There’s No Place Like
Home
Many have not had the horrid experience
of being homeless. For those that have,
it is an experience that brings much shame, loneliness, and a sense of disconnectedness
with the world. It is probably one of
the worst conditions to a human soul outside of losing all senses.
I was sitting on my back porch
the other day enjoying the sun, and watching newborn lambs frolicking in the
fields when I noticed something slowly approaching me. I turned with a sigh to see that it was yet
another stray cat left behind in our neighborhood.
We have a real problem with this. There are strays everywhere. We are lovers of God’s creation and have
taken in, sheltered, fostered, and kept more abandoned then we can afford to feed at
times. I believe that some of these creatures are confused by the great flood of Noah and are still in search of the Ark.
However, this particular one has adopted us as her family. We have tried to persuade her to live elsewhere being we have three cats already, two dogs, two parakeets, four finches, and six fish.
Her name is Shirley, my children named her, which meant ownership to them! In other words "SURELY" we are gong to keep her.
Despite my hesitation to let her in the house, my heart broke as she howled at our front door “Let m-e-o-w-in”.
It happened to be
a really unusually cold winter for our usual sauna of a state. It was raining, windy, and poor kitty was
homeless. We took her in and noticed she
had been badly attacked by some other animal.
She was bleeding with cuts all over.
My daughter, Amanda “Dr. Doolittle”, and son, Surgeon Cody, immediately
grabbed a towel and commenced to doctoring her up.
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| Is this the Graff Inn? |
However, this particular one has adopted us as her family. We have tried to persuade her to live elsewhere being we have three cats already, two dogs, two parakeets, four finches, and six fish.
Her name is Shirley, my children named her, which meant ownership to them! In other words "SURELY" we are gong to keep her.
Despite my hesitation to let her in the house, my heart broke as she howled at our front door “Let m-e-o-w-in”.
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| Any room at the Inn? |
This kitty, which is more like a
senior of probably ten years or more was ever so grateful to be tucked inside
the Graff infirmary.
Over the course of days she began to heal, and initiate attempts to eat my birds, and then the
fish. She didn’t succeed, but came
pretty close as we caught her pawing her way into the top of a cage, or
trying to lift the lid to the fish tank.
Our other pets know better, they know they are all family and that Momma
Graff will shank one of them if they touch my precious helpless ones. Well, Shirley has had to be put outside more
often due to her natural behavioral instincts.
She is fed, and still let in to warm at night for safety reasons, but I
still keep hoping she will find a tastier food bowl elsewhere sometimes.
However, as I watched Shirley slink across the grass towards the porch looking up at me, I noticed an expression on her face as if to say, “Is this my home? Can I come closer? Is it okay to sit by you? Or are you going to shun me?”
My heart sunk, when I saw the look of intimidation in her eyes and cautiously moving towards me. She had obviously experienced some trauma prior to landing on our doorstep. She quietly, jumped up onto a chair and continued to look at me for approval. Tears filled my eyes as I thought of this on a human perspective.
How many times have we driven or walked past the homeless, without so much as acknowledging them? They stand on the street corners begging, and yet some refuse to even look at them while praying the light turns green quickly as they make their escape from the unsightly. "Make it go away, some say". No one wants to see the homeless, burdened, addicted or abandoned. "Out of sight, out of mind".
Not being acknowledged is worse than being stared at. Don’t you know this brings shame to them? They are embarrassed, and feel like a low-life citizen already doing whatever it is to survive, without having the added indignity poured on their heads with a swift turn of one. Many want to feel at home.
They desire a family to call their own. Some ended up in that circumstance due to circumstances beyond their control. I’ve spoken to some when stopping to assist, and found that most ended up there through divorce, abandonment, becoming a widower, addiction, or abuse. If on the street too long, some can become mentally ill. Some were dealing with a mental illness before losing their home.
