We've had rain for the past couple of days, turning our warm and humid weather chilly and nasty. People came to the meal yesterday hiding under umbrellas and the bright yellow ponchos we gave out at Benny's last month. One man showed up in a gorilla suit (I am going to assume he had to wear it for work, but he insisted on wearing the mask long after he punched out). As I was sitting in my warm, comfortable room last night I was thinking about what it must be like to be outside in the rain all night. We've all been stuck out in the rain at one time or another, but I've never had to be outside in awful weather for too long. The thought of rain dripping down my face continuously while I try to sleep is just awful, and to be laying in wet clothes that I've been wearing for a few days; well that would not exactly be a restful night. It is those types of practical thoughts that have never occurred to me before, since they have been so outside of my experience. There are so many other considerations when it comes to being homeless, like where do I go to the bathroom when all the public restrooms around me are closed? What do I do all day without a job or home to go to? Where do I go when it rains or snows, and all the shelters are full? I have been told that many of our guests will commit crimes big enough to earn them some jail time (at least it's indoors!) but small enough so no one has to be hurt or that would cause them major time. Then, once they get out of jail it is even more difficult to find jobs and housing, and thus the cycle is perpetuated. I don't have any suggestions for solutions-I don't know that there are any.
It's been a pretty fast and busy week, and I'm really looking forward to escaping to DC for the weekend to spend some quality time with my brothers. Steve and I are seeing the Tragically Hip tomorrow night and hanging out with Andy on Saturday, then it will be back to Philly for me! So it will be a whirlwind trip (story of my life) but a much-needed break.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
The hunt for the rest of October
...Where exactly has it gone? I cannot believe it is half over. There is still so much to do though! My roommate from college is coming to visit this weekend (can't wait!), I'm going to see the boys and the Tragically Hip in DC the following weekend, then we will be having a Halloween party for kids at the Inn, Maureen's birthday, and then November will be bringing with it the beginning of the holiday rush. These are all wonderful things and it is great to have so much to look forward to-I would so much rather be busy than sitting around waiting for things to happen.
Things at the Inn are running smoothly. Last week was big for the FVMs, as we began coordinating meals all by ourselves. It's a lot of responsibility in that we are making sure that everything gets done, but we are never lacking in knowledgable help on the part of the team, so it is certainly doable. I still have a lot to learn, especially the names and stories of our guests: who rips us off regularly, who gets an extra meal every day, who the exceptions are to every rule. Today as I was handing out tickets for the morning takeaway breakfast, I mistook someone for a guest who has been banned and was very embarrassed when he showed me his ID. I worked the morning shift with Katelyn as coordinator, so I got to stand in the yard and hand out tickets and keep an eye on things. There was almost a fight in my ticket line, but luckily things died down before coming to blows. I also received my first marriage proposal which, when I turned it down, turned into a highly indecent proposal which I also politely refused, explaining that my boyfriend would probably be jealous and it is such a nice day, wouldn't you rather go sit down and enjoy your coffee? The latter was much more effective than the former. There was also a commotion in the yard regarding the influx of wildlife at the Inn. A cat has recently adopted us and regularly (usually unsuccessfully) hunts the pigeons that flock in the yard to consume the remains of bread left by the guests. A stray dog had followed someone in today and many of the guests rushed over to feed him. It is funny, yet heartbreaking, to see such childlike reactions toward a left-behind cat and a dirty, flea-ridden dog. These are probably the only animals some of our guests have gotten to see or touch in a while. Pets are generally a luxury and wild animals are uncommon in the city. Aside from one man trying to get the cat to smoke his cigarette, the animals were treated very gently and lovingly.
Happy Fall everyone! I've gotten to see a few beautiful leaves in my recent travels, and I hope you are getting to see some gorgeous colors, too!!
