Table report #005

It would seem that bold maneuvers by the CEO were at hand today in regards to my dream The Table.

Other than occasional prayers, I have made no physical efforts to lay The Table's groundwork since report #004. Until today.

After Seeing Obi-Wan in the hospital, a friend and I were driving into downtown to visit the library when we passed by the storefront I'm very interested in. There was a pickup parked by the front door in a manner that looked like someone was there unloading things in the storefront next door. I made a last second U-turn to see if they knew who the owner was, since I've had a hell of a time contacting them.

It was her - Sylvia, the owner of the entire building. The one who's name was on the tax records. I asked if the restaurant was for rent and how much. She said she's had too many problems with recent renters and that it wasn't available right now, but nd asked what I wanted to do with it.

"Um...I have this church and I want to start a soup-kitchen type ministry here. I've done this before out of a church building"

She pauses. "That's funny. I've really wanted some sort of Dream Center-type ministry to poor, homeless, addicts, etc to take up this entire building. And I figured it would be churches and people other than me running it. I felt like the CEO was going to make this happen in 2006".

She unlocked the restaurant and showed it to me. Perfect starter size. Holds about 40-50 patrons (legally). The kitchen is small, but very do-able. It is already equipped with vent-a-hood and the fire suppression system (very expensive), 6 burner industrial stove, and a deep fryer. Other equipment would be needed, but this is a fair start.

There are some leaks in the roof, made obvious by the recent rains. And a toilet might be leaking. But very manageable with the right amount of money for repairs and about 2 weeks of work.

Sylvia asked me how much money I had to rent it. "None" I said. "But I'm not looking for a free deal. I just don't have money right now".

She really seemed excited about my vision for The Table. Sylvia's going to Mexico for the next few weeks. She's going to pray about it and we'll talk in a month or so.

The location is perfect. Smack down in the middle of the fair mother city's poverty, prostitution, and drug culture. And it's 100 feet away from a Narcotics Anonymous meeting room...