Plymouth Street Ministry Journal March 17, 2015
Brent, Mike and I (Karen) were out to serve the street people this evening. In last week's journal, a couple that recently obtained a vehicle were mentioned. They arrived again this evening and the woman's teenage son rode with as well as a young woman that Mike has known from previous visits. They all took a bag of items from us and the joy that they received from the contents was enjoyable to watch. I mention this group not because they have any more special needs than anyone else but because this group of people is intertwined with many other people that we see on a fairly regular basis. There seems to be a matriarchal member and some of her offspring and their friends or partners or just acquaintances from the street all seem to gain some comfort and companionship and support from one another. They have stories that are so alien to us that its really hard to grasp some the information and make sense of it. In one of my classes at UWEC we're discussing the question of what is family? On my way home last night I thought about this group and think how they define the term family. They seem to lean on one another in times of need, they aren't judging of one another and they seem to support each other without question. While their stories can be humorous or unfamiliar and at times uncomfortable to hear, it impresses me that they stick together through their trials as well as the joys. Family isn't necessarily biological, that is for certain.
The couple that was mention in the last journal did not appear, Mike had mentioned the game plan that I was to take the woman / girl and talk with her. It seems that when we prepare for certain visitors, more often than not, they do not show up. I only hope those people are safe.
One of the familiar faces looked more downtrodden than usual. He reported having spent a week in the hospital for his chronic back pain as well as due to a "psychiatric breakdown". I asked if there had been an event that had made him feel the need to act on his life and he simply said that being in poor health and homeless was taking its toll on him. He is making progress in getting housing through the local housing grant but was discouraged that he'd been told that even the agency had gotten the funding they were now having difficulty finding landlords to participate.
We served about 20-25 people, I believe. Its sometimes difficult to keep track of the numbers at times, all who come are cared for, that is for certain.
Karen
Brent, Mike and I (Karen) were out to serve the street people this evening. In last week's journal, a couple that recently obtained a vehicle were mentioned. They arrived again this evening and the woman's teenage son rode with as well as a young woman that Mike has known from previous visits. They all took a bag of items from us and the joy that they received from the contents was enjoyable to watch. I mention this group not because they have any more special needs than anyone else but because this group of people is intertwined with many other people that we see on a fairly regular basis. There seems to be a matriarchal member and some of her offspring and their friends or partners or just acquaintances from the street all seem to gain some comfort and companionship and support from one another. They have stories that are so alien to us that its really hard to grasp some the information and make sense of it. In one of my classes at UWEC we're discussing the question of what is family? On my way home last night I thought about this group and think how they define the term family. They seem to lean on one another in times of need, they aren't judging of one another and they seem to support each other without question. While their stories can be humorous or unfamiliar and at times uncomfortable to hear, it impresses me that they stick together through their trials as well as the joys. Family isn't necessarily biological, that is for certain.
The couple that was mention in the last journal did not appear, Mike had mentioned the game plan that I was to take the woman / girl and talk with her. It seems that when we prepare for certain visitors, more often than not, they do not show up. I only hope those people are safe.
One of the familiar faces looked more downtrodden than usual. He reported having spent a week in the hospital for his chronic back pain as well as due to a "psychiatric breakdown". I asked if there had been an event that had made him feel the need to act on his life and he simply said that being in poor health and homeless was taking its toll on him. He is making progress in getting housing through the local housing grant but was discouraged that he'd been told that even the agency had gotten the funding they were now having difficulty finding landlords to participate.
We served about 20-25 people, I believe. Its sometimes difficult to keep track of the numbers at times, all who come are cared for, that is for certain.
Karen