Sheltered in the Bell

Ninety days free of charge

Our anonymous service-user

Monitored half-hourly

For the sake of others.

 

Housed in Alegria

And allowed to stay

On indefinite tenure

While hope is born

In vulnerability.

 

Registered under a Red Shield

Around the Lakers’ basket

Competition without combat

Bringing peace

To the streets.

 

     Walked down Hollywood

     On the pavement of fame

     Past theatres of a million images

     With footprints scarred

     In solidified sand.

 

     Processed past fourteen stations

     Around Forest Lawns

     To take up a cross

     On a hundred foot canvas

     While others watch.

 

     Paraded with roses down Pasadena

     Sharing the excitement of past experience

     Over cappuccino at Starbucks -

     Our own Grand Marshall

     A cut above the rest.

 

January 2010

 

‘Where is Christ?’ was a question as we visited several Salvation Army programmes in Los Angeles – The Bell Shelter, Alegria and The Red Shield Youth & Community Centre.

 

The question continued as we visited other parts of Los Angeles, including Hollywood, The Crucifixion at Forest Lawns Cemetery and then watched Captain Chesley Sullenberger III being honoured as Grand Marshall in the parade of The Tournament of Roses, with its 2010 theme: A Cut above the Rest.

 

But sometimes it was just over a cup of coffee together that we sensed His presence.

Click here for photographs while in Los Angeles