We've been heading down to Boston Common (the central park in Boston, across from Park Street Church, where we attend) once a week to spend time with the homeless. As we love large cities and hope to continue to live in that context, we decided that we needed to understand more about the plight of the homeless and how to love them well. We did a few weeks of training with PSC and then went out for the first time a couple of weeks ago. PSC has a group of about 20 that go out each Thursday night and serve muffins and coffee. Interestingly enough, Boston has plenty of soup kitchens and homeless shelters. Nobody really starves or freezes to death anymore (unless they just choose to stay outside in 10 degree weather) - there are plenty of options available. Transitioning to society is another story, as there are not many opportunities to get housing or jobs for those who have been chronically homeless. So, PSC mainly tries to build relationships with the homeless and offer specific help as homeless folks take the initiative to want to reintegrate into broader society.
One of the things that has been interesting is seeing the variety of paths that people took to end up on the streets. Some grew up in tough homes, were abused, and just left - ending up on the streets. Others got kicked out by their spouse. Others had drug problems or mental disorders which got out of hand and pushed them out. Likewise, their varied perspectives have been shocking at times. I was talking to a homeless guy last week who has been on the street for 20 years. I asked him about his family, and he said that he keeps in touch with them. They invited him to go to Malibu Beach last summer, but he turned them down. Shocked, I asked why. He said that he didn't want to have to go with them on their schedule. He wanted his freedom. This guy was the ultimate embodiment of C.S. Lewis's famous vacation by the sea quote: “If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desire not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, we are like ignorant children who want to continue making mud pies in a slum because we cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a vacation at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
As we have met many homeless people and listened to their stories, I've had a chance to reflect more on sin and its grip on humanity. I don't count myself any different from that homeless guy who refused the trip to Malibu, but my own choice of sin and denials of the "good life" are a bit more subtle (at least to me). Focusing too much on the outcome of a paper or presentation (instead of enjoying the Lord in the midst of the activity), I find myself making sharp comments to Emily or quickly criticizing others. That's the tip of the iceberg, but I'll quit there on public confessions :)
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