Strange
This morning we were on our way to TO and I stopped in at the Bank and there were other people in there getting what they needed done but the interesting thing was that sitting on the floor leaning against the door was an elderly man (homeless man - a rarity in out town). Both people just acted as if he wasn't there. So I asked the man if he had breakfast, he said someone came with a bag of food for him, I asked if he needed some warm clothes and he said someone had come with a gym bag with a fleece top and some other warm clothes for him. He said he just needed to sit as his feet were all swollen as his feet had been wet for some time and he needed to buy some warm socks. He said that someone had just given him a pair of boots. I asked him if he had an money and he said someone had given him $10 and someone else gave him $5. I gave him some money before I left. I also told him that I would go get him a pair of socks. I told Norm and he said that he had some wool socks at home so we went back home (we were on a time constraint but who cares?) and I brought him back 2 pairs of new wool socks. But again there was another man at the bank machine totally ignoring the guy but by the time I left he (guyat he machine) was asking me questions of who the man was and I told him that I had not idea. He said he would talk to him wife to see if she can get someone to take him in.
Talking to homeless individuals is not something I am comfortable with but for some reason I just felt I had to this morning. We had to leave as we had 3 appointments that morning but if he was there by the time we got back I would have even taken him in myself. I did look for him when we got back but he was gone.
posted by Coach at
6:07 PM
9 Comments:
Some people tend to look but not see.
I tend to see but try not to look, as I rarely have any idea what to do.
We just did this topic at our house church this week. That very question was posed, if we acknowledge homeless people and if so what do we do?
In Erin, although it's not my home town I would feel quite safe speaking and helping someone homeless, but in larger urban areas it can be quite daunting especially if you are a woman alone. That doesn't mean we can't help, but sometimes things are not as they seem.
Regardless, one can help. It's so heartwarming to hear how much people in Erin did help that man. That's worthy of a letter to the Advocate - go for it!
I volunteered at a homeless shelter for one day a week for three years. I was anxious at work from the POV of what on earth could I offer them, how could I relate to them, what could we talk about? But I soon realised that a simple smile, acceptance and respect went a long way. Just to be treated like "normal" human beings was all they wanted.
That night shelter isn't there anymore. Nowadays I just watch out for homeless ones passing through our town. Most aren't from round here. Some come here from the big towns and cities because people are more compassionate.
I don't ever give money. I will buy food, clothes, a rail ticket; I will drive to the nearest city and pay for a few nights' accommodation at the night shelter there in the person's name. If I can find someone from church to travel with me, I'll drive the person to the night shelter. I'll arrange to meet the person for a meal the next day and help them with any advice or form-filling that they might need. I'll offer to contact family and let them know the person is ok.
I won't ever take them in (done that before - it was ok, but it so easily could have gone wrong) because it's too risky - the person could be mentally unstable, could be just out of jail, could be a sex offender, could have substance abuse problems etc. If the night shelter can't take them that night, I may pay for them to stay overnight in a local guest house. Or, in the summer, I might offer a tent and sleeping bag.
I will offer hygiene items and vitamins, which I keep in my car. Or a blanket.
I'll remember their name - so that when they pass by our town again, I can greet them personally, let them know they matter.
My church have now asked me to set up and train up a small group of people who know what to do when someone meets a homeless person in our town. It's basically going to involve giving information as to what help is already available from government, local authorities and charities, and letting people know what to look out for (regarding the person's stability and whether they are substance abusers) and what questions to ask. I'm really excited about this.
There's lots we can do that doesn't need to compromise our safety/personal boundaries.
PS You did good to help that guy - who knows, you might have just met an angel unawares. ;o)
I do a lot of work with homeless people in London and the one thing many of them say is what makes their situation worse is being ignored or overlooked on the street.
There's a lot of homeless people in London and it's impossible to offer financial help to all of them, but it is easy to smile, say no I'm sorry, if they ask for money and sometimes I buy a guy, I often see, a cup of coffee and a sandwich.
As Amanda says you did a real good deed and I'm sure he appeciated it. It's not easy for everyone, particularly in cities to do the same, but sometimes a smile, a little conversation or human warmth is enough.
The way I see homelessness is as if homeless people all live in another world, a parallel existence right next to ours which has its own "rules" and culture. As people get even deeper into living like this, they become more isolated and our worlds get further apart. But when someone from our world reaches out to someone from their world, even just with a smile or a cup of tea and a sandwich, just for those few moments, our worlds overlap, and that touch from us can help keep that person stay in contact with who he really is, with the world he actually still belongs in.
Holding hands across the chasm can be an emotional lifeline.
I still think of this man, it has been just so cold at night and I worry that he is not warm. It is like in the -30's with the wind chill. I sure hope he is okay.
Do you know where the nearest direct-access homeless shelter is?
Or what help there is available for the homeless in your area?
I would help all i could but never take someone into my home again and i would not advocate someone else doing so. I did it once and was sexually assaulted; that cost, is far to great a price to pay for my family.
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