Who Have You Thrown Away? Sacramento, CA

We got to Sacramento in the early evening (another great hotel at a cheap price; God is Good!) While we were driving to Sacramento, we were calling my friend Joy whom I’d met through a new friend I’d met in Fresno CA. Joy is a retired ordained Lutheran Minister. I’d talked to her a few weeks before andwe’d planned to try to meet because she does a homeless ministry in Discovery Park in Sacramento. 

Ministry in Discovery Park

Multi-tasking as we do, as we were driving, we were also calling for a church where we could go to Maundy Thursday services as Kathy really didn’t want to miss that part of Holy Week. We’d located a Presbyterian Church, and we could just make the service. 

Then Joy returned my call. She only does her outreaches on Wednesday so we were going to miss it. She was going out of town on Thursday so I was sad because I’d really looked forward to meeting her and helping with her ministry. A short time later, while we were still driving, she called back again saying a friend of hers was having a special outreach the day after we were to get there and that she was going to change her own schedule so she could meet us after all.

After that call we were pulling into Sacramento looking for the church. We found it with 5 minutes to spare. We hurried inside and discovered they were having a Seder too! It was a bit different than David and Lori’s Seder had been but exciting just the same. We even got to sit with the Pastor and his wife who’d only been back in their hometown for about a year. The food was good, the celebration was good and after the meal we went into the sanctuary for a short play put on by the youth about Jesus, His disciples and the night of His arrest. We loved it so much we decided to come back the next evening for the Good Friday Services. 

We got up the next morning and met Joy at 9 a.m. at Discovery Park along with Joy’s friends who were doing the ministry that day in the park. The group of volunteers met and prayed together before going to the actual spot at which they were going to serve food to the homeless. We helped set up, and Joy introduced us around. 

Kathy got in the line to serve and Joy introduced me to a guy named Larry that they call Preacher Larry. Joy said “you need to get to know this guy, he can tell you stories about the homeless.” I spent the entire time of the outreach that day with Larry as we spoke about our missions, and he introduced me to the homeless, and we prayed with many people that day. 

The thing about Larry is that he was homeless for many years but now lives in his van. The longer I spoke to him, the more I knew I wanted to interview him. More on that later. He had told me about different homeless people that lived around Discovery Park and cautioned me to be careful there because, especially at night, things change and it can be dangerous. He agreed to let me interview him, so as we were leaving the next day we set up a time to meet the next morning. He mentioned he had friends he wanted me to interview, too, as they had some unique stories. 

Back to Joy. I told you she was an ordained minister but did I tell you she’s had quite the interesting life herself. She’s had her pit stories just as most of us have. She is now divorced and lives in an RV and barely makes it month to month but, boy, is she on fire for God. She has some special gifts from the Lord. She also is the author of a book called “White Trash Redeemed.” Her story is compelling. You can get it at Amazon (kindle).

NOW ONTO STORIES FROM THE STREET: 

I mentioned Larry early, whom we met in Discover Park. Just like most of the people we meet, Larry lived some wild days in his youth, in a while neighborhood, with wild friends. He was born in Wyoming, but raised in Sacramento in tough, poor neighborhoods. Due to his sometimes violent and drug-filled life, Larry has lived over 20 years (total) of his life in prison. But then God shook him up, and he discovered that God was the Savior. 

Now Larry is an activist for the homeless on the streets. His mission is to bring attention to the nation and the world. Larry said some things that were pretty profound. He said,

 “You can help, love, enrich your own humanity by loving and helping.”  

 “One person you throw away could be the person that could have helped you or your family some day in life.”  

“We need to have mercy and compassion on your brothers and sisters out here in the cold.” 

One thing we know about the homeless; no one has the same story, everyone has a different story, many are similar, the variables are infinite, some want to be here, but many desperately want out and don’t have first idea of how to get off the streets. 

Larry introduced us to many wonderful street people: artists, musicians, other street preachers. There’s a lot of talent on the streets and they just need a chance. People want to work, but most of the time people see they are homeless and won’t give them a chance. So all they are doing is keeping them homeless. 

Larry and his friends have a brigade called, The Society, to help advocate for the homeless. It is people on the Streets in Sacramento trying to make a difference for the Homeless on the streets. They have a garden they come to and fellowship. (They really put a garden in to keep it nice and make a peaceful place to have community. They do go to meetings on the topics of the Homeless at city hall. Larry really tries to help by giving the side of the homeless and show they are people and worthy of good things just like the rich or the better off. 


Before I sign off, can I ask you to help me?  The biggest part of our mission is getting the word out about the homeless.  Would you commit to sharing each story on your social media pages?  Every reader is one more person who is taking the journey with me?  

If you'll commit to doing that, would you simply tell me so in the comments?  It means so much to me to know that you are riding along with me!

Love ya, 

Sammie