Things at the Inn are running smoothly. Last week was big for the FVMs, as we began coordinating meals all by ourselves. It's a lot of responsibility in that we are making sure that everything gets done, but we are never lacking in knowledgable help on the part of the team, so it is certainly doable. I still have a lot to learn, especially the names and stories of our guests: who rips us off regularly, who gets an extra meal every day, who the exceptions are to every rule. Today as I was handing out tickets for the morning takeaway breakfast, I mistook someone for a guest who has been banned and was very embarrassed when he showed me his ID. I worked the morning shift with Katelyn as coordinator, so I got to stand in the yard and hand out tickets and keep an eye on things. There was almost a fight in my ticket line, but luckily things died down before coming to blows. I also received my first marriage proposal which, when I turned it down, turned into a highly indecent proposal which I also politely refused, explaining that my boyfriend would probably be jealous and it is such a nice day, wouldn't you rather go sit down and enjoy your coffee? The latter was much more effective than the former. There was also a commotion in the yard regarding the influx of wildlife at the Inn. A cat has recently adopted us and regularly (usually unsuccessfully) hunts the pigeons that flock in the yard to consume the remains of bread left by the guests. A stray dog had followed someone in today and many of the guests rushed over to feed him. It is funny, yet heartbreaking, to see such childlike reactions toward a left-behind cat and a dirty, flea-ridden dog. These are probably the only animals some of our guests have gotten to see or touch in a while. Pets are generally a luxury and wild animals are uncommon in the city. Aside from one man trying to get the cat to smoke his cigarette, the animals were treated very gently and lovingly.
Happy Fall everyone! I've gotten to see a few beautiful leaves in my recent travels, and I hope you are getting to see some gorgeous colors, too!!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
I took a little vacation from the blogging, but I am officially back in action!
Last week was the crazy week we were all expecting, but it was also a lot of fun and there was a lot to celebrate, from the end of the quarantine to the life and death of Francis to Katelyn's 23rd birthday to Paul's departure. We saw a lot of the Camden crew, which was awesome, and we have begun plans for intercommunity prayer times with them starting this coming Sunday. We are officially the first ever all-female FVM group. Since we are both such small communities, it would be nice to be more integrated, considering we could technically all live in the same house.
I had my triumphant return to Benny's after an almost 2 week hiatus. I worked there on Friday (the day after Francis Day). One of the lay women had been there on Francis Day and celebrated by having a bag sale (customers fit whatever they can into a brown grocery bag and can have it all for $5) and basically giving things away. Not to be outdone, I drastically lowered my prices much to the dismay of one of the volunteers who works there every day. I did this both in honor of Francis and because I was excited about heading home that afternoon and didn't feel like being hassled about money while I was on such a high. I survived the 4 long hours, then returned home to say goodbye to Paul and meet up with my chauffeur (a couple of seminarians picked me up at the Inn to bring me to the seminary, where I met up with my ride home). I made it home around 11 pm (my wonderful parents both waited up of course, because they're wonderful) and was revived by Mom's cooking and a nice hot shower. The next day I was back on the road to Casey's house where I had an incredible and refreshing weekend. I was home again Monday night, just in time for dinner, and headed back to Philly on Tuesday morning.
I have been welcomed back enthusiastically, just another example of the warmth and kindness of the greater community of which we are a small part. I have not once felt alone in this experience or unloved. Everyone here is eager to make us feel at home, and they succeed daily. It often amazes me how much they care, considering we often create more work and worry for them than they would have otherwise. It is really inspiring, and I am so fortunate to be surrounded by such amazing examples of God's love each and every day. I wonder how the lives of our guests would be different if they had a similar opportunity.
It is wonderful to be back here, but going home was a little like returning to my "old life," which is so completely different from my life here. I understand that they are not actually different lives, just different aspects of a single life, but the monstrous differences between them make them seem like they are separate. The challenge at the end of this crazy year will be to reconcile the 2 as I start yet another great unknown adventure. I have been thinking about the future a lot lately, which has been scary and wonderful. Trying to plan is quite intimidating, but the time is going so fast that I need to at least start to plan, otherwise I worry time will get away from me and it will suddenly be July 25, 2008 and I will be clueless as to where to go from here. Maybe then I could just grab my bike from home and join Paul on the road. What do you think, Mom and Dad?
Last week was the crazy week we were all expecting, but it was also a lot of fun and there was a lot to celebrate, from the end of the quarantine to the life and death of Francis to Katelyn's 23rd birthday to Paul's departure. We saw a lot of the Camden crew, which was awesome, and we have begun plans for intercommunity prayer times with them starting this coming Sunday. We are officially the first ever all-female FVM group. Since we are both such small communities, it would be nice to be more integrated, considering we could technically all live in the same house.
