I came in to work early this morning… it was still dark and I checked on the Bus Boutique (it gets broken in all the time these days).
In front of the dumpster was a gentleman (Tim- name has been changed to keep his dignity) who was fixing his bike trailer. We started talking and he asked the about the Bus and his need for shoes. I just happen to have a pair of perfect fitting new shoes in my trunk and was able to give them to him.
We talked about his life, his failed marriage, his heavy-duty equipment job, him being laid off because the job was outsourced, the tumbling of a life and his struggle to know how to pick things up again. Where do you start when you feel dirty, don’t have a roof over your head and your only transportation is an old bike?
While I was I holding his flashlight while he put his bike back together I shared about the new One Stop Homeless Center, the Homeless Shelter as a place to sleep and get showers, the Bus Boutique for clothing. I said a quiet prayer for him and then we parted ways.
Not every homeless is a drug addict, not every homeless has a mental health issue, not every homeless is a bum, sometimes people just fall off the track and it is really difficult to start over again when you don’t have the support to move forward.
As for Tim, he is ready and willing and someday you will see him holding down a job and maybe fixing the bus you are sitting on.