http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com Befriending People in Dallas Who Are Homeless Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:24:46 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Monday, June 30, 2008 Here is the link for a Dallas Morning News article of Saturday, 6/28/08.  The article states that Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, which runs the Bridge, has terminated its contract with PATH Partners, the contractor hired to offer social services at the facility. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-thebridge_28met.ART0.North.Edition1.4e0188c.html Since it opened May 20, the ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/06/30/changes-at-the-bridge/ Friday, June 27, 2008                                                                                             ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/06/27/street-voices-sherry-parker-poet/          ‘The pheasant in the marshes has to take ten steps in order to get one beakful of food, one hundred steps for one drink of water.  Yet it doesn’t want to be kept in a cage.  Though it would be fed like a king, it would not ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/06/23/self-care/    Current Journal                                                                                                 ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/06/18/f-is-for-family/ Four   The Tao is an empty vessel; it is used, but never filled. Oh, unfathomable source of ten thousand things! Blunt the sharpness, Untangle the knot, Soften the glare, Merge with dust. Oh, hidden deep but ever present! I do not know from whence it comes. It is the forefather of the emperors.   ~~Lao Tsu, Tao Te Ching   Dedicated to ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/used-but-never-filled/ Journal Archives February, 2007   Poochie and Quiet Storm I was sitting behind a table in the parking lot of the Day Resource Center.  The table was filled with giveaway clothing, and homeless people were filing by, picking out the two items they were allowed.  A woman, very quiet, stood in front of me, ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/06/10/puppies-from-heaven/ June 8, 2008   “Maybe the best any of us can do is not quit,         play the hand we’ve been given,                 and accessorize the outfit we’ve got.”                                    ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/06/08/accessorize-accessorize-accessorize/ Thursday, June 4, 2008 Unity, Harmony and Constructive Dissent It’s strange where one’s challenges come from in caring about people in Dallas who are homeless.  In the past, they’ve usually come from seeing the terrible vulnerability of people living on the street, or from fighting city hall, or in the pain of ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/06/05/unity-harmony-and-constructive-dissent/   Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech ~~by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama   As a Buddhist monk, my concern extends to all members of the human family and, indeed, to all sentient beings who suffer. I believe all suffering is caused by ignorance. People inflict pain on others in the selfish pursuit of ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/06/03/nobel-prize-acceptance-speech-the-dalai-lama/ Saturday, 5/31/08 Last night after the evening meal at the Bridge, I left the dining hall and was wandering around the campus when a couple of guys said hi, and I stopped to talk, sitting down beside them on a low concrete wall by the pavilion. One man, Cullen, who seems very ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/31/wrestling-and-other-conversations/         "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;  and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord;  and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone."                    ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/29/harmony/          "Sometimes I'd like to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world when He could do something about it...  but I'm afraid God might ask me the same question."                                ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/question/ Saturday, 5/24/08 Last night I helped with the evening food service at the Bridge, the new homeless assistance center in downtown Dallas.  Along with Our Calling Ministries, with whom I’ve worked at the Day Resource Center for the past couple of years, and  teaming up with David Timothy, AKA SoupMan of ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/24/dinner-at-the-bridge/   This past Tuesday, May 20 was a momentous day for Dallas and its homeless citizens.  A new, $23 million, state-of-the-art homeless assistance center, The Bridge, opened in downtown.  Here is a letter from David Timothy of SoupMobile describing the ribbon-cutting ceremony and the facility.   Subject: Report from the SoupMan to SoupMobile ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/22/the-bridge-is-open/ This blog received a comment on the post entitled "Broken" from a friend in my church, Church of the Incarnation (Episcopal) that I hope you'll go back and check out (May 15, 2008.  Click on 'Comments' at the bottom of the post.)   May I just say...I love my church, not ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/a-middle-class-homeless-crisis-in-dallas/        "True authority does not issue edicts to suppress men's personal judgment or render its action unnecessary, but it is like the authority of a parent, which invigorates and encourages, even while it restrains and guides the growth of our own individuality."                ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/authority/ Journal Archives Thursday, 12/22/05 I was out with the mobile soup kitchen on a feeding run tonight, and unlike most nights, the vibe was strained on the truck.  For starters, I’d arisen from my sick bed to show up for the commitment I’d previously made, realizing that in the past few weeks ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/15/broken/          “Do you wish to honor the Body of Christ?  Then do not allow it to be scorned in its members, in the poor, who have nothing to clothe themselves with.  Do not honor him in church with silk and then neglect him outside when he is cold ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/12/liturgy-and-action/   Wouldn't It Be Loverly?   All I want is a room somewhere,  Far away from the cold night air. With one enormous chair,  Aow, wouldn't it be loverly?    