3rd February
Cleaning up the mess left by the rainstorm Melbourne and its suburbs endured over the past 2 days is going to take some time. There are houses where power still hasn't been restored, and there are fallen trees and debris left by the sudden flooding everywhere. Embankments too have collapsed, blocking footpaths and making travelling along footpaths, particularly on my scooter, extremely difficult, often the sticky mud is too deep for me to get through causing the motor on my scooter to cut out.
For those without homes, though, the lack of electricity means little. Some have lost what little they treasured. I've promised to do what I can to help replace what was lost. I have some clean dry clothing, and will visit opportunity shops over the next few days in an attempt to get more. I know that many of you will not understand the next loss, but some of those who have become Christians have also either had their Bibles washed away, having been caught in the drains, or severely water damaged. Luckily I have a good supply of Bibles at my home and should be able to replace each one that is needed. To try to explain my comment that some of you may not understand this need, perhaps saying that a Bible should be the last thing replaced, those of the street folk who know Christ depend on reading their Bibles every day, as do many other Christians, myself included. Many Christians use their daily Bible time and meditation to commune with God, and it is as much a part of daily life as breathing. Hence the need to replace the missing and damaged Bibles.
Many of you would be surprised at the sense of community among the street folk and the homeless, I am aware that there are some in the day community who only know of the violence so prevalent on the streets. Yes there is violence, what many don't realise is that violence is a recognised form of communication, and while I don't condone violence in any form, I understand why it is so. But I believe many of you reading this would be surprised at the compassion that is found among the street folk. The frail man, with barely enough clothing to keep himself warm, passing his threadbare blanket to another who is wet and shivering. A young girl who is helping an older man gather together what is left of his memories, tied up in plastic bags.
I know many of the day community view belongings of the street folk as just rubbish, there have been many occasions on current affairs programmes where a homeless person sets up residence in a section of a neighbourhood that is deemed 'inconvenient' to the acceptable residents. They point to the pile of tied up plastic bags, filled with 'rubbish', and complain that they are an 'eyesore'. I feel enormous compassion for these street folk, firstly I admire their courage , to actually set up residence in an area they would normally go out of their way to avoid. Secondly, what others class as 'rubbish' are actually the remnants of what remains of their memories. Yes, there may be an odour, but has anybody ever thought where they are meant to wash and if there are facilities to do that, what point is there when they don't have clean clothes to change into?? Another criticism is that they toilet in the streets. Have you ever tried to find an unlocked public toilet between the hours of say, 6pm and 7am? I can tell you from personal experience, it is very rare, yes there are some in 24 hour stores, and takeaway chains, but staff actively prevent the streetfolk from making use of them. Have any of you who criticise the street folks' toilet habits ever tried not to go to the toilet between the hours of 6am and 7pm? Try it one day, and then think of the street people, who are active at night because it is often the only way they can keep warm. It's far better to sleep when the sun is up when you only have one blanket at the most to provide warmth.
My last two posts may be seen as 'whinging', however, it distresses me the way that the day community lacks understanding for the plight of the homeless, and jumps to judgement, something only God is equipped to do, because only He is in possession of all the facts. Yet I know there is misunderstanding on both sides, the street folk too go to great lengths to avoid contact with the day community, and when they do they often use 'abusive' language. Yes there are faults in both communities, I pray that one day there may be a breakthrough, and that both communities, the day and the street will learn to both tolerate and respect each others rights. May God bless each of you.
For those without homes, though, the lack of electricity means little. Some have lost what little they treasured. I've promised to do what I can to help replace what was lost. I have some clean dry clothing, and will visit opportunity shops over the next few days in an attempt to get more. I know that many of you will not understand the next loss, but some of those who have become Christians have also either had their Bibles washed away, having been caught in the drains, or severely water damaged. Luckily I have a good supply of Bibles at my home and should be able to replace each one that is needed. To try to explain my comment that some of you may not understand this need, perhaps saying that a Bible should be the last thing replaced, those of the street folk who know Christ depend on reading their Bibles every day, as do many other Christians, myself included. Many Christians use their daily Bible time and meditation to commune with God, and it is as much a part of daily life as breathing. Hence the need to replace the missing and damaged Bibles.
Many of you would be surprised at the sense of community among the street folk and the homeless, I am aware that there are some in the day community who only know of the violence so prevalent on the streets. Yes there is violence, what many don't realise is that violence is a recognised form of communication, and while I don't condone violence in any form, I understand why it is so. But I believe many of you reading this would be surprised at the compassion that is found among the street folk. The frail man, with barely enough clothing to keep himself warm, passing his threadbare blanket to another who is wet and shivering. A young girl who is helping an older man gather together what is left of his memories, tied up in plastic bags.
I know many of the day community view belongings of the street folk as just rubbish, there have been many occasions on current affairs programmes where a homeless person sets up residence in a section of a neighbourhood that is deemed 'inconvenient' to the acceptable residents. They point to the pile of tied up plastic bags, filled with 'rubbish', and complain that they are an 'eyesore'. I feel enormous compassion for these street folk, firstly I admire their courage , to actually set up residence in an area they would normally go out of their way to avoid. Secondly, what others class as 'rubbish' are actually the remnants of what remains of their memories. Yes, there may be an odour, but has anybody ever thought where they are meant to wash and if there are facilities to do that, what point is there when they don't have clean clothes to change into?? Another criticism is that they toilet in the streets. Have you ever tried to find an unlocked public toilet between the hours of say, 6pm and 7am? I can tell you from personal experience, it is very rare, yes there are some in 24 hour stores, and takeaway chains, but staff actively prevent the streetfolk from making use of them. Have any of you who criticise the street folks' toilet habits ever tried not to go to the toilet between the hours of 6am and 7pm? Try it one day, and then think of the street people, who are active at night because it is often the only way they can keep warm. It's far better to sleep when the sun is up when you only have one blanket at the most to provide warmth.
My last two posts may be seen as 'whinging', however, it distresses me the way that the day community lacks understanding for the plight of the homeless, and jumps to judgement, something only God is equipped to do, because only He is in possession of all the facts. Yet I know there is misunderstanding on both sides, the street folk too go to great lengths to avoid contact with the day community, and when they do they often use 'abusive' language. Yes there are faults in both communities, I pray that one day there may be a breakthrough, and that both communities, the day and the street will learn to both tolerate and respect each others rights. May God bless each of you.
posted by Unknown | 1:46 am
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