Its hard to watch people stashing suitcases and trash bags filled with what little they own in the woods or inside culverts - especially during summer months when thunderstorms are so prevalent. Unfortunately, its a common sight to see when youre tuned in and understand what youre watching. I see this scenario played out on a regular basis as I travel; most commonly near state and county offices and employment agencies. The Mission offers a hand up to those who lose their belongings - usually water damage or theft but I met a gentleman a few years ago who returned to find someone had burned all of his stuff right where it sat while he was away working a temp job for the day. If youve ever spent a night cold and wet from tent camping from a fluke midnight storm then youve gotten a small taste of the challenges of living on the street. One of the most miserable nights of my life was spent in a tent trying to outmaneuver leaks and puddles. Worse, I had to go out side to secure anything that the rain might have destroyed which left me soaked. It was horrible! What if we had to do this every night of our lives? The next evening was better. The storms had passed but it was too hot and there were to many mosquitoes buzzing in my ear to sleep. What was meant to be a relaxing, primitive weekend get away left me exhausted, frustrated, irritable and just plain miserable and it was only two nights. I chose to rough it a little for a couple of days. Then I couldnt get to a shower and a warm bed fast enough when it was all over! What if we didnt have the option of returning home? Its something to think about and its a reality much closer to home than most of us realize. There are a small fraction of the homeless who choose life on the street over the comforts of housing. Most, at least the ones Ive met, are former military and they make a strong case for living outdoors - not really, its a coping thing. The rest are trapped someplace between public perception and survival. BTW, before anyone gets excited about the chart in this article depicting a decline in homeless please note that the annual count process was changed from several days to a single night. The numbers only decreased because less were identified in a shorter period of time. Lets face it, unless someone is carrying a cardboard sign, most of us wouldnt automatically assume that person was homeless and for our area - there are acres and acres of woods to explore that simply isnt possible to do in a single day. One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?”Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” – Luke 10.25-37
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 12:54:22 +0000
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