Not long ago, we were driving into town for something and on the side of the road was a young girl with a sign saying 'Hungry, Broken'. My heart went out to her so we stopped the car when we could. We had been given some food vouchers from church and we had a $10 one left. We decided we would give it to this girl.
I walked over to her and she crossed the road and introduced herself to me. Her name is April. She had fallen into bad circumstances and lost her apartment. Someone had stolen her phone. She lost her job. Just one thing after another. Now she was stuck with no where to live, no family around, she couldn't get a job because that required a shower and a phone and an address -- all of which she didn't have. She didn't know what to do. She was scared. She had found a group to stay with - she said they slept under the bridge. I gave her the voucher and told her I so wished I had more to give her. She hugged me and said thank you so much. I told her I want to make some calls to see if I can find her somewhere to sleep. Getting back to the car I burst out crying for her. I so wanted to help her.
I called many places and left messages but no replies. I looked up shelters to find out the beds for that night were all taken. Our bank account had $50 left and that's it. My husband is out of work and that was what was left of the student loan. We decided we would go and find April and offer to pay for one night at a hotel, and then come and get her in the morning and find her some help. I went back to find her and we drove back and forth, we asked others where she was originally and they sent us in one direction. I was so upset. We never found her. We searched up roads, around bridges, everywhere we could think of. I have no idea where she went? We went back the next day and this time I had printouts of shelters and the times she has to get there for a bed, places she can shower and get help to get off the streets. Loads of information. Some clothes, some food. Again, we drove around and around and there was no sign of any of them. We went again another time... and another time. I never saw April again.
Yet I am thankful I met her as it brought the whole homeless situation to my attention. There are not enough beds! No person should have to sleep under a bridge or in the bushes, so vulnerable not just to the weather but also to predators.
One thing I would love to do if I had the money would be to finance more shelters and beds. Fund more people to work with these people and help them out of the situation they got stuck in. Give them hope and training and set them up with somewhere to live and a job and the way to exist. It is the worst feeling in the world to be stuck and feel that no one even cares.
I would also want to set up a trust of some kind to help with finances to supply food, clothing, essentials these people need to get back on their feet again.
I hope and pray April found her way out. I so much wanted to help her more and hate that she was left by herself and alone out there. There are many other April's out there crying out for someone to care. Let's help them however we can with whatever we have to give.
No comments:
Post a Comment