Not too long ago I met Keith*. Keith is a kind man with a big toothless smile. He eats most of his meals at Siloam Mission but never stays the night in our emergency shelter. He resides at the McLaren Hotel in downtown Winnipeg, a stone’s throw away from Siloam. He has been staying there for over 20 years. Shocking? I know. What’s even more shocking is that he’s not alone in his circumstances.
You’d be surprised to find out that there are many people in similar situations. There are a number of people who live in rooms in downtown hotels, and to some of them Keith’s 20 year stretch is nothing.
Does living in a skuzzy, run down, dangerous hotel in the middle of the city mean you have yourself a home? I think not. Yet, it’s what Keith has and it’s what he’s surprisingly used to. Keith is one of the many invisible homeless.
Then there’s Mike *. Mike’s a young guy, energetic and warm hearted. He comes by once in a while to access our health centre and get some fresh clothes. We’ve never put him up for the night though; he stays with friends. Mike’s a “couch surfer” and, like Keith, he’s not the only one in that situation.
There are many who spend their nights with various friends or family members. They usually stay for a night or two but after that have worn out their welcome and have to find themselves alternative accommodations again. Night after night they never know for sure if there’ll be a place to stay.
Does having a roof over your head at night automatically mean you have a home? Not really. This is Mike’s life though, this is what he does, and he’s come to expect it. Mike is one of the many invisible homeless.
The invisible homeless are people who can’t claim a permanent residence but are not necessarily seen wandering the streets or sleeping in homeless shelters. They quietly accept homelessness and loneliness. If you’re living in a hotel or moving from couch to couch, you’re not out on the streets, but you’re still homeless.
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator
*Names changed to protect privacy
Monday, March 16, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
Siloam Mission Receives Meaningful Donation
Over the last week there has been quite the media buzz about an elderly gentleman from inner city Winnipeg named Mr. William Woodford. Mr. Woodford surprised the staff at Siloam Mission when he arrived at our doors on February 27 with a bank draft for $40,000. His further donation of $10,000 on March 3 was nothing less than shocking.
The media was all over the story as Siloam Mission thanked Mr. Woodford for his generosity and he was honoured as an aboriginal person for his admirable deed by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. He was honored in this way not only because of the sizable donation but also because of the source of it. Mr. Woodford is a victim of residential schools. Recently the government of Canada decided to give those who were victims of abuse under the residential school system monetary compensation for the wrongs of the past. Mr. Woodford decided to give the money to others. When asked how he decided what to do with all that money, his response was simply, “Well, God told me that.” Mr. Woodford gave the money that was meant to be his compensation, gave also out of his personal savings and has said he will continue to give on a monthly basis.
This is an act of generosity, love, forgiveness and hope. Mr. Woodford is one of the most generous people I have met. And yet, let’s not forget about the many others who also trust us with their resources and faithfully give to Siloam Mission. They are not caught by the eye of the media but they are wonderful nonetheless. Some of our donors are corporations, some are individuals from the community and some are patrons who give out of their meager earnings longing to give back to the place that has been there for them during hard times. Let us also not forget about all those who volunteer with us diligently giving of their time to others who are in need of a helping hand or a listening ear.
What dear Mr. Woodford has done should serve as an example to us all. He deserved the residential schools compensation; he suffered great injustice as a child and as a young man, he served our country in World War II, he now lives in a humble abode. He could have kept the money and did whatever he wanted with it, claiming that he deserved it, and rightfully so. We should all be willing to give up what is “rightfully ours” at God’s prodding. However, we all know how difficult it is for the rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven as Jesus once told us (Matthew 19:16-24).
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator
To read some stories about Mr. William Woodford and his generous donation, check out this link.
http://www.siloam.ca/news_40000_donated_in_the_news.html
For more information about residential schools see CBC’s reports at this link as a start.
http://archives.cbc.ca/society/education/topics/692/
The media was all over the story as Siloam Mission thanked Mr. Woodford for his generosity and he was honoured as an aboriginal person for his admirable deed by the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs. He was honored in this way not only because of the sizable donation but also because of the source of it. Mr. Woodford is a victim of residential schools. Recently the government of Canada decided to give those who were victims of abuse under the residential school system monetary compensation for the wrongs of the past. Mr. Woodford decided to give the money to others. When asked how he decided what to do with all that money, his response was simply, “Well, God told me that.” Mr. Woodford gave the money that was meant to be his compensation, gave also out of his personal savings and has said he will continue to give on a monthly basis.
This is an act of generosity, love, forgiveness and hope. Mr. Woodford is one of the most generous people I have met. And yet, let’s not forget about the many others who also trust us with their resources and faithfully give to Siloam Mission. They are not caught by the eye of the media but they are wonderful nonetheless. Some of our donors are corporations, some are individuals from the community and some are patrons who give out of their meager earnings longing to give back to the place that has been there for them during hard times. Let us also not forget about all those who volunteer with us diligently giving of their time to others who are in need of a helping hand or a listening ear.
What dear Mr. Woodford has done should serve as an example to us all. He deserved the residential schools compensation; he suffered great injustice as a child and as a young man, he served our country in World War II, he now lives in a humble abode. He could have kept the money and did whatever he wanted with it, claiming that he deserved it, and rightfully so. We should all be willing to give up what is “rightfully ours” at God’s prodding. However, we all know how difficult it is for the rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven as Jesus once told us (Matthew 19:16-24).
Sarah Enns
Community Education Coordinator and sj101 Coordinator
To read some stories about Mr. William Woodford and his generous donation, check out this link.
http://www.siloam.ca/news_40000_donated_in_the_news.html
For more information about residential schools see CBC’s reports at this link as a start.
http://archives.cbc.ca/society/education/topics/692/
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