By Donna Clark RN, Director
The husband and wife sit on the porch of an abandoned building every day. When the sun comes around and it gets hot they move to the steps of the neighboring church. That’s how their day is spent. They appeared in our community in the early spring staying at a local shelter. While at the shelter the case managers set up a series of appointments and created a plan of action. At that time all they wanted was someone to fix their car so they could sleep and live in it. With that thought in mind they did not follow through with the plans arranged by the shelter. Their health is fragile and since leaving the shelter their condition is deteriorating while living on the streets.
I received a call from concerned church members about their situation and Adult Protective Services was contacted. A visit was done on the porch of the abandoned house and they were given a list of local shelters. Every Saturday they can be found at the soup kitchen and we watch as they both look worse and worse. She has been denied Disability and Social Services has exhausted all their options to assist these two very vulnerable people.
What to do now?? I spoke to them Saturday at God’s Kitchen and was firm that they must come see me on Monday to start to find some sort of help. It is now 1 hour from closing and I have not seen them.
What do we do for people who are so in need of help but they want it on their own terms and their way. Mental health issues and lack of education are two of the main issues we encounter when helping people. I have written before we cannot help anyone unless they want help. Just because we see the problem clearly doesn’t mean that the client see’s it clearly. One of the hardest parts of this ministry is waiting for our clients to be ready to change those things that cause them to be homeless. God is an awesome God and He is watching over these poor stubborn souls. All we can do is pray that something will happen to get them into care and guidance.
H.O.P.E. 