A conversation...

This is city gate...

Description: City Gate Church is a non-denominational Christian community for homeless men and women in downtown Spokane. It includes a kitchen for serving meals, a food and clothing bank, and temporary housing. Typical service-learning activities include serving meals to the client’s restaurant-style and sitting and having coffee or tea with them. The atmosphere at City Gate is welcoming and non-judgmental,but also strongly evangelical – you should be aware of this before you commit to serving there. Service-Learning students will need to complete and sign City Gate’s volunteer guidelines packet. Your professor can sign for you in place of your current pastor on the last page of the volunteer packet, if necessary. Note: Please dress conservatively when volunteering at this placement.

I was volunteering their tonight and I heard a man singing as he passed by me. He had a wonderful voice. As he passed I I smiled and commented on it. He then stopped and we began talking. His name is Albert, but most people call him Al. He has a few friends who call him preacher. I'll tell you I have never met anyone who deserves the name more. He and I stood their and talked for at least half an hour. He took the time to tell me a little about his life...Al was born and raised in Oakland, California. He was a "biker dude" that was heavily into drinking and was always strung out on drugs. He told me about how God had grabbed him out of this life and had shown him what needed to change. Every since Al has been living his life as best he can to do just that. They call him preacher because when he talks he preaches it out. He shares with you his heart and the heart of God. What a wonderful man...thanks for the conversation preacher.