St. Louis, MO

I have enjoyed my time in St. Louis! I arrived on Saturday and will leave tomorrow morning. Unlike my first three stops, being in St. Louis has allowed me to add a bit of tourism to my journey. When I got here, my friend, Sam, took me to see the arch and treated me to lunch. After we got back, I unpacked and settled in for my extended stay. On Sunday, we went to Mass at the Basilica in St. Louis. Following Mass, we met our friend, Preston, for lunch and a trip around the zoo. While I appreciate all the new people I am meeting and the new friends that I am making, it was great to see some familiar faces from Saint Mary’s University!

While the first two days in town were eventful, my evenings were spent trying to get reorganized and prepared for the next stops along the journey. As you might imagine, packing everything you need for a seven month road trip into a tiny car can be quite the challenge. Since I had some extra time, I was able to sort through some clothes, seeing what I could donate in order to clear some space in the car. After reorganizing my belongings and downsizing my wardrobe, I was able to look ahead to some of my upcoming stops and send some emails to make sure I will have places to stay. Lots of planning still has to be done, but progress has definitely been made!

Yesterday, I decided to do a different form of volunteering. Rather than doing service through an organization, I chose to see what I could do on my own. I filled my backpack with Chex Mix and some cold water bottles and set out to find some people who could really use a snack, a cold drink, and a friend!

After a short drive, I saw a homeless man with a sign standing alone on the street corner. Once I turned the corner, I parked my car, grabbed my backpack and headed back to introduce myself to him (his name was Anthony). I explained my situation and offered him some cold water and Chex Mix. He graciously accepted the offer. After setting him up with the snacks, I asked if I could stay with him on the corner and keep him company… That offer was respectfully declined. After wishing Anthony well, I set out to find someone else in need.

Although I was feeling good about providing Anthony with a snack, I left that encounter disappointed that he wasn’t interested in having much of a conversation with me. After walking a few blocks, I met a woman named Sherry at an intersection. Holding a sign of her own, Sherry was hunched over her walker with the assistance of a back brace. After introducing myself, I asked if I could keep her company for a while. She kindly welcomed the opportunity!

Like many others who are left asking for help on the street corners, Sherry had fallen on hard times. An infection had left her spine so weak that it broke in half. Following her surgery, she could not afford any more treatment, including the antibiotics that she was supposed to be on. She also cannot afford a place to stay. With no other options, she has resorted to sitting on the corner, begging for help. She told me that the day before I met her, she was outside for seven hours and only collected four dollars. As if that was not bad enough, she told me about all of the times that people drove by and cussed at her, made obscene gestures, threw things, and took pictures of her. Although I couldn’t offer her much, I assured her that the prayers of all the people following along with me on my journey would be much more beneficial than anything I could have given her. So please, keep Sherry in your prayers!

Enjoying the time that I spent with Sherry, I set out to find one more person who could use some cold water. After wandering through the park for about an hour, trying to find my way to somewhere that I had seen before, I ran into a homeless man named Jesse. I stopped him and asked for directions to the zoo, which is where he said he was headed. Like Anthony and Sherry, I offered him water and Chex Mix. He took the water, but passed on the Chex Mix because he was allergic to something in it. After we walked and talked for a few minutes, I thanked him for his assistance and company and we went our separate ways.

Today was meant to be used mostly for planning, but I decided to take some time to try to find the three people I encountered yesterday. Unable to find a decent parking spot, I continued to drive the same route that I walked along yesterday. While I couldn’t find Anthony or Jesse, I found Sherry in the same spot as the day before. Although the color of the stoplight dictated the length of our interaction, I was still able to call her by name and give her a cold bottle of water, something that she really appreciated.

My interactions over the past two days were a good reminder for us to appreciate what we have. So many people have no roof over their head and don’t know where their next meal is coming from, a situation which most of us have never been in. Thank God for what you have and care for those who are less fortunate! Please especially keep Anthony, Sherry, and Jesse in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you to Sam and Ann for your hospitality and to Preston for treating me to lunch. And thank you to all of you who have been supporting me and praying for me throughout this journey. This would not be possible without you!