"Put Your Seat Belt On"

Today was mom's last day here and we went into Anchorage to have our final meal. We pulled into a Denny's and near the exterior garbage can was a man. He looked to be a an Alaskan native with dark tan skin. His hair black long and frizzy, his clothes dirty and worn yet his words of broken English spoke deep into our hearts.
"If you have leftovers...you bring them me?" he asked
"Sure" my mom replied before I could even speak.

We went in an ordered our food. Mom and I began to talk. Having served as president of TRUTH (Together, Reaching, Unity, with the Homeless) at Concordia, St. Paul for the past two years I have worked with a lot of homeless individuals, particularly children. As a club we have done research, promoted awareness, and brought in speakers. One thing that I learned the sticks out to me is that the people who ask for food, rather than money, are the ones who often are in dire need as those who ask for money end up spending it on non-essential items like drugs.

Our food arrived and mom took half of her Super Bird sandwich and her fries out to the man. I waited inside at the table. After some time of waiting mom returned to eat her meal.

"What took you so long?" I asked
"He had moved" mom replied

Mom then informed me that he had moved from the side of Denny's over to a nearby dumpster where he had a garbage bag and was digging out food scraps. Mom happened to see him and was able to drop off the hot meal. She learned that his name was "JR" and upon mom leaving he thanked her and said "Put your seat belt on"

After are meal we went to the car and could see JR behind the dumpster enjoying his hot meal but still picking through the garbage bag in front of him. Mom and must have been thinking the same thing because before I could speak mom asked if there were any grocery stores nearby. As luck would have it there was a CARRS (a grocery store) right across the street. We picked up a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, a jar of jelly and a dozen bakery cookies.

When we walked back across the street JR was nowhere to be found. We looked for him, as he couldn't have gone far but could not find him. After some time of looking we gave up since mom had to be to the airport. After saying our "see you laters" (i've never liked goodbyes) I left the airport decided I would try looking one last time for JR. I went back to the Denny's parking lot, but he was not there. I drove over to the dumpster but he was no there. I then drove around the bank and found him in the building corner. I gave him the food to which he said "THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! Put your seat belt on!"

I wished him a good day to which he said again "Thank you, put your seat belt on, thank you...put your seat belt on" I realize now that he must not have know very much English because these two phrases were all that he repeated and it was with these two phrases that I could hear God speaking to my heart.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me."

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matt. 25:34-40)