A merry Christmas it was as men and women (several new faces) gathered for an early Street Reach for the Homeless Christmas Dinner and Duds last night to enjoy baked ham (thank you Sarah Medina) and turkey. Had already arranged enough handwarmers (thank you Shawna Squabb & Concordia Lutheran) toe warmers, small flashlights and adorable handmade childrens Christmas cards stuffed with donated McDonalds $5 gift card and all day bus passes from so many to give to each and every person who came to celebrate under the stars. Brought a smile to my face as each picked a card from the fabulous aluminum catering pan I had them stacked in (lol) and so many commented like my kid added a snowflake, this one has cotton balls, this one has wish list for Santa front and center and so on. Hearts were touched and smiles abounded before the first person even stepped up to get dinner service started. Each person had a choice of either baked ham (with brown sugar, pineapple & a Sprite and will be repeated again next time ham goes on sale as we ran out of that sweet meat first) or roast turkey breast with butter and rosemary from my garden tucked under the skin. I made enough for an army (and while slightly less than that stood in a line that continued to grow even at the hour and a half earlier start time) so each person could have a small serving of both mashed potatoes with butter (and/or optional turkey gravy) and creamy mac n cheese. Both made it down to the last person but only a handful could have seconds. I pulled two plates off to the side for any just in case late comers and sure enough they were called into action so both had the potatoes & mac n cheese before they disappeared as choices. After the first station each was able to select 4 chocolates from a variety of Christmas candies, the small flashlight of their choice from Darlington and then the hand/toe warmers for those needing. Sides included traditional dressing, 4 pounds of macaroni salad and sweet potatoes. Had 5 pounds of mixed lettuce ready to roll for salad but the slicing of the meat took waaaay longer than I had allowed so hoping it keeps til Monday night when I return. There was bread and butter for anyone who wanted it and about 9 dozen donated about the size of Texas (anonymous) bakery cookies for dessert so plates were full. I had immediately been greeted not only with Merry Christmases and hugs when I stepped from the van but also new faces asking for clothing and tents. I assured all we would go to the van after dinner and then tried to remember faces so, knowing I had purchased 2 tents from Meijer earlier in the week (thank you, Jenni Smith Brinlee and Petroleum Parts), thought requests might be higher than supply which proved true. Besides the two tents that were gone in the blink of an eye (went back to Meijer on Maysville Rd at 6 am before work this morning as there was only one two man tent left on the shelf when I was there earlier and now is in the van for next Monday night if the Friday night street team with Gina and Tommy Burns are also out). Not only staying warm but almost more importantly staying dry was the issue last night. Nearly every camo & dark green tarp (not handing out blues ones this winter) I had in inventory went out along with the remaining balls of heavy twine (thank you Kelley Beasley if memory serves correct). All comforters left the back of the van and again, about half of the blankets. Put heavy boots (mens but in a pinch a girl has to do what a girl has to do) on one gal who is sleeping in the elements and am looking for a size 10 & 13 for two other gents I was unable to fit. Sweat pants for two, a size 2XL hoodie for another, a 3X winter coat for another and then the miscellaneous gloves and sternos. One new gal (wearing only leggings for pants) came for clothing. New face but clearly word had traveled and while she does not sleep in the elements clearly wearing all she owned and I suspect part of our precariously housed either floor or couch surfing with a friend. Was able to give her a pair of sweats for the right now moment (which she immediately put on) and then this morning put together an entire bag of young womans clothing with more sweats, pullover shirts, sweat shirts, etc should she return on Monday night as I do not typically carry young womens clothing in the van - particularly in winter. There were hugs and there were thanks. One gent let me know he was the representing delegate of one camp site coming with thanks and we immediately put together a goodie bag of 5 more flashlights, handfuls of chocolate candies and 5 more Christmas cards with McD gift cards and a bus pass for the others. Another stopped to let me know that 4 of them were now living in a tent I had given him a few weeks ago. As he named who else was in his camp, I grabbed another 3 of the stuffed Christmas cards to take in their direction. He then said, with voice breaking, you dont know how much these mean to us at 6 am on a cold morning when we have no place to go. Started to say I know and then stopped myself. No, I can imagine, and as one of their advocates, I do imagine, but no I am not out there at 6 am in only a tent in the middle of winter waiting for the sun to come up, for darkness to turn to light, for doors to open and the city come alive. I can only imagine ..... I can only pray ...... pray to God that he protects them in the oncoming battle of survival as they face what will surely be more brutal days and nights in the weeks to come. I look into the face of each with both love and yet fear as I cannot imagine losing another after knowing 5 of the names spoken, this year, on December 21 during the Memorial Walk for the Homeless. And so it goes, prayers…prayers…prayers….for their safety, for their health and in the winter time, their very lives!! For this is their life….a life in the elements, hungry, cold, wet, and lonely …. and yet …and yet….they rise the next day as surely as the sun rises in the East and do it all again with little complaint and only gratitude and thanks. So, I shall do it, again also, as next week brings New Years night on my Thursday night along with one more round of $5 McD gift cards to help at that 6am hour, that rain filled day, that night when the temps are colder than cold, along with smoked brisket donated by David McLaughlin and Blue Stack Smokehouse as there is NO better way to start a new year! God bless.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 20:12:19 +0000
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