DETROIT — Marcus Harreyes’ face lit up with joy as he opened a blue bag.

He did not find the blue bag on accident — it was given to him by a group of Central Michigan University students.

Harreyes is a 36-year-old homeless man who has lived on the streets of Detroit for 15 years.

A group of 34 students from His House Christian Fellowship took seven cars Saturday to Detroit and handed out 100 care packages and six garbage bags of winter clothing.

“It was really amazing to learn so much about (the homeless),” said Caledonia sophomore Amber Hargett. “It really humbled my heart.”

Each care package contained a peanut butter sandwich, a toothbrush and toothpaste, bottled water, socks, gloves, mittens and a copy of the New Testament. The garbage bags were full of sweaters, winter jackets, sweatshirts and boots.

The students split into groups of about five, each one exploring a different area of the city.

‘A beautiful thing’

Harreyes appreciated the care package, but decided to give it to his friend, Bob Stephens, a 61-year-old who has been homeless for 17 years.

“Its a beautiful thing to give to people,” Harreyes said. “If I have something I know someone needs, I’ll give it to them.”

Harreyes and Stephens regularly hang out near Peterboro and Third streets.

The duo sits on a brick ledge surrounded by grass littered with dirty clothes, old newspapers, bits of food and other piles of garbage.

Each shared stories of their lives and how they got where they are.

Vestaburg resident Alisa McNerney also joined the group. She met a homeless man who claims to have invented helicopters and clothing.

“When we gave them things, we prayed with them and they knew we actually cared for them,” McNerney said.

She even received a kiss on the hand from the man.

Milford senior Jessy Stark met a woman named Linda, who shared stories with her about drug addictions she struggled with in the past.

Linda has been homeless for a few years and said she is moving to Ann Arbor in a few weeks to stay with her aunt.

Stark said she will move to Ypsilanti in May and, since the two are so close, they exchanged numbers.

“I’m hoping that when I get down there, we can continue the relationship we started today,” Stark said.

A late snack

At the end of the day, the group was hungry.

A 53-year-old homeless man named Travon Ingram led the students to American Coney Island, 114 W. Lafayette Blvd. in Detroit, where the students offered to buy him a meal.

Midland freshman Faith Gantner said every homeless person she met had a unique story to tell.

“When we took the time to get to know them, you see that they’re just people too,” Gantner said. “We needed to look at the people, not the problem.”

E-mail the author: Joe Borlik