I had my triumphant return to Benny's after an almost 2 week hiatus. I worked there on Friday (the day after Francis Day). One of the lay women had been there on Francis Day and celebrated by having a bag sale (customers fit whatever they can into a brown grocery bag and can have it all for $5) and basically giving things away. Not to be outdone, I drastically lowered my prices much to the dismay of one of the volunteers who works there every day. I did this both in honor of Francis and because I was excited about heading home that afternoon and didn't feel like being hassled about money while I was on such a high. I survived the 4 long hours, then returned home to say goodbye to Paul and meet up with my chauffeur (a couple of seminarians picked me up at the Inn to bring me to the seminary, where I met up with my ride home). I made it home around 11 pm (my wonderful parents both waited up of course, because they're wonderful) and was revived by Mom's cooking and a nice hot shower. The next day I was back on the road to Casey's house where I had an incredible and refreshing weekend. I was home again Monday night, just in time for dinner, and headed back to Philly on Tuesday morning.
I have been welcomed back enthusiastically, just another example of the warmth and kindness of the greater community of which we are a small part. I have not once felt alone in this experience or unloved. Everyone here is eager to make us feel at home, and they succeed daily. It often amazes me how much they care, considering we often create more work and worry for them than they would have otherwise. It is really inspiring, and I am so fortunate to be surrounded by such amazing examples of God's love each and every day. I wonder how the lives of our guests would be different if they had a similar opportunity.
It is wonderful to be back here, but going home was a little like returning to my "old life," which is so completely different from my life here. I understand that they are not actually different lives, just different aspects of a single life, but the monstrous differences between them make them seem like they are separate. The challenge at the end of this crazy year will be to reconcile the 2 as I start yet another great unknown adventure. I have been thinking about the future a lot lately, which has been scary and wonderful. Trying to plan is quite intimidating, but the time is going so fast that I need to at least start to plan, otherwise I worry time will get away from me and it will suddenly be July 25, 2008 and I will be clueless as to where to go from here. Maybe then I could just grab my bike from home and join Paul on the road. What do you think, Mom and Dad?
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
The quarantine has come to an end!!!
It is the start of a new month and a crazy week (our weeks actually start on Tuesdays, since the schedule for the week comes out on Monday). Thursday is St. Francis Day, which means a special Mass, and a special community meal on Monday (last night). We had a big turkey (although it was actually chicken) dinner, complete with mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, different breads and vegetables, fruit, and a birthday cake for Katelyn. She will be 23 on Friday and her parents will be arriving that night to stay for the weekend. I, unfortunately, will not get the chance to see them but I am confident they will have a wonderful time without me. Wednesday is the celebration of Transitus, which is a ceremony commemorating Francis' passing from this world to the next. I will tell you more about it after we attend it.
I lucked out by getting today as a prayer day, even though I will be off Saturday through Tuesday, so I have been cleaning and organizing my room and starting to think about packing. Life at the Inn continues as normally as possible, although it seems like I haven't been there much. In the past week I've had Thursday, Saturday, and today off. It is strange and a little uncomfortable to not be busy; I feel like I am losing my momentum. This is just a minor problem, and I'm sure things will be much more settled after I get back from my trip-Paul will be gone so Katelyn, Maureen, and I will be able to get into our own routine. We have just come out of our required 6 week quarantine during which we were not allowed to visit or be visited by people outside of our immediate community. Maureen has already been to see her fiancee and Katelyn's friend Christen will be with us next weekend. It will be interesting to see how our community changes with the added influence of outsiders.
Life here is grand, and I'm still having an incredible time. My birthday celebrations lasted all through the end of September-thank you so much everyone for the phone calls and online messages. It felt really great to receive so many kind birthday wishes and to know that I was being thought of on my birthday. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I really can't tell you how much your love and support means to me, because I couldn't be here doing this if it weren't for all of that. I am praying for you all.
I lucked out by getting today as a prayer day, even though I will be off Saturday through Tuesday, so I have been cleaning and organizing my room and starting to think about packing. Life at the Inn continues as normally as possible, although it seems like I haven't been there much. In the past week I've had Thursday, Saturday, and today off. It is strange and a little uncomfortable to not be busy; I feel like I am losing my momentum. This is just a minor problem, and I'm sure things will be much more settled after I get back from my trip-Paul will be gone so Katelyn, Maureen, and I will be able to get into our own routine. We have just come out of our required 6 week quarantine during which we were not allowed to visit or be visited by people outside of our immediate community. Maureen has already been to see her fiancee and Katelyn's friend Christen will be with us next weekend. It will be interesting to see how our community changes with the added influence of outsiders.
Life here is grand, and I'm still having an incredible time. My birthday celebrations lasted all through the end of September-thank you so much everyone for the phone calls and online messages. It felt really great to receive so many kind birthday wishes and to know that I was being thought of on my birthday. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I really can't tell you how much your love and support means to me, because I couldn't be here doing this if it weren't for all of that. I am praying for you all.
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