it that said, “Love Rocks” on the sides. He
took it and read it. “It’s all good, girl. Sorry I came up on you like that.
We’re cool.” We hugged. We made peace. We were cool. His name was Jeremy.
Before leaving the bridge, I saw a girl around my age who
was part of the first outreach team that had arrived. Went over to where she
was sitting and asked if we could sit in private for bit. I had noticed her
distinctly when she walked under the bridge. It was a Holy Spirit nudge to talk
with her when the time came. The time was now and we talked for about 20min.
Her name is Sarah and she is from New Orleans, but came to Austin to volunteer
for “Mobile Loaves and Fishes.” This (MLF) organization is amazing and it
wouldn’t be my first encounter with them. I told Sarah the truth about me being
in Austin and at first, she seemed hesitant if it was the truth, but the more
we talked, the more it seemed she believed me. I felt kindred to Sarah and
connected to her in that we were doing the same thing (loving on the homeless)
but in different ways. Sarah left her architectural job and her boyfriend to
come to Austin. MLF has a 27-acre property called Community First that houses
and supports homeless people in Austin and other areas of central Texas. Sarah
is going to live on the property for 3 months and immerse herself in that
community. “I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and stepping out in faith. This
is a God-move.” I gave her a “Hope” rock and my card so we can stay connected.
Sarah has a beautiful heart that loves the beautiful people on the streets.
My friend, Elaine, had invited me to her church as well this
morning. I had lost track of time at church under the bridge and was running
late to church in a building. Was still being fueled by the adrenaline of
having spent such a concentrated amount of time on the streets yesterday and
then this morning. The drive to the outskirts of Austin was a blur and I got
lost trying to find Life Church. Finally seeing the property, I pulled in and
just sat in my truck, my body present, though my heart and mind still downtown.
The service was almost over when I finally walked in and found a seat in the
back row. After the last song was over, the congregation got up and Elaine saw
me. We hugged and I could have stayed in that embrace a long time. I was
exhausted… in every way.
Elaine invited me back to her and Mike’s abode. We ate lunch
that comprised of delicious dinner food. Sensing I needed some down time by
myself in a safe, quiet place, Elaine and Mike spent time together around their
house and I went upstairs to write and relax. For 3-4 hours, my mind caught up
with my body. It’s been interesting to be so deeply undercover homeless on the
streets and then to be with friends at a real house. It’s similar to a pinball
machine… going from one environment to another. In a sense, it’s
cross-cultural. Stark differences. The hardest part of Austin had been that I
have grown so close to many of the guys on the streets. Like really close. I
carry them around in my heart and grieve for them. My emotions are kept at bay
while with them, but when I’m away from them, the emotions resurface with
higher intensity. Laying on the soft upstairs bed, I felt heavy, disassociated,
and just plain off. It was hard to be still, though that was what was needed.
When I walked into the Schlung’s house that afternoon, I
only brought in my backpack, but in actuality, I was bringing in a lot more
baggage than that. Elaine saw those invisible bags. When I ambled down the
stairs, she was sitting on the couch and I joined her on an adjacent one. We
talked for a long time about the past, the present and the future. Chapters
from both of our life-stories were shared. I was able to unpack some of the
emotional baggage that was weighing me down. It was around 6:30 when a familiar
urge came over me… to bolt and let the pinball machine catapult me back to the streets.
Told Elaine I needed a cigarette and then would be leaving. She told me I was
welcome to stay, but the urge to leave was strong. Though it was my flesh that
wanted to go, not the Spirit leading me to leave. Big difference! Went out to
sit in Tumbler and it was there that the Spirit spoke in an almost audible
voice, “Do not leave. Stay here. Guard yourself from going too deep. Know when
to pull out.” I was talking out loud to Him and we went back and forth with the
near argument. He kept repeating to stay here and stay guarded. I finally relented.
Walked back inside with my pillow and overnight bag. Met Elaine in the living
room and told her what the Holy Spirit had told me regarding to be guarded.
Tears built up in her eyes and she said, “Katie, all day, I have been hearing
the Spirit say that you need to ‘be guarded.’” Friends, that is what you call
confirmation. I stayed at the Shlung’s safe haven that night and would learn
more about “being guarded” and listening to the sovereign voice of the Spirit
of when to go deep and when to pull out in the next two days.
Sometimes you can do more by doing less.
Unshakable Peace and Purpose
Cling to the Rock
Psalm 18:1-2
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