We gave bed #21 to William. His story is horrible. He is from the hood in Chicago and got caught up in all you would expect. He was convicted of aggravate assualt in 1992. His children have been in foster care. He told me that he grew up with an attitude that people owed him something. In prison, he got sober and his attitude began changing to one of needing to take responsiblity for his life. He got one of his children out of foster care. The other is still there. DHS has told his he has to get a more stable life.
He left Chicago a few months ago and made his way to LR. He and his pregnant wife of 4 years, his child, and her three children lived at Our House homeless shelter for a month, but had to leave because he developed a staff infection, which is contageous. My bodygaurd, Keith, got his family into a duplex. Grace church provided some help with food, bus ticket, and a security deposit.
They have food stamps and enough government benefits to cover the rent but not much else. He got a notice from the water company that they were going to shut off his water due to not paying his bill. He has been looking for work, with no success. Being a felon eliminates many opportunities. He called me last week to ask if I knew of any work he could do. My friend Joe, a landscaper, offered him a chance to work with him. It required him to make it to the job site every morning at 7 am. My friend, Keith, donated him a bike to use.
William started on Monday. He made $64. He planted pansies all day. Joe told him that if he wanted to work, he could continue. As I drove him home that evening, he was as happy as a little kid. He talked about how good it felt to work and how he wanted to be like "them" (Joe and his workers). "I want my kids to say, my dad is at work."
We worked out a bus schedule to get him to the job site the next morning. He made it there and worked with Joe and his crew all day digging holes and planting trees. He made another $60. It was a moderately difficult day as far as their work goes. William pulled a muscle in his chest. He was exhausted and went to bed early, but not before paying his water bill. That night, his wife started throwing up blood. He had to skip work the next day to take her to the hospital.
On Thusday, William used the busses and his bike to get to work. He worked another day carrying rocks and doing harder physical labor. He made another $60.
This morning, William called Joe to say it was too cold outside and that he couldn't work. He worked 3 of 5 days. He made $180. He paid some utility bills that will keep them on for another month. He can't work for Joe anymore. His unreliability and lack of physical fitness is not a good fit for what is required.
All week I have been thinking of William and his family. The fears that were in the back of my mind were realized. I knew it was a long-shot, but I had a pollyanna dream, a cinderella hope. I fight my middle class sensibilities. Too tired? Too cold? Join the rest of us schmucks! Missing 2 out of 5 days of work. Where is the work ethic? You do what it takes! You suck it up and pull yourself up by your boot straps! This is what was modeled and taught to me my whole life. So much so that I persevere in the face of obstacles.
But William is not me. He has had a lifetime of different values modeled and taught. He did not have a reservour of values to overcome the obstacles of soreness and cold, and, undoubtedly, other unknown, significant ones to keep working.
But William and his family are okay for the next few weeks. He earned $180. He kept his utilities on. He has a bike to get around better. He got to see a different way of life.
Father, grant William and his family the grace needed to hear the good news in their hearts. Help them to see your love for them, even in their darkness and alienation. Help them to see the different path that you are inviting them to follow right now. Give them the courage and support to begin walking down that path. Transform their hearts as they do so and recruit them to participate in the transformation of the world.
Help William find a suitable job. Use your followers to provide him with models and teaching. Protect him from those things within himself and in his environment that will keep him from hearing and responding to your good news.
No comments:
Post a Comment