When you meet them the fear of them goes away. Most of the time when you see THEM you look away. Some of you even decide it is THEIR fault; THEY obviously are drug addicts or alcoholics. Some of you think there is nothing that you can do; You also are in need. Some of you assume that when you see a pan-handler that THEY are only pulling a scam. When I say “THEM” I mean the people that live on the streets because THEY are homeless.
The judgements we make when we see these PEOPLE that don’t have a home, are sometimes right. These PEOPLE may have a plethora of addictions, you may have little to spare and sometimes the PEOPLE that are asking for money at the grocery store are scamming you. What we don’t know about them makes it easier to do nothing; To not let yourself care.
Love Overwhelming is a local non-profit that has take it upon themselves to love THOSE people. The mission of Love Overwhelming is to extend [HOPE] through identifying needs in our community and creatively filling those needs. Their vision is to be devoted to each other like a loving family, and to excel in showing respect for each other based on Romans 12:10.
Since October Love Overwhelming has been renting Evangel Christian Fellowship’s building to house a warming center called Daily Living Essential Cafe on Monday and Tuesdays from 7:30 to 11:30 am where essential cold weather items and food are available, as well as safe bathrooms and fellowship with people that care. I have had the opportunity to volunteer at this program and have learned amazing things about people. We are all the same and yet we are not. Those same addicts may be medicating other illnesses or more dangerous addictions. They know how many people look at them and the relief when they see me on the street is apparent because they don’t have to hide when they see me. There is just no way I could play cards with them on Monday morning and not say hi and call them by their name when I see them other times of the week.
They need a lot but they want so little. When “Ron and Janice” see me and I say hi to him, they beam. When I am happy to see “Brad” walking by and smile I see how shop owner’s feel uncomfortable. It is so much easier to write him off as just another drug addict; but I would be willing to bet that “Brad” is using those drugs to medicate another illness that the drugs help him live with. I know that “Mark” is an alcoholic – he doesn’t hide it – but when you get to know him you know that he was an fetal alcohol syndrome baby and has been drinking since he was 3 and that is not solely his fault; if you keep talking to him you also know that he is using alcohol to maintain a sex-addiction that could cause a lot more harm than his drunkenness. Once you know these things THOSE people become impossible to blow off and when it is a stormy night or it starts to snow you can’t help but wish you could do more to help them.
Believe it or not, most homeless will tell you their greatest need is a shower. They are thankful for the money you might give them at Safeway, but what they really want is what you and I want; dignity.
As winter came upon us it was a natural progression that brought us to the Extreme Weather Center. When the temperature drops below 31 degrees volunteers come to Evangel and stay awake all night while people come in and enjoy the heat and a safe place, where they don’t have to worry about being mugged or their possessions stolen. Chuck Hendrickson, Chair of Love Overwhelming and Michael Salinas, leader at Shekinah are the main people that organize all the volunteers that make it possible to keep the homeless safe and warm and alive during the worst winter nights. But there are a team of faithful, including myself and our Vice President, Karen Gidderon.
If you are interested in donating to help the cause or donating your time please see their website at http://loveoverwhelming.org. They can also be found on Facebook at http://facebook.com/loveoverwhelming.
The Extreme Weather Center is open from 9:30 pm to 7 am on nights where the temperature drops below 31 degrees and is open to anyone that comes to the center at 1335 11th Ave, Longview, WA 98632
