They Are People
I’ve served the homeless population in the past, but had never felt such a familial connection to our homeless brothers and sisters until I sat down and started interviewing them to write the article, “We are People,” which was published in The Catholic Miscellany (click here to read it.)
Hearing their stories in their own words and from their own voices was eye opening and sometimes heart wrenching. I found that some were timid to share, while others were proud to explain every detail, happy to have a listening ear.
This is their life story. It’s their “lore”, if you will. For many of them it’s all they have. I repeat: for many of them it’s all they have.
They cling to their stories like a battleworn soldier might cherish scars that remind them of battles fought and survived by however slim a margin. There is so much trauma interwoven in their stories. There is so much physical and emotional damage piled in there, along with shame, embarrassment, abandonment, fear and lonliness that one hot meal isn’t going to unravel it all and make it better.
It takes time and patience, love and healing, detoxification - not only from the self medicating they may have turned to to silence the voices of their past, but also from the lifestyles and living situations in which they had found themselves trying to survive. I wouldn’t wish that daunting task on anyone. Why can’t we be more patient with these fellow human beings who carry the weight of the world on their very broken shoulders? They don’t have the support systems that many of us have to pull us through our rough patches. For whatever reason they are on their own in a world that doesn’t want to understand them better.
It’s much easier to ignore them, drive past them, not engage. God didn’t create us to treat our brothers and sisters that way. We need to do better. Rather than pushing this topic around so it’s someone else’s problem how about we accept the fact that it’s our problem. It’s a human family problem. We need more rehabilitations facilities to help people get off the street for good rather than for a night. How can we make that happen? If we’re not a part of the solution, we’re just a part of the problem. Lord, have mercy on us all.
Here are the lyrics to a song I wrote while in the midst of interviewing people for the article:
What is Your Story
”What is your story?
How did you get here?
What can I do to help you through
And calm some of your fear?
You are my brother
There’s no judgement between us
I’m just trying to reach out to you the way I was taught to by Jesus
It’s time to lay your burden down
Put your feet on solid ground
And let me love you
What is your story?
How did you get here?
What can I do to help you through
And calm some of your fear?
You are my sister
There’s no judgement between us
I’m just trying to reach out to you the way I was taught to by Jesus
It’s time to lay your burden down
Put your feet on solid ground
And let me love you
Lord, help me!
Everybody deserves to have a place to rest in safety
Everybody deserves to have a chance to feel you near
Give us the strength to share your courage and your mercy
Help us to welcome all your children into our care
So they can know even in their darkness you are there
What’s your story?
How did you get here?
What can I do to help you through and calm some of your fear?
I am your sister
There’s no judgement between us
I’m just trying to reach out to you the way I was taught to by Jesus
It’s time to lay your burden down
And rest your feet on solid ground
And let Him love you”