Handout Update

My #1 thing I ask God: keep me useful.  Make me, and keep me useful.  I will do whatever it takes to share You, just show me Your will.

I am filthy, tired, sunburned, and battling a headache, but it's worth it.

Normally I get a ride to the Handout, on paratransit, thanks to my husband.  However, he was angry at me today and refused to arrange a ride.

Fine, I thought.  I'll go on the bus.  Important point: I normally never take the bus to a handout, although I did for years when I was starting.

I had my 80 Bibles strapped into my handcart and in my shoulder bag.  I almost forgot the sign :pound but God reminded me.  I've got a handcart, a sign, and a shoulder bag.

I head out to the bus stop.  The minute I get to the intersection, I am approached by a strange man.  Vietnamese.  Drunk.  I give him a Bible, and he takes it.  He's confused, but he puts it carefully in his bag and pushes his shopping cart down the street.

I get on the bus.  The driver is kind of gaping at me (usual), and I give him a Bible.  He asks about the history and I tell him, and remind him I'll be praying for him every day.

A spanish-speaking woman gets on.  I ask "Espanol?"  and she nods.  I give her a Spanish New Testament.  She takes it and starts looking through it.

I get a funny feeling as we approach "my" corner.  I have a feeling I won't be working it today.

Yup.  Two filthy men are begging on my corner.  I see the other side is clear, so I ask the driver to drop me directly across the street.  In the meantime, he has to pick up his passengers - the ones I would have walked right past to MY corner.

One gets on.  She is clearly having a bad day.  "It's my birthday!" she laments.  I reach into my bag.  "Happy Birthday!  I have a present for you!"  She is thrilled.  The driver grins.

[none of these people would have been reached if I had done my usual routine]  The recipients thank me as I get off.

I have an easy time getting to this median.  I'm ready to go and hold up my sign.  Immediately I get a taker.  In fact, this side of the street has an unusually long cycle.  It's at least a couple of minutes long, cars parked and idling.  When the light changes, I barely have time to get back to the corner before they stop again.

I start at the corner and walk down.  Lots of recipients.

My favorites:
One guy who parked behind me, and honked his horn until I came over.  He wanted 3.  He was a punker.

Another lady who got so excited, when the light changed she hung an illegal u-turn and laid on the horn, until I came over and got her.

Lots of Spanish.  It seemed like all I had to do was wave the Bible and they wanted it.    If I wasn't sure, I offered them a choice of English or Spanish.

I got some executive types, in big fancy SUV's.

I had a biker chick, wanted one.

I had several gang members, I could tell from the tattoos and clothing.  They were very intrigued and amused that [I]I[/I] wanted to give them Bibles, but they were happy to take them.

My favorite - Mom and kids in the car, everyone gets a Bible.  I had several of them.

I had one guy who told me he was saved, but wanted 2 to give to some friends who were coming over for dinner that night.

One guy wasn't interested, until he saw me picking up my trash and bagging it.  Then he wanted a Bible.  A good reminder to mind my witness!

I had a couple of couples, they just wanted one, but I teasingly told them I had to give a Bible to everyone in the car.  They liked that.

If they weren't a recipient, they all seemed to be on their devices, texting, checking e-mail, whatever.  I reminded myself some would probably be very upset if they did "see" me, so God used it to protect me.

I had one lady who was somewhat reluctant.  I told her "I'm a born-again, and God will get me if I hand out anything weird!"  Then she wanted one for herself and her son.

A couple people said no, if it wasn't KJV they didn't want it.  But I'm pretty sure they had a Bible anyway.

I gave one to one of the guys begging.  He walked across the median and intersected with me.  He took it and put it away carefully.

Probably the most interesting was the carload of young women.  They took the Bibles, and then one said "We are Santana" - devil worshippers.  I said "I'll be praying", they laughed, and drove off.  We'll let Hebrews 4:12 do the heavy lifting.

I had a couple of truckloads of day-laborers.  Everyone got a Bible.  In fact, after I finished, I was sitting at the bus stop (!) and a carload pulled up right in front of me.  I only had a couple left, all Spanish.  I handed them to the foreman through the open window and told him they were free.  He started passing them around.

So far, 8 people got reached because I "had" to take the bus!

No, 9 total.  I went to McDonald's afterward.  I was a little goofy and dehydrated, and the manager was incredibly kind to me.  I made sure she got my second to last Spanish.

Oh, and the last one?  A gang member in an afro, wearing "crips" colors.  God impressed on me to give him my last Bible, which I was saving for the driver.  I walked up to him and said "Excuse me.  You're going to think I'm crazy, but I'd like to give you a New Testament".  He was very surprised, and thanked me as he took it.

A very productive handout.  I'm glad God could use me.

Here it comes:  Please pray for the recipients!