This past weekend we worked with a local ministry called Street Pastors. They are teams of church workers and ministers that have trained with police and other community organizations to help care for people in rough shape on the streets around the time the bars and clubs close. We went out from 9pm to 3am to patrol nearby South Woodford. My team was issued observer /prayer team status and were partnered with the trained street pastors. We got to participate in conversations and aid situations with everyone from cabbies to bouncers, street people to drunk teenagers. It was a good experience, and eye opening for my team. Some of the things street pastors focus on: getting girls home safe that are drunk an left alone by friends (therefore very vulnerable), removing potential weapons from the streets (glass bottles, etc) and helping women that can't walk on their stiletto heels anymore by giving them flip flops. I thought that last bit was silly until i spent a night on the street- its a real and valid ministry tryignt o get these girls home. One girl couldn't even get off the sidewalk- our group got her up, got her drinking water, found her friends, got her vomit off the sidewalk and gave them bus fare when we got them to the bus stop. It was a really intense compassion and community care ministry- I am stoked we got to take part in it and may have opportunities to join them again in the future.
