I’ve been knitting and sewing a lot over the last little while and many of these things have become gifts for people… here are some pictures!
Aside from the tie for a friend and the socks that were my Dad’s Christmas present, it seems that everything I’ve made and remembered to take photos of has been for babies. I’ve also sewn a few skirts, a couple of capes, some coasters, and a number of other things I’ve forgotten to photograph.
Christmas Day in New Westminster
What do kicking someone out of their halfway house-type accommodation, calling emergency mental health services and then having someone forcibly removed from the premises by police, and finding a dead body have in common? Apparently they are all in a weeks work when you work at the largest emergency shelter in town.
But that isn’t what I came here to write about. I had wanted to write a story of happiness, of Christmas spirit and Christmas joy at work in the emergency shelters.
We are all familiar with the story of two young people travelling a long distance, one preggo, only to find there is no where for them to stay when they get to their destination. I don’t know if I’ve ever stopped to think about whether or not they had money for a place even if there was one to be found, but like it or not, they were homeless.
How might that story translate to 2011?
It is Christmas Eve and this young family with three children under six finds themselves unable to sleep in their car as they have been for the last while: it is raining and the back window is broken. Not only that but they have no food. Alone and strangers in town, they make their way to the emergency shelter.
Sorry, we can’t take children. We are a 19+ shelter only.
But what about families? Where are families supposed to go?
We’ll call the Ministry and see what they suggest … They are closed until Tuesday, there is nothing we can do … We’ll check with the Housing workers at the Community Centre that administers our family units … Also on holidays … Well, we just happen to have one of our family units vacant at the moment. It isn’t large, in fact there is only 1 bedroom for the five of you, but it is warm and dry and you can leave your small car in the parking lot …
And so some staff members went grocery shopping and then shopping to get Christmas gifts for three youngsters who’s parents were afraid to tell them it was Christmas Eve for fear of disappointing them with another year of nothing.
While it isn’t much, it is five more people out of the cold with a dry roof over their heads and a stable floor below their feet. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
I have high intentions of getting back onto the Friday Photo train, however that will have to wait until I can find the uploading device for my camera. I’m pretty certain which box it is in.
I was emailed this link by the manager of shelters at work. While I don’t post things about my work, after my facebook link earlier this week to a ten minute interview with “homeless poets” (from the writing workshop at my workplace), this one fits right in. In it, a young person volunteering her way across the country stopped for a while at my shelter and spent time volunteering with us. She writes about her experience with us.
Here I am, in the comfort of my new home. It has been a busy week. With visits to the 
doctor and police station keeping me nearly three hours late at work the day before last, it is a wonder I have unpacked as much as I have. Approximately four boxes remain and then it is a matter of making tweaks to the storage here and there. I enjoy the process of finding homes for everything more than I enjoy packing things up. I’ve even found time and space to put up my Christmas tree! (And have gotten compliments on it from everyone who has come to the door! Yay Dad!) And I’ve received my first piece of mail to the new address (Thanks Nancy!).
Dallas Road … from a walk with Dad and Colleen the weekend that they came to visit.
In the busy-ness of packing to move and adjusting to a new job, I have neglected posting.
A friend is a contributor to a site that has been posting short reflections each day of advent so far. One resonated with me, both because I am preparing to move to a new house and because I spend my days with those who have no house.
Imagine a world where everyone had a decent place to live. Everyone had a home.
Imagine a world where no one was homeless. No one slept on the streets. No one froze to death in winter.
Imagine a world without slums. Without slum landlords. Without housing unfit for dogs, let alone humans, to live in.
Just imagine!
Come Lord Jesus. Come quickly!
I went to visit my cousin, her husband, and their daughter a couple of weeks ago. This one is a sweetheart and I very nearly tried to take her home with me.
And then I dropped off of the face of the planet for two weeks. That might have had something to do with working 60 hours at one job (all overnight shifts) and 21 hours at the other in the space of eight days. I don’t really want to do that math, especially when you figure in all of the extra-curriculars that I had in there as well. And then lets not talk about the 16 hours I slept one afternoon/evening/night, sleeping through the alarm that was supposed to wake me in time to go to opening night of the world premier for an opera.
In more exciting news, last week was also one of events that have felt a long time coming. Within the space of 3 days, I interviewed and was offered a full time (temporary – maternity leave) position at the place where I have been working casual. It is something of a social work position working with individuals in transitional housing and an emergency shelter. I start next week with a three day conference in Vancouver. It is daytime hours only…!
Possibly more exciting things coming up in the next few weeks.
gillian's island 