It is so cold this morning! So cold.
I'm wondering what it feels like on the street today. I can only imagine what it was like last night for hundreds of folks without housing here in Dallas.
What were the actual experiences in the "camp grounds" under our bridges, down along the banks of our creek beds, behind buildings on loading docks and in all of the other out-of-the-way places were people were "hiding" last evening.
What is it like today in the ice cold rain? Where to go? What to do? How to eat?
Wonder what it will be like tonight when it really turns cold?
Last Thursday afternoon I took a couple of my trusted partners on a driving tour of two huge South Dallas neighborhoods. The housing stock is way below sub-standard. As we drove through the areas again--I've done this so often, it became hard to realize that people are actually trying to live in houses like these in Dallas, Texas!
Outrage seems appropriate this morning as I think about the cold and those homes. Wonder how many people huddle around open flame heaters as I write these words? Wonder how the open cracks in the walls or the leaks in the rooftops are being managed?
Dallas considers itself a "can do" city.
This morning in the cold, with clear images of the poor in my mind, I find that claim laughable or, at best, a cruel, cruel marketing hoax.
Put yourself in out in the cold today.
How does it feel? How would it feel if you had no warm, dry, comfortable option into which you can easily retreat whenever you choose?
What does your faith tell you about our current circumstances in this city of amazing wealth and opportunity?
4 comments:
What are your thoughts on Schwarzenegger fighting to provide health insurance for 6.5 million uninsured Californians, including illegal immigrants? Would love to see a blog on it.
Yeah... I know what you mean Larry. I'm stuck in Austin when I'm supposed to be in Abilene. I went here for a retreat and now we're stuck until possibly Tuesday (according to the news).
Some people who are with me are extremely upset that we're stuck here... But man we are stuck in a pretty nice hotel and we have pretty nice cars to drive around in and we're taking care of ourselves by eating really nice meals at really nice restaurants. As well, whenever we are actually "outdoors" we are warming ourselves with our Express Sweaters and Banana Republic 3/4 Length Coats.
I can't help but feel heavy that I would even consider myself to be "stuck". When you consider that some of my poorer brothers and sisters don't have this, and in fact, they are the ones who are actually "stuck". Man, this kills me.
I hope we'll all treat one of our homeless brothers or sisters to a meal or give them a jacket that we really don't need. I hope we'll go to Express and buy a homeless person one of the sweaters that are on sale for $10 or $20.
Thanks for the thoughts, Larry. We should talk sometime soon, cause I've come up with some more ideas for that Urban Develpoment Project.
My roommate and I are without heat right now (the igniter is broken and can't be repaired until Monday).....interestingly it prompted a conversation between us about how lucky we are to even have a nicely insulated home that shelters us from the wind and rain. We have the means to purchase the safest (meaning more expensive) space heaters to keep us warm until the repair man comes.
We both talked about the homeless and wondered how they are coping with the freezing weather.
We both decided to thank God for what we have, and not complain about being our short inconvenience.
Thank you Larry for shedding light on our brother's and sisters who are suffering far worse than we are.
Keep the light shining so that others will see, Myra
You hit the nail on the head about South Dallas, and that's why I'm so disappointed in some of the City Council people.
South Dallas should be a lot better off than it is. I don't know how Chaney can sleep at night knowing that people are living in shacks.
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