A Slice of Cheesy Love

Granted, what I do – feeding sandwiches, chips and soda pop to the homeless – isn’t a big deal, but it’s a ‘hoot’ for an old man like me. I enjoy investing the time it takes to prepare and serve food to my fellowman, woman or child. I’ll even feed stray dogs or council people if they don’t bite me first.

I’ve made so many sandwiches for real, I make them in my sleep. I make them 8, 10 or 12 at a time. I’ve made 360 sandwiches in a little more than an hour more than once before, but I’d much rather make a few at a time; the food looks and tastes fresher that way. Plus, it’s more fun to feed small groups of 10 or 12. Any group larger than a dozen attracts a crowd, and crowds often become unruly, and I never have enough love to pass around an unruly crowd.

Today as I made sandwiches, I prepared my work space and carefully laid out eight slices of bread. I positioned one piece of salami on each slice of bread, and reached for the small package of cheese to use first. I had nine slices of cheese for eight sandwiches. I figured; eat the extra slice of cheese, or put two slices of cheese on one sandwich. I carefully placed the extra slice of cheese on one of the sandwiches, and then giggled as I imagined who would get the double-cheese surprise today.

It might not sound like much to some people, finding out your salami sandwich has two slices of cheese on it; but when you eat most of your meals in church basements, food lines or alleys, you notice little differences in the food you eat.

‘So, the food smells funny? It doesn’t smell BAD yet.’

‘No mustard? They always serve mustard with tuna fish. I hate tuna; but NO MUSTARD? COME ON!’

‘Wow! This stuff tastes homemade … like by a little, old grandma!!’

Yeah; you can taste the LOVE someone puts in the food they make and serve. It doesn’t matter if you are eating in a restaurant, or if you are eating on the street.

I know, I’ve tasted enough LOVE while eating on the street to last two people two lifetimes! I sure hope you get a chance to taste that LOVE sometime; even if it’s just a slice of cheesy LOVE!

Feeding Homeless 'Immoral' and 'Degrading'

Have you been following the headlines about the homeless feeding law in Las Vegas? Have you been reading what folks are doing in response to those headlines?

Don't feed homeless, Las Vegas statute says

I must be missing something; I don’t understand why any organization would want to feed huge groups of poor and homeless in city parks. I think the headlines along with the resulting protests, increased feeding efforts and law suits are misdirected and will not help the homeless. I think the story is being ‘spun funny’, and will only end up encouraging organizations that rely on publicity to raise money to keep them in ‘the business’ of serving the poor and the needy.

I serve the homeless on the streets of Minneapolis for a non-profit. Much of the food people want to donate is day-old or ‘garbage’; most of the donated clothing is ripped, torn or missing zippers or buttons; just about everything donated is offered in ignorance and indifference. Most people don’t really care about the homeless unless there’s something in it for them.

When I talk to homed people about helping the homeless, I often hear comments, such as: “They’re not like us, are they. Well, it’s better than nothing! If it doesn’t hurt, they’ll never change.” When someone asks, ‘What do the homeless need?’ I respond, ‘The same things that you need, everyday.’

Have you ever stood in line with 30, 40, 100 people waiting to eat? It doesn’t matter if that line is in a church, a fast-food joint or a city park; it’s a nightmare. When you’re stranded in a horde of a line waiting for ‘poor services’, all the people in line look and smell the same; desperate.

If you think eating ‘church food’ from a line with a hundred other desperate people in a city park is a picnic (or a blessing), you must be smokin’ the funny stuff. I've even heard it called 'immoral' and 'degrading.'

One reason that homelessness will always be with us is because we forget to ‘treat our neighbors as we treat oursevles.'

Rain Man?

From Concord, Massachusetts, we get yesterday’s news of a homeless man caught sleeping in somebody’s home.

Police: Former Mental Patient Found Sleeping In Concord Home

"It was determined that he (Robert Spire) had smoked some of the homeowner's cigarettes and drank some wine," Lt. Walter Carroll said.

Portsmouth police said they were surprised to learn that Spire was not still at the state mental hospital.

Spire told police he had recently left the state hospital and was headed home to Florida.

The story reminds me of the movie, RAIN MAN.

Is the homeless man, Robert Spire, (also, a former mental patient?) a savant like Rain Man (Raymond)? Where was Spire’s brother (like Charlie) when he needed him; or, now that he does; or if he even has such a brother?

I think all of us need more (true) family and (honest) friends willing and able to help us out in times of need. We all have times of need, eh? I do; I just don’t need to smoke cigarettes and drink wine, thank you.

I wonder … Who is Robert Spire, the human being?

Living Outdoors

Have you ever asked: With shelters available to the homeless, why do some persist on living outside, under bridges and in storefront doorways?

As pointed out by WCCO TV, Minneapolis, the answer may be hiding as close as your nearest ‘tenting’ neighbor.

Tent Campers Form Friendly Fraternity
http://wcco.com/local/local_story_210161856.html

“For many, that's the appeal of tenting; a comforting feeling of becoming part of your surroundings. Every night in a tent is a one-on-one experience with nature and nature is always an excellent host.

Pleasant memories of the simple things, like the morning sun casting long shadows on tent walls, is what really motivates tenters and continually lures them back to the outdoors.”

There is a large segment of the homeless population that avoids using drop-in centers or overnight shelters. If you ask them why they’d prefer living outside, often alone and in miserable conditions, you’ll get answers as varied and twisted as the persons you ask. But most answers will wind down and around to this:

“I belong here. This is my home. Here, I am free to be me.”

It’s like WCCO points out, “Pleasant memories of the simple things … lures them back to the (great) outdoors.” In other words: You can take the man out of homelessness; but you can’t take the homelessness out of the man.

I think it’s okay to be homeless and poor. And I hope, content. I think it’s okay if simple things bring you pleasant memories.

I hope your life is a special blessing from God, whether you are homeless or not.