Dear friends, Please read the following, sincerely, Nathan. As some of you know, a few years ago I decided to go on a trip to Europe and I was supposed to go to south east Asia a few months later. I never made it to south east Asia. I left for my trip ill equipped, on a tight budget and with little know-how. And, as things do from time to time, they took a turn for the worse. Now, when I usually tell this story, I dont tell it as a tragedy, because I am fine and healthy. As I was saying, my trip took a turn for the worse.. when I had all my monetary belongings stolen from me. At the time, I saw it as a beginning to a new, different, adventure and decided to press on with my travels with only some clothing and a bit of change in my pocket. It was just about this time of year, in northern Italy, when I learned what it was to be homeless. I wasnt in contact with anyone that cared about me, I had no food, no shelter, no money. There were a couple of times where 5 days or a week would go by and I would go without food... and then the cold set in. I dont know what the temperatures were then - I wasnt waking up to a cup of Joe and the Weather Channel - but there were a couple of nights in the Alps where I was quite sure I had mild frost bite and I had to get up and pace around throughout those nights trying to get blood into my feet. One evening, as I was reaching the end of my rope, I met a homeless man, named Amen. He shared what little food and blankets he had with me, during a time where he surely could have used them himself and still been very inadequately protected from the harsh elements of winter. If it werent for him and my sister I could be in a different place right now. But Im not, Im here. I had help. There is no foreseeable solution to homelessness, but we can do what we can. If there is a blanket in your closet that just sits there taking up space, or a sweater or jacket that you own that is just soooo 2012, please give it to a local shelter. There are people out there that are suffering that have also not found the solution to homelessness.. and if our worlds greatest minds have not found a solution, how can we expect them to do it all on their own? Please make someones winter just a little more bearable. - Nathan Silas Francisty
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 18:20:02 +0000
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