Homeless Issues #8

Friends;

Every person has needs beyond the basics of food and shelter. They are security, safety, touch, belonging, significance, grieving, attention, sexuality, guidance, accomplishment, support, nurturing, freedom, and trust. In addition, every person has feelings of varying degrees, including hurt, loneliness, sadness, fear, shame, guilt, gladness, and anger.Knowing these things should help us relate to others as high as Queens/Kings, as we describe them in our minds and as the lowest rung of our societies, as we describe them in our minds.

Feeding And Inspiring The Homeless (FAITH), provides the food. Job’s Shelters of the Sierra (JSS) provides the tents and sleeping bags, socks, toilet paper, soap, books, shirts, and the material needs of homelessness. Both provide some form of nurturing and compassion.

What should We/I do to help those who are already doing/providing things directly for our citizens who are GREATLY less fortunate than ourselves? Have we thought about it at all? Do We/I even care?

FAITH is always looking for volunteers to prepare food, deliver food or both to the encampment that they serve, every day. 4 to 5 churches/organization are partisapating. They are doing in RIGHT NOW. And have been doing this for over six months. EVERY DAY.
Contact Michael Parr at MoonCalf62@earthlink.net or Michael_Par@calpers,ca.gov

JSS is on the road 3-4 times a week going to the encampments with the “Store Jeep” to deliver the necessities of our homeless persons that are donated by me/you to be passed out to the homeless population. JSS is doing that RIGHT NOW. And has been doing this for over six months EVERY WEEK. Contact Ron Sachs at Ronald.Sachs@yahoo.com

Special thanks and very big hugs to those of you who have given us the food that is prepared and delivered, and the “necessities,” tents and very important “stuff” that provides the “food and shelter” we think about. What is missing is, security, safety, touch, belonging, significance, grieving, attention, sexuality, guidance, accomplishment, support, nurturing, freedom, and trust. I want to thank the person who gave a share of their profits for a specific time toward helping pay for that very needed “stuff.” And the lady, who on a fixed income, with high medical bill, still managed to buy 5 tents to be used by the homeless who were without. The Doctor who gives one day each week in the homeless encampments to relieve the pains and medical issues that plague the homeless. The group from a Faith Center who take time to listen, and sometime console the homeless in their dispare. The recovering alcoholics who understand the problems of self medication with alcohol and controlled substances who go out and encourage and support those who want to get out of the addictions. Their God is my God. The two groups that joined together to provide showers twice a week. Or the group of ladies who organize a “hand-out” day once a month every month of the year called “Mt. Auckum.” Their God is my God. And Socrates, the atheist, would say,”well done good students you have learned that what hurts you, do not do to others.”

How do I fit in? I can be less judgmental. I can smile as I pass by. I can help enlighten others to the homeless plight. I can give advice WHEN ASKED. I can attempt to acknowledge that these perpetual homeless persons have not experienced my/our cultural upbringing, our value scale, our fortune, our luck/destiny in being born into a nurturing unit/family.

However, all the needs listed above in relationship to ourselves, apply to each homeless person.

The Civic and Governmental leaders who have their mind set on the exact “Right” angle of 90 degrees and do not want to allow for the “human condition” are way off base in regard to perpetual homeless persons. Most human persons are not able or willing to conform to that ridged “Right” angle of 90 degrees that most civil and governments want to place them in. Perpetual homeless persons are not blocks of wood to be stacked or warehoused in the condition that the un-bending “Right” angle 90 degree mind-set has developed. The perpetual homeless persons in many cases started their life style as children who with outstretched-arms, wanted someone to put an arm around them or be noticed, were slapped instead of hugged. Were shunned as a nuisance, were avoided and learned to steal by grabbing a parcel of food off of another plate just to fill the hunger in their bellies. “Right” angle 90 degree non-flexibility is doomed to fail in these persons.

My Wednesday evening study is with homeless persons who want to make a change, who want to learn, but are hobbled by a long life of what we would call, “discord.” They, at this time, on their terms, want to join us in our culture. This is what we need to assist, help, encourage, and, within our hearts, love.

These are people! “There but for the grace of God go I.”

Yes, one will say, “That sanctimonious, self-rightous, self-serving, #@&%&#@, Ron Sachs can’t talk to me that way.” ……Friend, this is what is in my heart, my mind and my being. I just expressed it.

Yes we also need financial help. We are not endowed with Grant monies like others. We are “on-the ground” workers, working every day, doing, and yes making mistakes, but growing in our knowledge and compassion for those whose lives have put them in the category we call Homelessness.

Make checks out to:
JSS
P.O. Box 1839
Shingle Springs, Ca. 95682-9998

Drop off donations of tents, sleeping bags, socks, summer clothing 9-2 Monday thru Friday, at:
Foothills UMC
3301 Green Valley Rd.
Rescue/Cameron Park, Ca. 95672

As we progress into winter, Quality In-Home Care Specialists, Inc will campaign and collect winter coats at their many locations.

Thank you for your patience as I got this out of my heart and into your thoughts.