To the outside world the skull and crossbones is a symbol for poison…something dangerous…something to be avoided. For those who know the Dry Bones story, it is a symbol of hope…of safety…of trust. When we wear our black t-shirts with the white DB symbol, we get strange and even weary looks by people who don’t know. When the streetkids see us wearing our shirts and hoodies, they see someone they can trust…someone who cares about them. It’s amazing to me how one little symbol can have such different meanings for the people viewing it. Our logo to some people is a symbol of death, yet we know that it’s truly a symbol of life.
The cross has had similar reactions. To some it is a sign of a person who has made a commitment to Christ and yet to others, it is a sign to be avoided. During the 60’s and 70’s the big thing was to wear the peace symbol – an upside down broken cross. I know Christians who are offended by this because they know that the cross was a necessary part of our salvation. They find deep symbolism in the cross, and proudly display it in their homes and around their necks. To some it is a symbol of death, yet we know that it’s truly a symbol of life.
Saturday was our Dry Bones 101, a volunteer training day. We took a turf tour with the group and Robbie showed us many places where the street kids sleep and where they go to do their drugs. He challenged us to view our surroundings with new eyes. For instance, while walking on the river walk beside Cherry Creek, we could plainly see how the city has made it uncomfortable for people to find shelter under the bridges. Instead of grass on either side of the path there are rocks, sharp side up, cemented in. They have built barriers up high so the homeless can’t climb up under the bridges to sleep. They tried to make some of them look like they are necessary for the bridge’s structure, but if you look closely, they aren’t touching the bridge in any weight bearing way. The trees on the sides of the bridges where kids used to camp out have been trimmed so the street kids can’t hide or find shelter there. Looming over the river walk are half million dollar condos. Do they know who is trying to find shelter just feet below them? Do the business people who walk the river walk during their lunch breaks know that the tunnel they pass over everyday houses used needles and empty heroin bags, and sometimes sleeping people trying to escape life?
As we were checking out one of the squats under a particular bridge today, I spied some graffiti on the wall. Someone had painted the words, “Out of Sight Out of Mind?” I thought it was pretty profound and I said a quick prayer. “Jesus, don’t let these kids be that.” Benny was at the back of the group and saw it too so he took a picture of it. We had a unique perspective on things today because Cheeto and Bob were with us. They are former street kids – some of the “success stories” we get to share with our supporters. But to us, they are our friends, and now volunteers and ministers of Dry Bones. We walked past the places these guys used to sleep at night, and Cheeto showed us the place on the Platte River where he was baptized on October 7th, 2004, the same place he was thrown into the river as part of his initiation into the streetlife just a few years before. He spouted off the date like someone would tell you when their birthday is. They were asked lots of questions and I was proud of the confidence in their answers. It was obvious that the life they used to lead is definitely in the past. God gave flesh to their bones and breathed His life into them. They are both great guys and I ask that you continue praying for them and all of our friends that have found new life off the streets.
It was an amazing and exhausting day. I wish I could convey to you all that I have learned since becoming a part of this ministry. I’m not even on the streets 4 days a week like Benny and the rest of the team are. I have learned so much about myself and the plans God has for me. I have learned to look at the streetkids as the lost treasures that they are. I look at all homeless people with new eyes, wondering what their story might be instead of jumping to my own conclusions. I have learned more ways that my husband is amazing as I watch him deal with our team and the kids we work with. I am learning how much I don’t know and how much I have to learn.
For more information or to learn how you can help the Dry Bones Ministry, check out our website at www.drybonesdenver.org
Sometimes I Write 