Paul

Paul is in his 90's and once served on the board of Seattle's Union Gospel Mission. I was out for a run this morning, and "ran" into him at the Southeast Seattle Senior Center, where he was waiting for the Seattle's Union Gospel Mission Senior Ministries Bus to come and pick him up and take him to Park Place for Bible Study. Park Place is an assisted living facility adjacent to Seattle's Union Gospel Mission administrative headquarters on Myrtle St.

Paul and I talked about him wheeling his electric scooter into Rainier Avenue Church, my place of worship, which he has attended several times. Paul is a Senior who is staying active and finishing strong. When I'm 90, I want to be out and about in the community engaging and getting to know God better, gathering to worship him.

Nicklesville

"I've been here 6 weeks," said Amber, a cute 25? year old with immaculate amber hair pulled back in a braid and a small tattoo on her wrist that said "Serenity." She was working security at Nicklesville, one of Seattle's tent cities currently located in Skyway on MLK and Monster Road. She and her boyfriend have recently set up camp with the other 100 residents which includes a few kids, dogs, and many adults. 3 Port-a-potties and 2 generators, no running water, a charcoal grill, a shared cell phone, and a trash container are the furnishings of this sparse quilt of dometents and tarps. Tex, a tent-city veteran of 14 years, said "I like to stick up for the misfits," and with a smile, "I am a misfit." They said they need blankets, food, and cash to pay the garbage and portapotty bill--about $2000/mo. And pallets to set up their tents on to prevent flooding.

I wonder if I could host 100 people in my back yard for $2000/mo. I wonder if Jesus ever stayed in a tent city when he was a refugee, camping along the road on the way to or from Egypt.