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By Tara L. Fraley, The Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg
Wednesday, March 27, 2002
YORK - In a poem written two years ago entitled “Wish
List,” I penned the items I would like most to accomplish
during my lifetime. Among things like “climb one of
Egypt’s Pyramids,” “understand God,”
and “write a novel” is “feed, clothe, and
house a homeless person.”
How often have you been to Washington, New York, or Chicago
and seen homeless people lying on the ground bundled in thick,
old clothing with their belongings in a rusted shopping cart?
Perhaps you have seen them standing on a street corner, fingers
protruding through torn gloves, holding a tin cup in hopes
of a compassionate person’s help. In an effort to cross
this item off my list, I began thinking of things I could
do to help a person who has no place to live.
My first idea was to travel to one of the major cities and
spend a week in some type of service devoted to the homeless.
Unfortunately, I soon realized that this plague affecting
more than 500,000 Americans exists right here on the Peninsula.
After inquiring of various social service organizations, my
efforts landed me at the doorstep of St. Paul’s Episcopal
Church in Newport News. For 10 years, St. Paul’s has
coordinated efforts to feed a hot meal to the homeless every
Saturday afternoon.
Pat Morrell, coordinator of the Saturday ministry, greeted
the volunteer group by discussing the harsh reality that the
homeless face each day. “These people are not only cold
on the outside. They are also cold on the inside. They have
no place to go, and this is an opportunity for us to feed
their physical bodies but also warm their souls,” she
said as the group listened intently.
We were instructed to give plenty of food to each individual,
because for some, Morrell emphasized, “This is their
only meal for the day.” Over the next 2 ½ hours
we baked chicken, cut fresh fruit, brewed tea, sautéed
vegetables and prepared yams.
As the noon hour approached, final arrangements were made
by placing utensils, napkins and cups at the tables for the
guests to be served by the volunteers.
About an hour earlier, I had noticed through a window that
the homeless were already lining up at the door. I thought
back to Morrell’s words, that this would be the only
meal for some of them.
As they filtered through the door and found seats, I noticed
that some were carrying all their belongings in sacks. I thought,
how fortunate I am to have a place to sleep, bathe, cook meals,
laugh, weep, and do all the other sacred things that are done
in the privacy of what we call “home.”
The Rev. Isabel Steilberg stood up and introduced the volunteers,
made announcements, distributed mail and offered a prayer.
On this miraculous Saturday morning, I found an appreciation
not only for the strength of the homeless, but also for the
efforts of St. Paul’s Church.
According to Steilberg, this ministry of assisting the homeless
has been in place since the 1980s. In a recent Sunday school
lesson, members of the church, who range from the homeless
to business executives to surgeons, listened as she stressed,
“God is very concerned about our physical needs.”
This attitude is evident in the ministry for the homeless,
which extends beyond the Saturday feeding to include a hot
meal and entertainment every Friday night, bagged meals on
Sunday, temporary shelter through the program PORT, an address
to receive mail, the use of laundry facilities, and education
in life planning.
“When you work with people less fortunate than yourself,
it makes you thankful for what you have regardless of the
trials you may be faced with,” said Morrell, who has
been confined to a wheelchair for 10 years. According to her,
volunteers have made a great difference.
In my short two months of helping, Williamsburg has been
represented well with the following groups volunteering time:
Toano Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society,
St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Bruton Parish Church, and William
& Mary’s Hunger Awareness.
Volunteer opportunities include donating food and providing
shelter for the PORT program, among others. Recently, children
from Bruton Parish Church made centerpieces for the tables
and decorated rolls of table covering with spring and Easter
drawings.
After my first Saturday morning at St. Paul’s, I drove
home and thought about crossing off another item from my life’s
Wish List. Instead, I made it a permanent fixture on my weekly
“to do” list. Truly, I have discovered the power
of helping the less fortunate, and at the same time found
a church to call my spiritual home.
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