Mobile Loaves & Fishes Blog

Ed on God

Hi there, Brian here. It's been a while since I blogged. I switched the day I serve the homeless of Austin from Tuesdays to Saturdays. It has been difficult to find time to blog since my move. I started traveling about 4 months ago and this is what forced the switch. I was moved by the Holy Spirit last Saturday and wanted to share my experience. Ed, one of the many homeless men I serve, is an outspoken, outgoing, loud yet gentle man. Ed is always polite and kind. Ed frequently brags of his Mexican heritage, he's a very proud man. Last Saturday I missed Ed during my normal time that I serve the homeless. After the line dwindled and the food disappeared, I offered to take Elvis up the street, so he could get something he needed. When I brought Elvis back to the park, Ed was there. Ed came running up from the gazebo. He just wanted to say hello. Ed looked at me and said, "Brian, I think I made a preacher man mad this morning" "I better not tell you what I told him because I am afraid you too will be angry with me, and I like what you do to help the homeless, so I don't want to make you mad" I urged Ed to share what it was that was on his mind and assured him that I am slow to anger. Ed explained … "I told the preacher man that I didn't believe in God, he asked me to leave when I told him I did in fact believe in Jesus Christ, but not God" I asked Ed how could this be? Jesus is the son of God. Ed continued "I think that if God really did exist, then He would have sacrificed Himself, He would not have made His son do that for Him. Don't you agree as a father that you would much rather die than see your children die, much less your only son?" I carefully constructed my answer. I looked at Ed and I said "You bring up some very good points Ed. I definitely agree I would much rather die for my children rather than see them suffer and die. I can't help to wonder though, what impact would God have on people 2000 years ago leading up to today had He died for our sins in place of His son. My opinion is that God gave of His only begotten son for our sins because this was the ultimate sacrifice. If I were to die for a cause, most people would say, wow that Brian was a really good guy with great morals. Would I be remembered for 2000 years for this? What impact would this have on others?" This conversation got Ed thinking. We continued to talk on the subject and I hope now he has a better understanding now of why God gave His only son for our sins. This made me think of a quote from Mother Teressa. Mother Teressa expressed so powerfully "In the Eucharist I see Christ in the appearance of the bread. In the slums I see Christ in the distressing disguise of the poor. The Eucharist and the poor are but one love for me."

Hunger Is Nonsectarian

This holiday letter, sent to us by Judy Knotts, a friend of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, is a beautiful reminder of what the Holidays are all about.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did here at MLF:

DAVIN CAPITAL CORPORATION


A Christmas Wish

  It wasn’t until I found myself deep in the bowels of Saint Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church staring at an industrial sized refrigerator that I realized why I was there.  Earlier that day in the overflowing pews above, we attended the memorial service of Bob Brimberg.  I was there because in the 1980s Bob and his partner, Carl Jones, adopted me.  I was in my late forties then in the clutches of a bear market.  I needed to know everybody in the investment world; as a result of my association with them, I did.  Bob and Carl took me under their wing and I thought taught me everything and everyone they knew.
   
St. Bartholomew’s was a logical enough choice: close to his home and the pastor even mentioned a friendship born out of communal elevator rides.  This elegant church on the corner of 50th and Park Avenue was, of course, the classic venue for a man of Bob’s stature and influence with the curious exception that Bob was Jewish.

“I need a roast for eight people,” a voice boomed from above.  This was my annual sojourn to the Tiffany’s of New York butcher shops.  It was long before I would ever met Bob, and while, at the time, I still considered myself quite tall, the voice seemed to tower over me in the small sawdust strewn vestibule of Lobel’s shop. 

The voice belonged to Paul Volcker--the then head of the Federal Reserve and our chief warrior against soaring interest rates and runaway inflation.“140 dollars,” the butcher said as he removed a beautiful roast from the scales.  Shifting his weight and reaching for his billfold, the Chairman asked, “Don’t you have anything more reasonable?”  The butcher placed another, smaller roast onto the scales and announced, “68 dollars.”  Pleased yet wary as was his want, the Chairman inquired, “And that will serve eight people?”

“Sure,” smiled the butcher. “Four can eat, and four can watch.” 
This Christmas some will eat and some will watch.

Back in the basement of St. Bartholomew’s, lost somewhere in the gleaming steel of the Rolls Royce of refrigerators, I discovered why Bob chose to bring us all to this church.  The pastor explained to the dozen or so gathered downstairs that he was going to break a promise to Bob.  He told us about the New York City Harvest Program.  He told us how it enabled St. Bartholomew’s to feed some thousand people a day via food donations from restaurants.  However, the supply was unpredictable.  Lacking proper storage space, the church was often forced to discard garbage bags full of spoiled food everyday.

Bob learned of this dilemma during his morning elevator ride and without reservation or commendation purchased the largest commercial “reefer” he could find.  His only condition was that the gift remain anonymous save for a plaque alongside the hulking steel door which reads: Hunger is Nonsectarian.

For many of us this has been a very, very tough year.  For some, awful.  Nevertheless, every year, every season, every day, some eat while others watch.  So as you take a breath and count your blessings as the holiday season tends to demand, I urge you to think about what we can do to bring more people to the table.  With a little help from you, they will never have to watch again.

               All the best of the Season,
               James M. Davin
               President
               ©: 2008

EEEEEK!!! Santa Shaves His Beard!!!!!!

You better watch out, you better not pout, you better not cry i'm telling you why Santa Claus is shaving his beard.  You heard it !  Santa is shaving his beard and gonna post it on EBAY to sell.  Crazy?  Perhaps but what better way for someone to celebrate the year end by purchasing Santa's beard and 100% of the proceeds to go to Mobile Loaves & Fishes to feed the hungry.  People have purchased crazier things on EBAY.  Click here to see the EBAY listing.  And watch the action below as Santa shaves his beard.  Maybe we can get a million views on YouTube?????

