Aubrey Clement's Experience

I must say that I had an interesting experience, which certainly left me shaken and confused.

I was going about my day running family and business errands that brought me to the Canyon Road exit at 512, where time and time again I have seen men and women sitting by the roadside asking for help or handouts of any kind. Time and time again I sped on past without a look or even a glance in their direction. Often thinking to myself that they really don’t need it or if I gave them money they would use it in an inappropriate way.

Today was a different day……as I came to a stop at the light the man that I am sure I ignored so many times before was right next to me. God spoke to me in that moment that I wasn’t going to pass this man again without doing something for him. As the light turned green I asked God to lead me in what to do. Warm lunch, it’s cold outside he needs a warm lunch. So I went to the nearest store and bought chicken noodle soup (the warm fresh kind you can get any day for a quick lunch at Safeway) a bottle of water and a Kit- Kat bar. I actually purchased two meals one for the man sitting on the opposite exit ramp too. On my way back I noticed that the second man was gone and so I decided that I would give both meals to the gentleman I had seen first. Unable to go down the exit ramp, I had to pull just ahead, pull off to the right and put my four ways on and cross the street to deliver the meal. As I stood waiting for the light to change, loud voices from the cars nearby started to fill the air…..asking me if I was going to give what I had in my hand to THAT GUY?

“Yes”, I said.

“Don’t do it” was his response “he makes more money than we do”.

“I don’t know that” I replied and kept walking. As I delivered the meal to the nameless man, I placed my hand on his back and said lunch is on me. As I started back to my car again people were calling out from their cars, voices filled the air…asking “why was I doing that?” “He is a scam artist and he doesn’t need it,” and “I can’t believe you gave him money.”

As I got in my car and drove off a flood of emotion came over me and I can’t quite tell you how I felt at that moment. Why did these people care so much that I was helping this man? What did Jesus go through to help others? I was not prepared for the reaction I got from others, but the man said thank you, and that was all I needed to hear.

Aubrey Clement