Leighton’s Blog

God definitely had a plan today for the outreach in Skid Row in LA. Although I was alone for the outreach, everything worked out very well! Last night I reached out to Laura Hamilton, the Team Lead for The Refresh Spot on Towne Avenue in Skid Row. They are a non-profit that provides showers, a laundry facility, charging stations, a safe place to hang out and programs for people experiencing homelessness. I met her three years ago when I was in LA last.   Laura said it would be awesome if I came by and I could park the Jeep in front of their facility. And that’s what I did! It was a great, great day and I got to pray with quite a few people. Didn’t take long to give out the hygiene kids, socks, Bibles, water, snacks, wipes and cookies I had. 

Today was an absolutely fabulous day in Reno! Today we partnered with the Wild West Jeep Club to handout blankets, hygiene kits, socks, water, snacks, bagels donuts and Bibles. The people that we served in Reno we’re so grateful and so polite! That’s not always the case in most of the cities that I go to. Thank you Max, James, Audra, Jasmine and Jimmy! Great to see my Boston friend, Cheryl Wood, who I haven’t seen in 35 years! Thank you Cheryl for making homemade pumpkin muffins for the folks we served today!

We had a great team and met some great people in San Francisco today. Thank you Sharon, AJ, Chad &    Nicole.    I am truly humbled by the kind hearted people who serve beside me in each city.  

Hit the streets of Portland, OR yesterday with Pastor John’s team from Portland Metro Assembly of God Church. We gave out many blankets, hats, gloves, socks, hygiene kits, Bibles and water. Kind of a sad day though. Many of the homeless living in camps, old trailers and RV’s. Very poor conditions. Please keep the city of Portland in your prayers.  🙏 #missionforhope 

The last two days were awesome but sad. Sad because of what I saw on the streets but awesome to see so many smiles. On Friday I did outreach in Vancouver, BC and gave out socks, snacks, water, soap, sanitizing wipes and Bibles.  Today I did outreach on the streets of Seattle with Ken King, the president of the Oregon chapter of the Christian Jeep Association. We gave out lots of blankets, socks, hygiene kits, clothes, water snd Bibles.  Met so many wonderful people in Seattle and prayed with many too. 

I haven’t stayed at a hotel for 2 weeks  and I won’t be at a hotel for 9 more days. My photos in the woods make things look pretty cozy and pretty comfortable. And for the most part they are but I need to do lots of planning to be comfortable and cozy. So these are the type of things I need to think about everyday. Things I need to plan for everyday.   Where am I going to sleep tonight? Where can I buy groceries?  Where can I cook tonight?  Where can I get and when can I get drinkable water again?  Where and when can I shower next? Where and when can I do laundry again?  Where and when will I have cell service again?  What if it rains tonight?  Where can I throw out my trash?  Where can I go the bathroom?  Pretty basic and simple things. But these are things I need to think about every day and plan for every day. But I have choices and resources. Lots of choices and lots of resources!  But what if I didn’t have the Jeep? What if I didn’t have a tent, a stove, a refrigerator, a water ta