A busy evening. I arrived at a few minutes to six and found Brent, Jenny, Michelle, Mike, and Sandy M. already there. It was a bit warm--in the upper 80s--but overall very pleasant weather-wise. We had two vans full of supplies tonight.
As I got out of my car I saw FB just leaving on his bike. As I walked up to the two vans Mike waved me over and introduced me to a gentleman who will be spending his first night in the shelter tonight. He had come to Eau Claire three weeks ago for rehab; previously he had lived an hour and a half north of here. He had lost everything--his job, his possessions, and his housing--and since his insurance only covered three weeks in treatment, out on the street he went. He had been given much information--go to this agency for this, then that agency for that, and so on, but he but looked quite overwhelmed. He stayed around the van for about an hour. Although we had just met the man, I sensed that he was far more comfortable around us than across the street with those waiting to get into the shelter. We gave him a map with many of those agencies, and others, marked on it, and also a backpack and some other necessities. We mostly just listened to him--he had already been given the factual information he required and now needed emotional support.
Fortunately, TM rode up on his bike. He looked better than I had ever seen him. He has been using his new bike to ride to and from his work at the dump, which is about seven or eight miles away with lots of ups and downs on the route. It was good to see him fit and smiling. TM is one of the kindest, gentlest souls you will ever meet when his is sober--and from the look of him he has kept sober for some time. TM started talking to the newcomer, and we indicated to him that TM was someone he should listen to. The man seemed to relax. We try to be kind and caring, but we will be leaving when the shelter opens. The man could see in TM someone who knows how to survive on the street and would be there in the shelter tonight. He could hardly ask for a better person to show him how to navigate the next few days.
Many others came by: a woman with three small children, another woman with a young child, a young couple, a young exhausted-looking man who just got off his factory shift, an older gentleman in a wheelchair, another elderly man looking for socks and underwear (which we provided), and many others. To each we gave a bag with food, a cold bottle of water, and a cold juice pouch. To many we also gave out needed clothing. We handed out all the water bottles and juice pouches in our large cooler. Fortunately were prepared with a second cooler tonight. In all we served around three dozen people. Toward the end the white supremacist who has been staying at the shelter (and intimidating many of the other residents) showed up, but he left immediately.
The shelter opened at seven and we left a few minutes after.
Please pray for, and care for, the poor.
George
As I got out of my car I saw FB just leaving on his bike. As I walked up to the two vans Mike waved me over and introduced me to a gentleman who will be spending his first night in the shelter tonight. He had come to Eau Claire three weeks ago for rehab; previously he had lived an hour and a half north of here. He had lost everything--his job, his possessions, and his housing--and since his insurance only covered three weeks in treatment, out on the street he went. He had been given much information--go to this agency for this, then that agency for that, and so on, but he but looked quite overwhelmed. He stayed around the van for about an hour. Although we had just met the man, I sensed that he was far more comfortable around us than across the street with those waiting to get into the shelter. We gave him a map with many of those agencies, and others, marked on it, and also a backpack and some other necessities. We mostly just listened to him--he had already been given the factual information he required and now needed emotional support.
Fortunately, TM rode up on his bike. He looked better than I had ever seen him. He has been using his new bike to ride to and from his work at the dump, which is about seven or eight miles away with lots of ups and downs on the route. It was good to see him fit and smiling. TM is one of the kindest, gentlest souls you will ever meet when his is sober--and from the look of him he has kept sober for some time. TM started talking to the newcomer, and we indicated to him that TM was someone he should listen to. The man seemed to relax. We try to be kind and caring, but we will be leaving when the shelter opens. The man could see in TM someone who knows how to survive on the street and would be there in the shelter tonight. He could hardly ask for a better person to show him how to navigate the next few days.
Many others came by: a woman with three small children, another woman with a young child, a young couple, a young exhausted-looking man who just got off his factory shift, an older gentleman in a wheelchair, another elderly man looking for socks and underwear (which we provided), and many others. To each we gave a bag with food, a cold bottle of water, and a cold juice pouch. To many we also gave out needed clothing. We handed out all the water bottles and juice pouches in our large cooler. Fortunately were prepared with a second cooler tonight. In all we served around three dozen people. Toward the end the white supremacist who has been staying at the shelter (and intimidating many of the other residents) showed up, but he left immediately.
The shelter opened at seven and we left a few minutes after.
Please pray for, and care for, the poor.
George