Parishioner's Park

We call it Parishioner's Park. It's a good sized gazebo nestled in a little park just off of south Congress, near downtown Austin. Homeless people go there a lot.

Many nights, as Marvin and I are driving the streets of Austin handing out peanut butter sandwiches and new pairs of socks, we find people sleeping, drinking, eating, contemplating life, staring out into space or even laying down on the Gazebo wondering what is to become of them or what's next in their lives.

Why did we name it Parishioner's Park? The first person we met there was Joseph. He had what they call a 'tall boy' in a small brown paper bag he was using for a koozie. He was very friendly, was a young man with an unkept beard and a stocky build. We talked awhile and he showed us his latest treasure....a wadded up rock star t-shirt in his back pack that someone had given him.

We talked to him for a while and gave him a sandwich. Marvin told him there were two (2) kinds of people that liked to drink beer out of a brown paper bag.....those that were saved and those that were about to be saved and which one was he? He said he had already been saved as a boy and when Marvin asked him if he'd like us to pray with him, he said yes.

After our prayers he announced that his name was in the Bible and that he'd like to hug Marvin's pretty wife. Marvin said that he was the only one that got to hug his wife but that he would be glad to give him a hug if he still wanted one. Joseph said yes. He was so drunk that it was almost funny watching him trying to get enough control over himself to stand up for his hug. Marvin embraced him with all the love of a brother and Joseph was contented.

As Marvin and I were leaving we remarked at how amazed we were that we always came away from those experiences feeling more blessed than the people we sought out to bless.

The next time we visited the park, John was there. Listening to the Spirit's urgings, I stayed in the car and Marvin went alone to visit with this man sitting all by himself in the dimmly lit Gazebo. As he approached him, John wanted to know if he was mad at him and then laughed saying he just wanted to know if he needed to protect himself or not. Marvin assured him he was not mad and asked if he was hungry. As he talked to him, John was so appreciative of the food and socks, and proudly said that his name was in the Bible. But.......it didn't stop there.

Our next visit to the park, there were several people sitting around the Gazebo. One of their names was Mark and as you've already guessed, he was proud to tell us his name was in the Bible. After we had prayed with them, given all of them something to eat and a new pair of socks, we left. Marvin remarked we should start calling that place Parishioner's Park because so far everyone we had met there had a biblical name and had reminded us that their names were in the Bible.

There are more stories to tell about our adventures with God, but they'll have to wait for another time. The next time you see a gazebo sitting nestled in greenery and trees, think about Parishioner's Park and pray with us that God will continue to show His love, mercy, and hope through you and through us every day in some way. Shalom....Diana and Marvin