The trauma and unhealthy living conditions on the street are no match for one’s mind or soul. Currently, there are more women and children living on the streets than ever with spouses ending up in jail, losing jobs, or abandoning them altogether. There are over 5,000 homeless in the Houston and surrounding areas. Can you imagine how many worldwide? When we were collecting jackets, and socks for Star of Hope Missions, it was sad to find that there were so many still unable to be sheltered for lack of space, and they were being forced to sleep under whatever space they could find to get warm. Including women and children. Star of Hope hits the streets to hand out clothing for these homeless each week. It was difficult getting donations for our coat drive. Even during the month of December (the most giving season of the year), hardly anyone responded.
I believe that there is much prejudice when it comes to the homeless. Many have fallen prey to the impostors on the corners of highways, and byways. Or some may feel that they deserve to be on the streets for lack of job search, or marital commitment, etc… Yet, let me ask you…how can one get a job interview and pass one without transportation…or with such an odorous infliction from lack of bathing facilities? Once the streets become a home for some, it begins a vicious cycle. The fear, anxiety, health wearing down, offers of means to eat or feed children that require humiliating acts, and substance abuse is a harsh realty.
No one knows how it is until you have actually experienced it. So before you quickly pass by another homeless, I challenge you to look them in the eye, see what God sees, and you will be surprised at what you will find. They are a real living soul in need of love, compassion, and mercy. I know.... because I’ve been one.
Matthew 25:35-46 (NIV)
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| "Doc, is it bad? |
However, as I watched Shirley slink across the grass towards the porch looking up at me, I noticed an expression on her face as if to say, “Is this my home? Can I come closer? Is it okay to sit by you? Or are you going to shun me?”
My heart sunk, when I saw the look of intimidation in her eyes and cautiously moving towards me. She had obviously experienced some trauma prior to landing on our doorstep. She quietly, jumped up onto a chair and continued to look at me for approval. Tears filled my eyes as I thought of this on a human perspective.
How many times have we driven or walked past the homeless, without so much as acknowledging them? They stand on the street corners begging, and yet some refuse to even look at them while praying the light turns green quickly as they make their escape from the unsightly. "Make it go away, some say". No one wants to see the homeless, burdened, addicted or abandoned. "Out of sight, out of mind".
Not being acknowledged is worse than being stared at. Don’t you know this brings shame to them? They are embarrassed, and feel like a low-life citizen already doing whatever it is to survive, without having the added indignity poured on their heads with a swift turn of one. Many want to feel at home.
They desire a family to call their own. Some ended up in that circumstance due to circumstances beyond their control. I’ve spoken to some when stopping to assist, and found that most ended up there through divorce, abandonment, becoming a widower, addiction, or abuse. If on the street too long, some can become mentally ill. Some were dealing with a mental illness before losing their home.
The trauma and unhealthy living conditions on the street are no match for one’s mind or soul. Currently, there are more women and children living on the streets than ever with spouses ending up in jail, losing jobs, or abandoning them altogether. There are over 5,000 homeless in the Houston and surrounding areas. Can you imagine how many worldwide? When we were collecting jackets, and socks for Star of Hope Missions, it was sad to find that there were so many still unable to be sheltered for lack of space, and they were being forced to sleep under whatever space they could find to get warm. Including women and children. Star of Hope hits the streets to hand out clothing for these homeless each week. It was difficult getting donations for our coat drive. Even during the month of December (the most giving season of the year), hardly anyone responded.
I believe that there is much prejudice when it comes to the homeless. Many have fallen prey to the impostors on the corners of highways, and byways. Or some may feel that they deserve to be on the streets for lack of job search, or marital commitment, etc… Yet, let me ask you…how can one get a job interview and pass one without transportation…or with such an odorous infliction from lack of bathing facilities? Once the streets become a home for some, it begins a vicious cycle. The fear, anxiety, health wearing down, offers of means to eat or feed children that require humiliating acts, and substance abuse is a harsh realty.
No one knows how it is until you have actually experienced it. So before you quickly pass by another homeless, I challenge you to look them in the eye, see what God sees, and you will be surprised at what you will find. They are a real living soul in need of love, compassion, and mercy. I know.... because I’ve been one.
Matthew 25:35-46 (NIV)
Proverbs 19:17 (NIV)35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.
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| Brenda A. Graff Founder Food For Soul Magazine |
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