Gearing up for the Streets

I woke up this morning at 4. I just couldnt sleep. My mind was tick tick ticking and i started thinking about my first outing onto the streets.
Tonight is my first night out. I will be doing one Friday night a month. It is the first night of the Street Angels and it is going to be quite a night.

Firstly we are meeting with the press and various big wigs and then we launch into couples and off out we go to help the needy and generally be there for whomever needs.

So last night i was worrying what to wear. Such a small thing to worry about. You see we have official jackets that are big, heavy and very warm so surely just a t shirt is needed underneath. But then we are out until 4am and at 4am it is pretty cold and damp so maybe i will get cold.
This is irrelavant as the project is not about me and my fashion statement. It is about making our town a safer and happier place.
I will be a shoulder to cry on, a safe guard, a cleaner, someone to chat to, to ferry to taxis, someone to trust. My job as a volunteer is a wide one, i just hope my arms are wide enough.

I felt a bit funny about joining the Angels. It is something i am deeply passionate about – helping the kids.
When i did it a few years back, i was under my own stream. I got a little group together and we headed off carefree.
This time its different. I have had weeks of training, self defence, drugs training, child safety, CRB checked, radio trained and much more. I am stacked to the top with information.
This is good, as soon as the training statedi felt great about joining, i felt good about having some backing but this however does not prepare me for just getting out there and doing it.

2 Years ago, i didnt think about knifes, fights, drugs, child abuse. It was something that i knew happened from watching the news but I didnt put a whole lot of thought into it when i headed out with my little band of soul brothers. We took each weekend as it came. Meet some amazing people, cleaned up sick from thier faces and helped them put thier shoes on. We split up fights by talking, walked girls to the station and wiped away broken hearts.
It was free and easy and self serving but we enjoyed it.
I cant help but thinking that i am a little over prepared and i definately think that some of the people who have signed up to be one of the Angels are in for a huge shock. But we are all compassionate, loving and hopefully understanding of the needs of the many.
My strength with come from God and i will be leaning. My spirit is high and i am excited about this new adventure if not a little worried. Not worried about what i may accounter but the partner i will be place with.
Trust does not just come with my own abilities but with the people i am volunteering with. Not only that but with the people supporting us.

So a little bit older, a lot wiser, a bag of sweets to keeping me going ahuge jacket and a smile on my face i venture out.  I just hope that i survive until 4am.