Monday, December 11, 2006

Monday 11th Dec 06

First Day :)

I enjoyed Church last night, and had some friends come and give me some prayer and support afterwards, which was great. One person gave me $5 to pass on to another needy person (still yet to do) and another gave me three custard tarts for the journey, thanks! It was just getting dark as I started my walk into the city. It took many hours as I stopped to say a prayer for the city every 10 steps. (I stopped and prayed [short ones] while crossing the roads, and made really quick steps either side of the prayer!) It was about 11pm when I got to Flinders St Station and I sat down on the steps. There were two people next to me: A 'Goth' girl who said I was evil as the cross on my top was the correct way up, (huh?) and a very drunk fellow who kept saying, "Bless you brother," and wouldn't stop shaking my hand. I offered a custard tart, but ended up having to eat them myself.

Walking around the city for an hour I was then tired and lay down on a bench next to a Church, but after 1/2hr it started to rain lightly and so I had to seek some shelter. I walked up to a park on the edge of the CBD that had a small building/shelter with benches undercover. I lay down and went to sleep, but kept waking up every so often as the bench was so hard and I had to change positions to stop my body from going numb. Actually my mind could not escape it as I had a dream in which I had been sleeping on the bench for a week and my whole body was so numb and dead from stiffness I was physically unable to move and get off the bench. In the dream three lawyers came along and bemoaned as to why no-one had removed this wasting body from the bench, but then a good lawyer came along and sent them away and put me on a softer bench and started massaging feeling back into my body to help me. (All kind of like the Good Samaritan story).

I woke up at first light, and noticed there were 3 other homeless people sleeping nearby at the other corner of the building. I didn't disturb them and went back into the city. Walking back in I felt quite strange, like I should be heading off to work or something! For the first time I didn't really have a specific goal to head towards. And I felt a bit silly wearing the big white cross on my top, walking by people. At Flinders Station again I stood and observed people for a few hours, and no-one paid me any attention. I just prayed for peace on people as they walked by. Then I went into St. Pauls and listened to the Choir for a while, and then wandered around the city a bit. I decided not to enter any shops for now so that I don't go looking for distractions. It's a bit cold and windy and I also visited St. Francis's Cathedrial for some prayer, before ending up here at the State Library, which has free internet (after a wait) to keep you all informed:)

I am a bit at a loss about what to do next, as to where the homeless and marginalized people hang during the day... but I will wander around some more and see what happens...

3 comments:

Yardas said...

I hope everything goes well and you stay safe mate. I'll be thinking of ya. I might even say a prayer, though I probably wouldn't know where to start. Take care. Andrew.

Kate said...

Winter and I talked to Jesus about you today and I wondered frequently what you were doing. Fear not. Nothing can separate you from the love of God.

Apostropher said...

As we gave thanks for our meal last night, Mr Christopher, we thought of you and what, if anything, you'd be eating that night. The issues of those on the margin had a sudden fresh immediacy...