Further reflections on Easter at Occidental Square

Did I mention the man named John who was in Hurrican Katrina, rescued by a motorboat and put on a bus to Texas?
Somehow he ended up in Seattle....?
Easter he asked anyone who would listen to pray for him to get back home to New Orleans.

So, at the end of our Celebration, I asked myself the question, "What would stop us from sending him home?"
I thought of the verse "Do not withhold good from those that it is in your power to give."
The only reason that I could think of was that he could sell the ticket for drugs, but he definitely didn't seem the type.

We had the money.
We had the ability to drive him to the bus station.
We had a great celebration and this would be the icing on the cake of extending Jesus' love and presence.

So, we loaded up our soaking wet bodies and drove the Greyhound Bus station.

It was a very eye opening experience.

First, they had one person working in the entire bus station. Second, they did not have a posting of the schedule or prices anywhere. We were entirely at the mercy of the woman showing up to help the next customer before we could find out the information we were seeking.

But, this is the kicker. It costs more to go on a one way bus trip to New Orleans than to fly. It also takes 2 1/2 days to get there.

So, why would anyone take a bus over a plane?
After all, most of the people I know fly all the time and often to very far away places.
My own husband commutes to San Francisco for his job.
Here is the answer I came to: do you agree?

You need a credit card and a license to fly.

If a person is homeless, it is unlikely that they will own a credit card. It is also unlikely that they will ever obtain a drivers license. So, their choice becomes the bus. One of the great divides of life, along with technology, between the haves and the have nots.

After hearing how long the trip would take, my friend who took John with me asked him, "Are you okay with the length of time to get to New Orleans?" John's answer was, "Sure, I will be sitting down and dry for the whole trip."

Another perspective on life from one whom Jesus loves. John, welcome home!