Homeless at Home

Every country has its set of unique challenges and problems. We have no right to make judgments against a country’s challenges with dealing with its problems. A lot of us in the Eisenhower Fellowship program have come across Homeless people in the cities we have travelled to – be in Washington DC, Chicago, New York, Seattle or San Francisco. The sight has surprised us, disturbed us and sometimes even made us question the values of this country. 

My colleague Yuhyun from South Korea empathetically shared her experience of observing a homeless family in Chicago and how not a single person came forward to support them. She challenged us in asking the question deep within ourselves about where have the great American leaders gone who spoke about liberty, freedom and justice.

A few days later I came across a news item which said that a certain facility had let go of all its patients with mental challenges and they had now become homeless. I am not sure if I grasp the issue completely but I have heard many reasons in my conversations with many people. Some say homeless people choose to live on streets, some didn’t want to be in institutional care and preferred the streets over the being confined in a facility, some are mentally ill and have been abandoned, some have serious alcohol or drug abuse challenges and some have been in conflict with the law and now don’t know what to do with their lives. Maybe all the reasons are true, some of them definitely are.

However, it continues to bother me that a developed nation like America has not been able to effectively deal with this challenge. I am wondering why. I doubt it is the lack of funding. Could it be a lack of willingness. Could It be that the problem is very small in the context of larger issues inflicting our society. How can it be small when it is related to dignity of another human being. I wonder.

The same homeless people on many other occasions have shown care, friendship and love towards each other and towards me, a complete stranger. As I walk through the streets of big cities and sometimes at night, I have met relatively harmless people going about their business. They might be loud with their conversations but never threatening. In my first week in Philadelphia, I saw a whole group of homeless people gather around the Benjamin Franklin way. As I was wondering what was going on, I saw a van park nearby and a group of volunteers from a local church had brought food for them.  The food was served with dignity and it looked hot and delicious. Chinese food was on the menu. One homeless person even asked me if I would like to have some. I politely declined. Soon, I saw another van stop nearby with more food. As I walked past it, the food looked cold, the bread hard and the smiles from the volunteers missing. The food was indeed quite bad as I saw quite a few people dump it in the garbage. In all these, there was support for each other, there was sharing and sometimes even some people giving up their own food for someone else. I saw a young Asian looking teenager get some food, eat it and even asked someone to take his picture on it. I saw a young couple, looking very much in love, sharing a meal. I wondered why they were homeless. I saw many with mental challenges, struggling to eat but eating anyway.

In Chicago, In Seattle and In San Francisco, homeless people everywhere. A Taxi Driver in Seattle shared with me that I might find more Homeless people in San Francisco because they migrate from northern cities on hordes to escape the cold. It was indeed true. In San Francisco, I sensed anger and resentment at being homeless. I sensed entitlement. I could see Homeless people get very angry if we walked past them and give them something. I watched in silence and wondered.

Another lens I observed with curiosity was how they can live their life with so little as possessions. They carry their possessions with them usually in a bag or suitcase on a trolley and some very fascinating and layers of clothes to keep warm. Wish I could put all my possessions in a suitcase and keep life simple. However, I rather that it be my choice or a choice made for me.

As I attempt to close my blog. I can't think of anything intelligent to say. I am only left with questions, observations, perceptions. I guess some questions need to stay questions.