I remember it like it was yesterday.
I was on the train in Boston on my way to a lecture at Harvard. I was sitting between two of my friends in my class that were going with me. We were minding our own business, talking about how we were going to get lost at Harvard looking for the classroom that our lecture would be in.
And that's when my world changed.
A homeless man got aboard the train and takes a seat one down from my friend on my right.
I was some what intrigued because I had just spent that past summer working in Vancouver, B.C. at Mission Possible, a "Christian humanitarian agency providing, meaningful work, access to safe and secure housing, and a transformational community – leading to healthier life" http://www.mission-possible.ca/
At Mission Possible is where I first was exposed to heart breaking homelessness and poverty. The homeless people I met in Vancouver helped me shape my love for human beings in a Christ-like way. Their stories just flat out interested me. I would just sit and listen to their past, their views on the American government, oh and they would always like to bring up the War of 1812, they like to think Canada won, I let them go with on thinking that.
Any way, since that summer I had been waiting for an opportunity to engage a homeless person in a conversation and seemed like November 5th, 2009, was just the day I was waiting for.
I was thinking of what I should say to the man when he pulled out a bottle of liquor and started drinking it on the train.
As the homeless man was drinking, a young man, probably early thirties, nicely dressed in a North Face jacket and North Face hat, yelled to the homeless across the train
"Hey quit *expletive* drinking, there are children on the train!"
…excuse me sir, but I'm sure the small children will recognize your nasty mouth before they realize this guy is drinking, but any way…
They keep exchanging expletives, making every one in the train very uncomfortable.
At one point the homeless man wipes an open cut on his hand on the seat beside him,
The young well off guy yells, "Don't go spreading your HIV infected blood everywhere."
More expletives.
The homeless man takes out his bottle of liquor and starts drinking again.
Then it gets physical.
The young man starts grabbing the homeless guy's wrist and the bottle and exchange more expletives. They are struggling over the bottle and finally the young guy lets go.
The young guy sits down across the train and yells back across,
"What stop are getting off at?"
Homeless guy, "Downtown Crossing."
"Me too," says the young guy.
At this point, I'm sitting a couple seats down from the homeless guy thinking…
Is this guy really going to beat up this drunk homeless man?
Am I going to get off the train and break up the fight?
Am I going to say anything?
What if I miss this lecture?
WHAT DO I DOOOOOO?
After all these questions are asked in my head. The young guy gets off a stop before Downtown Crossing, and all his smack talking, he just leaves.
At this point, I'm relieved that nothing happened.
My friend sitting beside me, turns to me and says she's uncomfortable and would like to move down the train some. I say, "no, just switch seats with me."
So now I'm sitting right beside the homeless guy. I'm trying to think of the homeless people in Vancouver, how did I talk to them? What should I say? I want to talk about Jesus, but how?
Then the man takes back out his bottle and starts drinking again.
Then it just comes out.
"You really shouldn't drink on the train," I said in a soft voice.
"I know, but it makes me feel better," says the homeless man in a vulnerable voice.
"I know it makes you feel better, but you really shouldn't drink on the train."
"Well, since you asked nicely I'll put it away."
"Thank you."
"Do you know Jesus?" Well. Guess who asked that question? I certainly didn't. The homeless man asked me if I knew Jesus. I was kind of shocked at the turn this conversation took so quickly.
"Yes, yes I do."
"I can tell, there's something in your eyes. I knew you were a Christian."
We exchange names and get a good laugh that his name is Barry and my name is Mary and they rhyme. We start talking about everything, God, Boston, family, and life. He tells me he has no family. He has no place to go. He has no friends. Pretty soon there are tears in both of our eyes when Barry says the words that have transformed my view of people,
"All I want is to love and to be loved."
At that moment, the train stopped at Downtown Crossing. Barry grabbed his belongings and said,
"Thank you for talking to me Mary, God bless you." And that was it, he got off the train, and in all my encounters in Boston since November 5th, 2009, I haven't seen him since.
Tears start pouring down my face. How true of all human beings is this? in life, all we want is to love on other people and for people to love us in return. That person at work that rubs you the wrong way, just wants to love and to be loved. The bully that made fun of you in middle school, just wants to love and to be loved. That's all any one wants.
To love
and to be
loved.
When I am thinking of other human beings and how I treat them, how I talk about them, how I feel about them. I just need to simply remember that all everyone wants is to love and to be loved, and it makes loving them like Jesus a little easier.
I know that all I want out of life is to love and to be loved.
And I think if you think about it, and really examine yourself, that's all you really want too.
I'm just trying to spread love.
That's why I'm going on the World Race.
