[Grovenet] Up lifted

[Eric Canon]

I want to share with you something that just
happened that touched my heart in a big way.

My church is involved with a response to
homelessness in our county, and we are urging
Washington County churches to collect an offering
that would go to the four family shelters that
serve our county. With the failure of the 2004
safety levy, these shelters have lost almost
$100,000. of their funding, and they are really
hurting as a result. The hope is that the faith
community can make up some of the loss.

It was my job this morning to call people who
were mailed a letter giving details about this
offering. I called one person and the
conversation went something like this:

E(ric) Did you get our letter?

P(erson) Yes I did. Where should I send my check?

E Ah, we're asking area churches to do their
respective collections and then to send the money
to the Community Housing Fund.

P Well, I don't belong to a church, but I want to
give $1000. to help the people living in camps.
Who helps them?

E The four shelters have a rigorous screening
process and they only serve clean and sober
families. The rest of the homeless population
sometimes qualifies for some food, but there is
no help in place for them at this time.

P Well the people who live in camps need help,
too. Some are Vietnam vets, some are mentally
challenged, some are hooked on drugs and/or
alcohol, and some don't have or are not a part of
a family. They need help, too!

E I agree, but society does not accept
responsibility for them at this time, so they are
out of luck.

P So where do I send my check? I want to
encourage this effort.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

We've read here on Grovenet the stereotypical
view of what a homeless person is: lazy, drunk,
male and a thief. How refreshing to talk with
someone who wants to help and encourage rather
than to tear down and criticize! And a thousand
bucks, too!

There are some really fine people out there, and
they don't all come from churches. Did you know
that the average age of a homeless person is 12?
That's correct, 12! That sort of flies in the
face of most peoples perceptions of a homeless
person.

But when a person cares, too, for the others, the
scruffy ones, the mature people with lots of
troublesome issues, that gets to me. This person
could overlook the "cover" and wonder about the
"book" inside.