So, today I did something a little out of the ordinary. I saw a couple of homeless people, ya know, the kind that hold the signs in parking lots or on the streets. Rather than pass them by like I normally do, I asked them if they were hungry. They said yes so I drove them to Taco Bell and ate dinner with them. It was fascinating to talk with them...Deborah has been homeless for 7 years and Bill has been homeless for 3 years. The whole time I'm talking to them I can't help but wonder, "What can you do in a situation like this? What is the solution to this problem?" But instead of trying to save the day I simply listened to their stories. Sometimes you can give a person a little dignity just by listening to them.
I learned quite a bit from our conversation. First, that Salvation Army only lets you stay a few nights before they start charging $10 a night, plus $2 for a shower. I understand why but it kind of makes you wonder what happens to people after they've used up their time at the Salvation Army. I mean, where do they go? These two had found a place that at least had an overhang to it so when it rained they were at least out of the rain. I asked them if they needed anything from Wal-Mart or anything like that and they said all they really needed was running water. I didn't feel comfortable inviting them to take a shower at my place, like I said it was out of the ordinary to even get them dinner in the first place. Not quite to the point where I could invite homeless people into my house to take showers, although I hope to be there soon. If we don't invite the stranger and the homeless in, how will we ever get to know them and how will anything change?
Second, it must be extremely difficult to rise out of homelessness. Now, my conservative friends would tell you that you just have to pull yourself up by your bootstraps; but that's typically an argument from someone who comes from a place of privilege and if not privilege then at least one that offered them many opportunities. Bill told me he had applied at Applebee's and didn't know if they had called because he didn't have any minutes on his cell phone. Now that's something I just take for granted, having a cell phone with enough minutes on it to hear back from a possible employer. But what if you didn't have a cell phone to begin with? How could you hear back from a possible employer? How could you call in if you're sick or running late? So many of us rely on cell phones that I don't think we stop and think about it as something that is a gift that we take for granted. I know, not a gift in the sense that someone gave it to us but in the sense that we have enough money to have one.
Third, what happens in winter? Deborah and Bill told me that they had tried to get blankets from a place but one of them wanted to give them a quilt. Well, that's well intentioned and all but not very practical since they have to carry all their belongings around with them all the time. Their bags didn't exactly have room for a quilt, ya know? Their place where they stay has an overhang but I doubt it has much shelter against the cold. I still remember someone telling me at a conference that the crime rate went up every winter simply because homeless people wanted somewhere warm for a night or two and jail, although undoubtedly not the best place, is at least warm and gives you food. Then I thought of those sleeping bags that are very warm and can be rolled into a very tight and small sack. The problem with those is that they cost around $200 I think or something absurd like that. But how are the homeless supposed to stay warm?
Fourth, homelessness is very frustrating. There are no easy answers, that's why we have such a problem with it in our cities. How can we as a society tackle that problem? For those of you who are Christians, how can we as the church tackle that problem? I think it starts with building relationships. I'm not trying to be all lovey dovey hippieish, but I think relationships are key. Why would you want to help someone you don't even know, aside from the videos from Africa that grip your heart? But many of us have friends that we would do anything for, especially if they were in need. Would it change things if our friends were homeless? Would we see things differently? I think so. And I think it's not an accident that homeless people are kept hidden from our sight. But if we want change, then we need to start getting to know some homeless people and listening to their stories. Otherwise it continues to be yet another societal issue that remains faceless with a lot of figures and a lot of misconceptions surrounding it. I can't tell you how many friends I have who have this mentality that if you're poor then you're automatically lazy. The problem with this theory is that those same friends don't know any poor people. It's easy to pass judgement from a place of wealth and security.
Well, that's all for now. Hopefully I'll have more to write on this subject at a later date.
