El Niño storms pounded the downtown streets of  San Diego this Monday night but that didn't stop the Streets of Hope volunteers from coming out to make sandwiches and care packages to feed the homeless.

Underneath The C Street Bridge in Downtown San Diego (92101)

Sometimes when it rains in downtown San Diego the Streets of Hope will change our meeting location from the Smart and Final to the C Street bridge located at 17th Street and C Street, 92101. Underneath the bridge provides us the space to set up our tables and begin to make care packages to pass out to the homeless. In addition, many of San Diego's homeless sleep under the bridge to avoid the pouring rain. However, this night the skies started off blue when we met up at the Smart and Final downtown to feed the homeless with the plan being to move to underneath the C Street bridge if the rain started again.

Making Care Packages for the Homeless

About 20 of us showed up and began our every Monday process of making care packages for San Diego's homeless. Tonight we had high-quality ham sandwiches and other goodies in the bags. After preparing about 75 bags we walked the streets and began meeting San Diego's homeless.

Many weren't on the streets tonight since the San Diego homeless providers who offer housing opened their doors and allowed more than they normally would tonight because of the rain. But the homeless who were on the streets had their tarps and tents over their stuff.

Meet Homeless Man Vinny

Tonight we met Vinny who quickly had our attention with his sharp stories and positive spirit. He was genuinely amazed at our graciousness to come and sit with him in the rain.  He swore we were angels and asked several times just to make sure.  We got to tell him that we are just normal broken people that believe in a God who calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Streets of Hope volunteer, Nathan, gave Vinny his rain jacket to keep dry, which left Vinny speechless for a moment.  Another Streeets of Hope volunteer, David, made plans to come see Vinny again before next Monday's visit.  Vinny has a plan of action to get himself out of this state of homelessness on the streets and we are looking forward to helping him.

Meet Homeless Man Blake

Blake had a tent tonight but was standing underneath a tree staying dry. When we approached him he gladly took a bag and asked us to pray for him for a million dollars; we laughed. Then he seriously asked us to pray for him and his wife Kelly who had been married for almost 6 years! He was so happy to talk about all the great things he had in life. You can see Blake in the photo.

Meet Homeless Man Henry Chris

We met a great guy named Henry Chris downtown on the wet streets. He had two shopping cards about 6 feet apart and a blue tarp pulled taunt between them to make a dry shelter underneath. As we walk by these makeshift homes and tents, we ask them if they want any of our care packages. Passing by Henry Chris' shelter, he pulled back his tarp and invited us to talk to him.

He told us this hard-to-hear story about his broken family and the pain which led him to homelessness on the streets in downtown San Diego. We offered him one of our care-packages and prayer. He desperately wanted prayer for his mother, Beatrice, who has fibromyalgia and lupus. After we prayed for him, it began to rain hard, and with a smile and some laughter he invited us into his little cubbyhole between the shopping carts. Of course we couldn't go in -the space barely fit him! We talked some more before we continued walking.

Photos of the Homeless Downtown San Diego

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