I know it has been ages since I have blogged anything on here and honestly I am never sure what to write and just don't want it to be anything meaningless. But I need to share what happened last night after my walk.
Last night I had been walking downtown after work and had parked somewhere that I normally don't which lead me to driving down a road I normally would not have which then led me to Ed. I spotted Ed out of the corner of my eye huddled in a business doorway as I drove past him. In those few seconds I only saw him and his backpack. I was actually heading home and wanted to stop at Subway for dinner but there was no way I could go buy dinner knowing Ed was likely hungry too. So I stopped at Safeway and bought a few sandwiches, some bananas, a couple of cookies, a small bag of chips and a package of juice boxes thinking this would be enough for tonight and maybe breakfast the next day too.
As I got in my car at Safeway I prayed Lord if I am meant to feed him please let him still be there - and he was! So I parked my car across the street, grabbed the bags from the backseat of my car and made my way to this unknown man. As I approached he lifted his head that he had snugly tucked into his jacket to keep warm, and when we made eye contact I asked him if wanted some food. He said I guess and I placed the food beside him. As I stepped back to lean on the opposite side of the doorway I asked him if he was ok. That he is when he started to tell me how he ended up on the streets. I am not sure which parts of his story were true and I was in no position to make that judgement as before me sat a man who is my age and is living on the streets. The short story for Ed is that he hurt is back at work and is now on $900 a month disability - just $900!! Rent in Vernon for a single apartment is $700+ and renting just a room is almost half of that if you can find a decent place/room to rent. How can anyone live on $900 a month? The answer is they can't unless they are in low income subsidized housing. The government only allows $375 per month for rent, that is not even possible in Vernon. I would love to see our Premier Christy Clark rent a place for $375 and feel safe and be warm! What is wrong with our government?!
Ed seemed to be very polite and it felt like he needed to have someone listen. Soon the wife he spoke of was also there with us, her name is Teresa. She is younger then Ed and looks as though life has not been kind to her. She is pretty in her own way but I could not help but notice she had a few teeth missing and she had sores on her hands and face from the skin that she had picked away. She wasn't there long with us at first as she was needing to find an outdoor plug in to charge her cell phone which I was surprised that she had. But before she left she did tell me about her struggles with getting help and having to see counselors and not always being able to see the same one each time. She mentioned with them constantly changing how can you learn to trust someone - to which I agreed with her.
Then I saw another really thin lady walking in our direction. As she got closer I could hear her muttering and she seem agitated. She said something to Teresa that I could not understand the meaning of but later realized it was likely code that she needed a hit of something and then she left. When she came back only a short time later she was less agitated but still continued to pace. Her name is Carrie. I wasn't sure if the pacing was the drugs or that she was cold or a combination of both.
As I leaned against the doorway they shared more and I just stood there in awe of what I was hearing and that God has placed me there to listen. I learned that Ed is a mechanic and a truck driver but unable to work due to his back. He is also very protective of both Teresa and Carrie. All 3 stay at the Gateway shelter at night if there are beds available as the shelter only has 10 beds. I believe you have to be there by 9p or else you run the chance of the shelter being full. If there are no beds you may get to sleep on a 2 inch mat. I cannot even imagine how uncomfortable that would be but I guess for them it is somewhere warm.
Both Teresa and Carrie are prostitutes. They were telling me that they have 'regulars' that help make up for the shortfall of money. I wanted to tell them they didn't have to live that way but who was I to say anything - I have no idea what life on the streets is like. So how could I, who has a great job and home tell them how to live their lives - I can't.
I was there for over an hour and I could feel how cold my feet were inside of my slightly expensive and warm boots. I could not even begin to image how cold they were, and to be that cold night after night. I felt terrible for them and I felt hopeless.
As we talked they mentioned a few things that could be done to make a difference for those on the streets. I was told that there are no food services for them on the weekends other than lunch at the Anglican church on Sunday's. Teresa said there used be to hot dogs at Polson Park on Sunday but that stopped and there used to be a truck every now and then park downtown and have sandwiches and hot coffee at night, but that has stopped too. I can't help but wonder if they stopped due to the cost buying what was needed. But I wonder if they knew the cost the street people were paying when they go hungry at night. The Ark at Vernon Family Church is open Friday night I was told and The Mission is only Monday to Friday during the day.
I know we all make our own choices and sometimes things in our lives are decided for us that we have no control over whatsoever. But regardless of those decisions, we cannot and should not ever look down at these people or even consider that we can judge them. We need to help them. To listen to their stories. To share their stories. To fill their bellies and show that someone does really care.
As I left I promised them I would take what they told me regarding the needs and share with people who I knew may be able to make a difference. I am not sure who yet to talk to but I am a person of my word and I will find with God's help who I am to talk to. I have Teresa's cell number if I ever need it and she told me that most of the street people would even volunteer in serving the food. They are not always looking for handouts. Personally I would rather serve them and give them a night off of trying to figure out how to survive!
As I drove home I thanked God for the opportunity to meet them and you bet when I see them on the streets I will stop and talk to them. I didn't feel impressed to share about God or His Son Jesus. I honestly felt that I could not correctly separate Jesus from whatever church or religious views they may have. I didn't know if I could defend the 'church' when it is likely the 'church' who have let these people down time and time again.
When I got home and throughout the rest of the evening I was processing what had just happened. Not really sure what I can do or how I can help but I know God has placed a soft spot in my heart for the street people. As a climbed into my bed that is way more than 2 inches thick and I felt the warm blankets on my body it took all I had for my heart to not break.
I need to carefully and prayerfully seek God on how I can make a positive difference in their lives!
On February 20 I have signed up to walk 5K to raise money for The Mission who does make a difference in the lives of the street people. The Mission is just a small part of the solution and even their resources are limited. I am not sure I can walk 5K - but I will for Ed, Teresa and Carrie as those 3 will be on my mind each step I take that night.
