I met a pitiful man under the bridge tonight. He was in his 50’s and living on the streets of the city he grew up in. He admitted to having an alcohol problem. As he was talking, I could see the few teeth he had in his head and the tremor in his jaw. His nervous system was clearly jacked up, maybe from drugs, but just as likely from his broken brain. He described how he has suffered from manic-depression for most of his life and how he has been on multiple medications to no avail. In some ways, mental illness is worse than physical illness; it tends to have moral connotations and stigma. I have seen firsthand how medications frequently are not specific or effective enough. Although there has been progress, we certainly have not arrived in mental health intervention. When the system fails, too often self-medication becomes an effective, if temporary and ill-fated, means of stopping the pain; unfortunatetly the alternative is not much better. We should have compassion on this poor man. Until then, he is thrown out on the streets until such time as he is able to pull himself up by his bootstraps.
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Tonight was somewhat of a circus. I counted at least 4 different groups under the bridge. Three different meals had been served between 5 and 7 pm. There was the obligatory sermon prior to the third meal. There were the overly ebullient workers and a niave leader walking around with his shoulders back. There were the TV cameras, of course. Lots of egos got stroked tonight at the expense of the poor, with minimal inconvenience. Was anyone helped?
I think they will do fine without my presence down there.
Not far from the bridge, I saw a group meeting to strategizing about how they can be of help to the homeless.
I apologize for my cynicsm. I speak from firsthand experience. I too am guilty. Guide us please. Offer an alternative for those who want to help.
2 comments:
you actually were instrumental in getting s. off the streets. no small thing. i think to some extent we have to give each other grace. i know you are there for good reasons. i think, and i am guilty of this, that many people do not know how to act in certain unusual social circumstances. maybe the longer the perky person or the naive person keep coming the more they will feel natural in that environment? i just don't want to feel hopeless or cynical.
You are right, Kit. I need to think grace. I am wrestling with how to respond to the things I have been observing over the past six months. Can't figure out which character I should identify with in Luke 9.
In the first, the observations and complaints triggers a movement to join the 'real' guys. The complaints are justified based on the better way of Jesus. "Hey guys, what we are doing here is all messed up. I have been watching that Jesus dude, and I am not gonna do it this way anymore. I am going to see if I can hang with those Jesus followers and do it there way.
In the second, I take my observations and complaints to Jesus, who admonishes me to focus on the kingdom work and ignore what they are doing. Leave them alone.
Not sure what perspective I am coming from. See and point out the error and move or, or say nothing and carry on the business I am called to?
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