I was volunteering at a homeless shelter last year when I wrote the post below. I remember how disturbed I was at the number of homeless people that were sleeping outside on the sidewalk and under the bridge; they couldn’t get in. Today that homeless shelter is closed; 19 of the resident tested positive for COVID 19. The city moved most of them to a hotel, unitl something better could be arranged. I guess you could say they were the lucky ones. That’s not the case in most larger cities around the country, according to the Washington Post. Many mayors have run into resistance when placing homeless individuals in hotels. Stating that hotels are not zoned for that purpose. Meanwhile, hundreds of rooms sit vacant and people are dying on the street.
The homeless are more suceptible to the virus because many of them have underlying health issues. By they time they do manage to get tested or receieve any assistance it can be too late. I know this country and many countries around the world are burdened with other issues, but this issue is not going away. The number of infected homeless individuals is growing every day. When you put things in perspective it’s kind of hard to shelter in place, stay at home, when you don’t have a home.
Matthew 8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
Loosing It May 29, 2019
Have you ever lost something, but you didn’t realize how valuable it was until it wasn’t there any longer. I have been working on another book for the past two months. I couldn’t locate the file. I panicked. I searched my computer from top to bottom. I broke out in a cold sweat. My eyes began to water. When I calmed down and prayed I realized I had placed the file in another folder.
Now just imagine how you would feel if you lost your home. A comfortable home or even if it wasn’t comfortable you had a roof over you head. Suddenly, you are homeless. How would you cope? What would you do? Go to a shelter? If you are fortunate enough to get in. There are only so many beds available for women. Statistics show that women are the fastest growing group of homeless victims. Domestic violence is the primary reason. In some cases, it’s due to lack of healthcare, or a loss of public assistance. The growing number of homeless women is steadily climbing daily. So what can we do? Pray, of course. Lend a helping hand when possible. Partner with an organization that is trying to make a difference. But for God’s sake please do something. These women need you.
