The Chaplaincy for the Homeless offers safe storage of important documents. Because we offer this service we are often the recipients of personal belongings that are left at various homeless shelters. The shelters send boxes to us for sorting and saving. Sure we put the birth certificates and diplomas and marriage certificates away for safe storage should the person ever end up in the Chaplain's office looking for them but what about the other stuff?
Here are some other things left behind. Personal bits and pieces of people's lives.
Photos:
A beautiful little baby girl being baptized. A smiling grandma holding her grandson in his little blue outfit. A pretty little girl with dark curls swirling around her head in a blue and yellow flowered swimsuit. An impish little towhead sitting on the end of a twin bed looking mischievously at the camera. An attractive group of 4 women, obviously friends at a dinner party, smiling for the camera with their arms around each other. A young mom with long, shining hair holding a teddy bear out to her happy, little boy. A military photo of a loved one from years gone by. A proud daddy holding his little guy in one arm and a football in the other.
These are real people. Real families like your own, like my own.
What else was in the boxes of belongings? Bibles, books, journals, bits and pieces.
From various journals:
Dearest Heavenly Father, I just want to say thank you for everything you've done for me. Thank you for making it possible that I should live to be 51 years old.
Today was hard. I'm scared. I miss Jerry.
Please God let Martin get out of jail tomorrow. I'm all alone. And I'm afraid.
The homeless are someone's mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, friend. They are you and me.
While I store the documents entrusted to The Chaplaincy, I think it's important to pause and see beyond the box at my feet. I think it's important to remember that everyone has a story. Everyone has someone, somewhere who loves and misses him or her. Be kind this week. Your smile or kind word may be what changes someone's day.
Blessings
Here are some other things left behind. Personal bits and pieces of people's lives.
Photos:
A beautiful little baby girl being baptized. A smiling grandma holding her grandson in his little blue outfit. A pretty little girl with dark curls swirling around her head in a blue and yellow flowered swimsuit. An impish little towhead sitting on the end of a twin bed looking mischievously at the camera. An attractive group of 4 women, obviously friends at a dinner party, smiling for the camera with their arms around each other. A young mom with long, shining hair holding a teddy bear out to her happy, little boy. A military photo of a loved one from years gone by. A proud daddy holding his little guy in one arm and a football in the other.
These are real people. Real families like your own, like my own.
What else was in the boxes of belongings? Bibles, books, journals, bits and pieces.
From various journals:
Dearest Heavenly Father, I just want to say thank you for everything you've done for me. Thank you for making it possible that I should live to be 51 years old.
Today was hard. I'm scared. I miss Jerry.
Please God let Martin get out of jail tomorrow. I'm all alone. And I'm afraid.
The homeless are someone's mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, friend. They are you and me.
While I store the documents entrusted to The Chaplaincy, I think it's important to pause and see beyond the box at my feet. I think it's important to remember that everyone has a story. Everyone has someone, somewhere who loves and misses him or her. Be kind this week. Your smile or kind word may be what changes someone's day.
Blessings
I am crying. I think this post speaks volumes about the people who can become homeless - truly anyone. I think this glimpse into the box provides a sense of what we all consider the most valuable of all things we may have lost; family, friends, and personal connections. When you lose your home you must choose what few belongings you are able to take with you, the things you consider to be priceless. It saddens me that the unstable life of being homeless can cause people to lose those special things they held on to. Often it is those sentimental treasures that keep us hanging on to hope for better days.
ReplyDeleteI just now saw this while doing some maintenance on my blog. I'm sorry I missed it the first time Shannon. Your insite is fabulous. Thank you for sharing. xo
ReplyDelete