HOMELESS

I had every intention of writing last night, but I got so caught up in Richard LeMieux book “Breakfast at Sally’s” that I was up reading until nearly two o’clock a.m. and still didn‘t finish. So I just kept on reading this morning until I was done. What a book!

Richard gave me a whole new understanding of homelessness and the broken, depressed lives that haunt those streets. My heart began to break. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I clearly reconsidered those needy people and their struggles.

I have heard the complaints that they are lazy, dirty, stinky, disgusting excuses for human beings. They are nothing but drug addicts and alcoholics. Why don’t they get a job? Richard takes us on his year and half journey on the streets of Bremerton. He had a van to keep him dry (most of the time) and his dog Willow to keep him company. I wept for his deep depression and enormous rejection. He was a wealthy man who lost everything: his business, his wife and his children. Not him alone, but those he met.

With no home address, no phone and no bank account most essentials are blocked for them. Job applicants are told, “We’ll call you.” Apartments require first and last months rent and the present one. None have that kind of money. Richard tells the story of a physically deformed homeless man given a check for his birthday. A friend at a tire store have him $20 so he could buy a headset to listen to his country music. He was thrilled and asked if Richard would take him to the bank. They went where the signer had a bank account. They required two pieces of identification. He had one outdated bus pass. That was not good enough. I hate banks. I hate the rules had limit the needy. They had the power to see if that account had the money. But that was never considered.

I am a friend with Katrina who now lives at The Home. Before moving here she had lived in her van for nearly a year. She knows Richard and also knows all the places where to get a free warm meals. She has lived here nearly a year now and still struggles with deep depression, She has a broken down van that is not presently running and she does not have the money to have it repaired. She will not get rid of it because she fears she will be homeless again.

Katrina had a father who abused her, then a husband who repeated the horror. She ran. She was frightened and rightly so. I got to know her during the time she helped me on the bread runs. She required much of my patience. She is loud, dogmatic authoritative and a devoted democrat who is always right. She would not be making it now if it were not for government programs. In actuality, none of us in The Home would be here without government programs. I understand democrats a little better.

Katrina often runs to my apartment when she is nervous, upset or confused. Monday was one of those days. Her rent was increased by $40. She was panicked that homelessness was back in her future. The rent was raised, but she had not yet heard what her assistance would be. She can handle it for a while by cutting even more of her necessities back.

I have always known she was depressed and fearful. I am not sure I understood her fears. Her loudness comes from years of fighting and arguing with those in her life. Her desire to be accepted is so great she often jumps into conversations with very dogmatic statements and feels compelled to tell everyone how to do just about everything. That comes from her desire to be helpful. When she is instructing me about my health, good, and exercise — I listen and thank her whether it is helpful or not. She is very kind and gives to others beyond her means, She had volunteered for an extended time at The Salvation Army serving meals. She is a giver because she knows what it is to do without.

Many of the homeless view Jesus as one of them. He had no place to lay his head. He had no home and he was a wanderer not knowing from where his next meal would come. But most are angry with God. They are angry at the lack of compassion, understanding and kindness; but they mostly are angry with God for not helping them get out of their situation. God wants to help them, but He does it through people. Through me!

I am a changed person. Read the book.