Lots of choc'lates for me to eat,  Lots of coal makin' lots of 'eat. Warm face, warm 'ands, warm feet, Aow, wouldn't it be loverly?    Aow, so loverly sittin' abso-bloomin'-lutely still.  I would ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/06/wouldnt-it-be-loverly/ Dear Readers, Here's a link to the website of a group of people who have generously allowed me to work with them on Friday nights at the Day Resource Center for the last couple of years while they serve dinner and give away clothing.  They provided me with a way to ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/03/services-provided-by-the-bridge/ Suffering and Compassion        “Compassion is a mind that removes the suffering that is present in the other...We can nurture the unconditional love that does not expect anything in return and therefore does not lead to anxiety and sorrow.... The essence of love and compassion is understanding, the ability ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/05/01/suffering-and-compassion/ Giving Freely “...a nun once said to me, ‘Mother Teresa, you are spoiling the poor people by giving them things free.  They are losing their human dignity.’ When everyone was quiet, I said calmly, ‘No one spoils as much as God himself.  See the wonderful gifts he has given us freely.  ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/28/worthy-or-not-is-that-the-question/ “Go to the people. Live with them. Learn from them... Start with what they know; Build with what they have. But with the best leaders, When the work is done, The task accomplished, The people will say, We have done this ourselves!” Lao Tzu (700 B.C.) http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/leadership-go-to-the-people/ Here is an excerpt from the current newsletter of The Stewpot, "In As Much": "Dear Friends, Many of you have stepped forward in the fight against hunger. We ask that you go another round.... No knockout punch will be thrown in this ring. This fight is about endurance. It's about ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/the-stewpot-calls-for-volunteers-at-the-bridge-and-donations/ Because much of what I've previously written elsewhere regarding homeless people in Dallas has been political, I generally prefer to stay away from politics on this blog. However, we are at a critical moment in our history as a city regarding our homeless friends: the moment is full ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/going-political-for-a-moment/        “...love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared with love in dreams. Love in dreams is greedy for immediate action, rapidly performed and in the sight of all. Men will give even their lives if only the ordeal does not last long but ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/16/love-in-action/        “Compassion is something other than pity. Pity suggests distance, even a certain condescendence... Compassion means to become close to one who suffers. But we can come close to another person only when we are willing to become vulnerable ourselves.”              ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/12/christmas-angel/ Thanks to my friend, Lynn Trostel, for sending this along. This is what The Dali Lama has to say on the millennium, which begins 01/01/2010. 1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. 2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson. 3. Follow the three Rs: ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/the-dali-lama-on-the-millennium/        “My Father, open the eyes of my soul. Cause me to see that any issue that causes distrust or anger between me and another...even my own iron ‘rightness’ on matters of faith...can cause me to make a desert ‘in the name of the Lord.’”        ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/rightness-and-faith/ Tonight, I sat on the parking lot of the Day Resource Center and took dictation of this poem from gifted poet, Sherry Parker. Sherry, much like myself, doesn't really 'do' technology. With her permission, I publish it here. Many thanks to our friend, Reagan, for arranging my ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/guest-poet-sherry-parker/ ‘6. ‘That’ which is invisible, Ungraspable, Without family, Cattle, Bodily form, The Eternal, Omnipresent, All pervading Imperishable Consciousness, ‘That’ is which the sages Know As the Source of all Being, Consciousness, Reality, Love. 7. As the spider Spins And draws in its web, As plants grow, As hair springs from the head and body, So does all Arise from this Indestructible Consciousness.’ ~~From The Principal Upanishads, The Essential Philosophical ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/as-the-spider-spins/ BLOGGER’S NOTE: Regarding the children in this story, I am glad to report that I have rarely seen children on the street in about the last three years. This is purely subjective, but our city seems to be doing a better job of getting them into shelters. ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/little-ones/ Our youngest granddaughter, now three years old, was born in Vietnam. Knowing and loving her has given us all a special interest in this beautiful country and its history, as did coming of age during the Vietnam War.  KS   The Roots of War "In 1966, when I was in the U.S. ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/31/the-roots-of-war/ I have long wanted to have guest writers on this blog -- especially people who live on the street -- but never got down to figuring out how to implement it. Perhaps this will be the way! Today I received this comment on 'Blogger Profile' from my friend, Reagan, with ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/29/guest-writers-from-the-street/        “Joy is the secret gift of compassion. We keep forgetting it and thoughtlessly look elsewhere. But each time we return to where there is pain, we get a new glimpse of the joy that is not of this world.”                ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/ups-downs-and-blessings/ “Unfold your own myth, without complicated explanation, so everyone will understand the passage, ‘We have opened you.’ ”                                   ~~Rumi, Sufi Poet (Credit to Dr. Gail Thomas, Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture, Lecture Notes, "The Power of Myth and ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/unfold-your-own-myth/ This link is from the Co-Grandmother of our three grandchildren, Nancy (married to Steve.) http://www.photovoice.org/html/galleryandshop/photogalleries/ I hope you'll look at all the screens, but then go to Screen 3 and click on 'Street Vision'. These are our youngest grandchild's fellow 'countrychildren' in Vietnam. When my daughter and son-in-law went to Vietnam a ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/countrywomen-men-and-children/ Journal Archives Wednesday, 11/3/04 The central heating in my house went on the blink five days ago, at the start of the first cold snap of the season. After having a lot more problems than usual with the my heating system this year, plus two power outages in my neighborhood lasting ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/21/central-heat/ My five-year-old grandson has an entrepreneurial streak. This past weekend, his mother (my daughter) called me and said, “He is sitting on the front porch with his old beat-up red fireman’s helmet and a sign reading $5.88, trying to sell the helmet to people walking by! Should I ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/the-capitalist/ Just recently, my blog has been unwilling to acknowledge me as its mother. About a week ago, in a matricidal impulse, it banned me from its premises. Fortunately, through some delicate negotiations and not inconsiderable tech support, I am able once again to be a player (albeit a very minor ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/blogs-their-wills-and-their-mothers/ 'The mind of love brings peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and others. Mindful observation is the element which nourishes the tree of understanding, and compassion and love are the most beautiful flowers. When we realize the mind of love, we have to go to the one who ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/11/meditation-on-love/ Journal Archives Tuesday, 5/10/05 The Good Today I got this thrilling e-mail from my friend David, which speaks for itself: "Today, I saw Patrick. He said he and Candance were still having problems and were not together. However I found another man who lived in the apartments just up the street from where Patrick ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/the-good-the-bad-the-very-sad/        “I must not attempt to control God’s actions. I must not count the stages in the journey he would have me make. I must not desire a clear perception of my advance along the road. I can’t know precisely where I am on the way to holiness... ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/07/shutting-down/        “...Are you willing to be transformed? Or do you keep clutching your old ways of life with one hand while with the other you beg people to help you change? ...It is not a question of willpower. You have to trust the inner voice that ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/05/are-you-willing-to-be-transformed/        “Love until it hurts....What I do you cannot do: but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/chocolate-that-melts-in-your-hand/ Journal Archives Tuesday, 4/12/05 SoupMobile I had an extraordinary experience today going out to feed with a different mobile soup kitchen, SoupMobile, run by David Timothy, also known as SoupMan. His group feeds lunch five days a week to people who are homeless and goes to where they live, under bridges or ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/03/01/candace-and-patrick-revisited/ 'Yield and overcome; Bend and be straight; Empty and be full; Wear out and be new; Have little and gain; Have much and be confused. Therefore wise men embrace the one and set an example to all. Not putting on a display, they shine forth. Not justifying themselves, they are distinguished. Not boasting, they receive recognition. Not bragging, they never ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/02/28/yield-and-overcome/        “For now, we are pilgrims... Do not hurt anyone, in body or in spirit. As far as you are able, help everyone.”                                                    ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/02/26/candace-and-patrick/   “The rewards of compassion are not things to wait for. They are hidden in compassion itself. I know this for sure."                                                          ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/02/21/wisdom-of-a-child-wisdom-of-the-street/ Journal Archives Wednesday, 12/31/03 I was talking with my friend, Dee, today about homelessness -- I asked her for coats for our mobile soup kitchen’s coat drive. She has several well-heeled friends, who are also friends of our current mayor (2003), and they told her recently that the homeless problem in ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/of-supermarket-trollies-and-rolex-watches/ Journal Archives Monday, 12/29/03 When the rear door of the mobile soup kitchen slides up and I see the faces of the people lined up outside waiting for food, it’s as if a powerful energy and grace flow from them into me. Tonight, my daughter, Mandy, sent along two new plush stuffed animals ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/children-stuffed-animals-hot-cocoa-and-grace/        “It’s not about whether people are deserving. It’s about our compassion.” Journal Archives Tuesday, 12/23/03 To my surprise, feeding the homeless is controversial. I did not know this, although, being oppositionally-defined as I can sometimes be, it would only have encouraged me. Nonetheless, I’m surprised that ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/02/14/waxing-philosophical-which-is-almost-as-painful-as-waxing-your-legs/ Journal Archives Thursday, 12/11/03 I got off the catering truck last night at Dallas City Hall plaza and talked to some of the homeless people who were eating the food we’d passed out from the mobile soup kitchen where I was volunteering. I asked one woman, “Where will you stay tonight?” ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/02/13/paranoia-strikes-deep/ [Three and a half months later...]        “We're not trying to solve the problem of homelessness in Dallas, because we don't know how.  We're  just trying to keep people alive.”       ~~Phil Romano, Restauranteur and HungerBusters Founder Journal Archives Wednesday, 12/10/03 I’ve just returned from my first night as a ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/02/13/first-night/        “Today I stand before you to make a just, useful, and suitable intercession, I come from no one else; only the beggars who live in our city elected me for this purpose, not with words, votes, and the resolve of a common council, but rather with ... http://theintermittentvolunteer.wordpress.com/2008/02/13/resisting-the-call/