Alan Interviews Quita Culpepper of KVUE Here in Austin

It has been a great morning as we did a morning breakfast run taking along with us as our guest Quita Culpepper famed journalist with our ABC affiliate KVUE.  She is working on a story to get people engaged in doing something profound in 2009 by serving others.  This morning we went to Wooldridge Park downtown and were very surprised by the number of people there in the park on a Wednesday morning.  It actually took us by surprise.  Bob & Marylou Batlan and my daughter Taylor Graham joined us.

After Quita had finished interviewing us I popped out the Flip Cam and began to interview her and Woody her photojournalist.  Caught them by surprise so here is the clip.

Remembering Jennifer Gale - Video Clips from Her Memorial Service

Christmas Feast 2008 Videos

Join Us for the Jennifer Gale Memorial Service

Join us to remember Jennifer Gale, advocate for the homeless and homeless herself, who passed away on the cold streets of Austin this past Wednesday morning. 

When: Sunday, December 21st 

Time: 11:00 AM

Where: The Homeless Memorial - between the Gazebo and the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue on the south side of Lady Bird Lake near the intersection of Riverside Drive and South First Street just below Auditorium Shores.

Mobile Loaves & Fishes in collaboration with House the Homeless is organizing this event. Jennifer's death has sparked an outcry of emotion and compassion in our city for the plight of those who are homeless. Your presence here will show a real sign of solidarity for the homeless and our efforts to effect real change in our community. Please come if you can.

In addition to remembering Jennifer we are hoping to bring attention to two issues: 

1. House the Homeless is in the midst of their annual Thermal Underwear Drive to raise funds and awareness about the necessity of keeping warm while living outdoors; and 

2. Mobile Loaves & Fishes' Habitat on Wheels program (www.mlfnow.org/how) which will bring attention to this revolutionary housing concept that would mitigate people dying on the streets.

Last month at the annual Homeless Memorial service founded and hosted by House the Homeless we remembered 136 brothers and sisters who passed away on the streets of Austin over the past year. Please join us for this important event. 

Jennifer Gale Memorial Service

Jennifer Gale perenial candidate for many of Austin's local elected offices and homeless who was discovered dead this past Wednesday morning outside of a local University area church will be memorialized Sunday morning at 11:00 AM on Lady Bird Lake in front of the Homeless Memorial Tree.  The Homeless Memorial is located on the south side of Lady Bird Lake near the intersection of Riverside Drive and South First street between the Gazebo and the Stevie Ray Vaughan statue.  Alan Graham of Mobile Loaves & Fishes will be facilitating the event and we will have food and beverages to share after the service.  Valerie Romness, longtime voice and advocate for the homeless,  will MC the event.

Organized by Richard Troxell founder of House the Homeless the Homeless Memorial is in its 16th year.  Annually (typically in November) many people gather to remember the lives lost on the streets of Austin over the previous year.  This year we remembered over 130 people who lost their lives on the streets.

As we remember Jennifer and her advocacy for many causes Richard wants to highlight two particular issues; one, the annual thermal underwear drive that is underway to provide warmth to those that find themselves with no other alternative than living on the streets and two, to let people know about Mobile Loaves & Fishes' Habitat on Wheels project (www.mlfnow.org/how) that for over four years now has been lifting up the chronically homeless off of the streets of Austin into gently used recreational vehicles.  On the morning that Jennifer passed away on the streets over 40 formerly homeless people were resting warmly and securely in their RV's.

Join us if you can but regardless please remember the life and soul of Jennifer Gale who through her death has ignited the compassion of this great city we call Austin.

-Alan

Christmas: Every Time You Let God Love Others Through You

Mother Teresa said that “it is Christmas every time you let God love others through you…Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand.”

Mobile Loaves & Fishes has a new (and fun) way to make it Christmas for our those on the streets: Santa's Cause-eCards With A Mission.  You can send each card to up to 9 of your friends while making a contribution in the fight against hunger this holiday season. 

These awesome eCards feature MLF President and Co-Founder Alan Graham dressed as Santa in places like Austin, New Orleans, The Alamo, and Nashville!

Austin-area blogger-extraordinaire Omar Gallaga took a shine to the idea, you can read what he has to say about it (and check out the rest of his great blog) here. 

And you can check the eCards themselves out here--Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Open Letter to the Austin City Council

On the morning that Jennifer Gale passed away there were 40 formerly chronically homeless people resting comfortably, safely and securely in their recreational vehicles in RV Parks throughout Austin. I want you to know that Mobile Loaves & Fishes stands ready, willing and able--in collaboration with the City of Austin and many others--to ensure that those who are chronically homeless have an affordable, sustainable and permanent place to call home.

For more than four years now Mobile Loaves & Fishes has been lifting people off of the streets of Austin into high-quality gently used recreational vehicles. Of all of those we have placed into RVs more than 85% continue to remain housed and their lives permanently transformed. Austin is transformed as well. Habitat on Wheels (www.mlfnow.org/how) is no longer a concept but a time-tested and proven new way to affordably house our chronically homeless. This project will be fully wrapped in services to ensure that every resident has the opportunity to rediscover their purpose in life and become productive citizens of the community we all love.

All we need is the land with entitlements and a transportation link and Mobile Loaves & Fishes will commit to raise, from private sources, the $5,000,000 necessary to develop this project. With the estimated population of chronically homeless in our community at about 1,000 we can essentially mitigate this problem within five years. Austin can become the beacon in the United States of how cities can successfully tackle this pressing issue.

-Alan