Plymouth Street Ministry Journal--Friday, March 20, 2015
Visitors came to the van early today. When I arrived at 5:50 or so, Mike was at the van by himself surrounded by a small crowd of people. I hurried out of my car to help him. I was surprised at the number of visitors we had--by the time we left at 7:10 or so we had served about 28 people. I had expected far fewer. When I left home it was still raining and in the mid forties. The rain, however, turned to a sprinkle and then stopped, and certainly didn't deter any visitors. Michelle from Feed My People showed up soon after I arrived and helped us out. She brought packaged cupcakes, Zingers, and Peeps that we set up on a folding table for folks to take.
I saw many faces I hadn't seen in a long time. GR was back. He still has trouble finding housing because of his long history of drug convictions. YG was his ever-polite, soft but well-spoken self.
The man who had come back to town from Milwaukee visited us. I've seen him enough times that I'll call him TM. TM was very pleasant and sober tonight, but was embarrassed about the last two weeks. He was so drunk he doesn't remember them, and keeps hearing stories about what he did. He is paying now, however, since his drunken behavior got him banned from several places around town. Despite that he looked very good--better than I'd every seen him before. When I met him several weeks ago I thought he was around 70. TM is actually just under 50 and today he looked his true age.
We also saw the man with all the heart problems. I've written about him quite a bit, and I don't like calling him "the man with the heart problems" so I'll call him ND. (I know initials are impersonal, but I want to use something name-like that still preserves privacy, so I use initials. The initials I use aren't the real initials of the people I refer to.) Getting back to the story ND has also been fighting to stay sober. After his latest hospitalization he has done better. Mike will be taking him to the free clinic on Tuesday for some additional care.
CT also stopped by. He is planning to leave the shelter and finally fix up the small camper he has on somebody's land outside of town.
Two families staying at Beacon House came by and talked with us. One was a couple with a baby. The other was a woman with a daughter that I'm guessing was 8 or 9. The daughter asked her mother if it was alright to accept some sweets, and was very happy when her mother said it was ok.
A man I hadn't seen before talked with us for a while and introduced himself. He had been staying at a strict religious shelter. He didn't want to say bad things about it, because they had given him shelter and he was grateful for that, but he couldn't stand having to attend a church he didn't believe in and all the strict rules. He didn't have a drug or alcohol problem and was just down on his luck, he said, and didn't need all the lecturing and programs. What he needs is an income. He finally decided to leave and try Sojourner House---the shelter across the street from the parking lot where we park the van.
Mike told me that there has been some friction at Sojourner House. There seem to be two populations--one a group in their late teens and early twenties, and the other the "old-timers" who have been homeless for awhile. The old-timers are very tired of the shenanigans and "drama" of the younger group. Now that it is warmer, several old-times have asked us for sleeping bags so that they sleep away from the shelter and the younger folks.
Mike also told me that we need more hooded sweatshirts, especially sized M, L, XL, and 2XL. Now that winter is over--we hope--hooded sweatshirts are in demand and winter coats are not. One man even offered us his coat to get a sweatshirt.
That's all I can think of to report for tonight.
As always, please pray for, and care for, the poor.
GEORGE
Visitors came to the van early today. When I arrived at 5:50 or so, Mike was at the van by himself surrounded by a small crowd of people. I hurried out of my car to help him. I was surprised at the number of visitors we had--by the time we left at 7:10 or so we had served about 28 people. I had expected far fewer. When I left home it was still raining and in the mid forties. The rain, however, turned to a sprinkle and then stopped, and certainly didn't deter any visitors. Michelle from Feed My People showed up soon after I arrived and helped us out. She brought packaged cupcakes, Zingers, and Peeps that we set up on a folding table for folks to take.
I saw many faces I hadn't seen in a long time. GR was back. He still has trouble finding housing because of his long history of drug convictions. YG was his ever-polite, soft but well-spoken self.
The man who had come back to town from Milwaukee visited us. I've seen him enough times that I'll call him TM. TM was very pleasant and sober tonight, but was embarrassed about the last two weeks. He was so drunk he doesn't remember them, and keeps hearing stories about what he did. He is paying now, however, since his drunken behavior got him banned from several places around town. Despite that he looked very good--better than I'd every seen him before. When I met him several weeks ago I thought he was around 70. TM is actually just under 50 and today he looked his true age.
We also saw the man with all the heart problems. I've written about him quite a bit, and I don't like calling him "the man with the heart problems" so I'll call him ND. (I know initials are impersonal, but I want to use something name-like that still preserves privacy, so I use initials. The initials I use aren't the real initials of the people I refer to.) Getting back to the story ND has also been fighting to stay sober. After his latest hospitalization he has done better. Mike will be taking him to the free clinic on Tuesday for some additional care.
CT also stopped by. He is planning to leave the shelter and finally fix up the small camper he has on somebody's land outside of town.
Two families staying at Beacon House came by and talked with us. One was a couple with a baby. The other was a woman with a daughter that I'm guessing was 8 or 9. The daughter asked her mother if it was alright to accept some sweets, and was very happy when her mother said it was ok.
A man I hadn't seen before talked with us for a while and introduced himself. He had been staying at a strict religious shelter. He didn't want to say bad things about it, because they had given him shelter and he was grateful for that, but he couldn't stand having to attend a church he didn't believe in and all the strict rules. He didn't have a drug or alcohol problem and was just down on his luck, he said, and didn't need all the lecturing and programs. What he needs is an income. He finally decided to leave and try Sojourner House---the shelter across the street from the parking lot where we park the van.
Mike told me that there has been some friction at Sojourner House. There seem to be two populations--one a group in their late teens and early twenties, and the other the "old-timers" who have been homeless for awhile. The old-timers are very tired of the shenanigans and "drama" of the younger group. Now that it is warmer, several old-times have asked us for sleeping bags so that they sleep away from the shelter and the younger folks.
Mike also told me that we need more hooded sweatshirts, especially sized M, L, XL, and 2XL. Now that winter is over--we hope--hooded sweatshirts are in demand and winter coats are not. One man even offered us his coat to get a sweatshirt.
That's all I can think of to report for tonight.
As always, please pray for, and care for, the poor.
GEORGE