I have been working in youth homeless residential services for a bit and have realised how easy it is to lose home and how limited real help can be - it is always about money. I have read and heard snippets of how people end up being homeless but definitely not enough to get me out of my comfy sofa. There are more stories of those who call the streets "home" to be heard, more stories to be shouted into the world.
We have been walking past them every day in London. They have become part of London make-up - unwanted, forgotten and lost - sad existences who cannot make it in our society and have nowhere to go. No one wants them. They seem to be like the human statues in Covent Garden. They are there but unless they move, one does not realise that they are real people with real feelings and life stories. They have to have dogs to guard them as there are those who want to make them disappear. What world do we live in? Why dirty and smelly people do not deserve to live? Why people with homes think that they are superior to those with no homes? Why to them consider them to be "dirt" or "scum?"
We are happy to forget that they were once somebody's family, they have or had parents, gransparents or even siblings. They were part of some community. Where are they gone? We live in a society where we do not care about our brothers, sisters, relatives who get lost. We do not take care of our family members who struggle. People have become disposable. Why? We do not want to spend money, time and effort to help others. It would be costly and we would have to get our hands dirty. We have become egocentric, ignorant and careless. We want quick fixes - fast tracks, fast food, fast lanes, fast life - no time to stop.
Hold on, though. No matter how much we want to avoid this, the problem is going to be there. It will always be a visual prompt to shame us, remind us that of our human imperfections, of our failures and avoidance. We cannot move it far away enough.
What about facing our demons? Lets try to see them as humans again - they have got stories to tell. Lets try to remember that this homeless person can be somebody's brother, sister, son, daughter or even father. This could be a good start to becoming humans again, which can lead to bigger and better things. I know that I do not do much, I am selfish and lazy. What is my excuse?
I have been asked today if churches are still involved in this and had to say that not as much probably. I even had an excuse ready that the problem is much bigger for churches to deal with. What a rubbish excuse! Did I just say that God is not big enough to deal with this and that He cannot do it - our Lord who fed the hungry, healed the sick and welcomed those who were excluded? What Bible am I reading?
I remember hearing about churches and people of God setting up projects in the past, people opening their churches as soup kitchens. I know of some churches involved but do not know any in my local area. Maybe I am just ignorant and people do not publish this but maybe it does not happen enough. I know of an organisation set up by a vicar but there is no link to any churches anymore, they do not highlight their Christian origins as if it is shameful past - they are just simply politically correct (because they need government funding). Where is the church? Where are people of God?
There is one definite thing that I can say today - I am ashamed, Lord. I am sorry that I do not make homelessness my problem and if I do - it is only temporary because I do run into my safe and warm home every day.
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