Joe and I had an interesting conversation as we rode home from working at NOAH this week.  It is a program  in downtown Detroit that serves those who live in shelters or one-room apartments or on the street. Although there are a few children and some women, it is mostly men.

They receive lunch and caseworker services and nursing as well as a place to just 'be' Monday-Thursday. Joe and I, as I said in an earlier blog, hand out mail, hygiene kits, Tylenol/Ibuprofen, gloves, etc.

We also get to chat with whoever feels like chatting.  Yesterday, I chatted with Don.

He said he will be 70 his next b'day.  He was just out of the hospital because he fell when he was arranging the curtain on the window (that they finally installed to cover the open hole in his room).  Don was classy, articulate, gracious, respectful...an absolute delight. We talked about many things and we ended with comparing favorite scriptures.  His is one about wisdom and understanding.  Mine is one about weeping turning to joy.

I told him he was my 'God Message' for that day.

Not all but MOST of these men are gracious and grateful.  Oh, there have been a few altercations and one required staff to respond... nothing much different than one sees in some sporting or political events...and no more or less disconcerting to me.

Not okay, of course ,but not frightening.

THAT is what led Joe and I to our conversation.

I said to him that the MORE people who surround me, the safer I feel.  We pondered that.  Maybe it is because I was raised in an apartment in the city so was surrounded with the 'sounds' of LIFE.  Nonetheless, I always feel the most possibility for being cared for if there are plenty folk around to respond.

And my life experiences support that.

No matter where I have traveled/worked/lived, MORE people have been gracious and helpful and kind than not.

Getting on and off a plane for 24 hours with people from all over the world in Nairobi.  Landing in the WRONG airport in the Dominican (DUH!).  Working and playing with people living at-risk and in refugee camps. Living in city, small town and all things in between.  Waiting and waiting and waiting in airports and hospitals and clinics and schools and stores and theatres and amusement parks and planes and trains and buses and cars and tap-taps and on and on and on!

In ALL those situations, IF there was one or two who acted poorly, MANY MANY MANY more responded well....MANY!

I believe that is because the more people there are, the more possibilities there are for good.

I guess that I had never really given that concept voice before but, yesterday, it just seemed to emerge so we pondered it together and I gotta' tellya', I like it.

I like it a lot.

The MORE people there are, the more possibilities there are for good.

 7.2 billion people on this planet.

 And, from the beginning, God said, 'It is GOOD!'"

So, if you don't believe me, believe God.