I pick my way through the sleeping shapes in the darkened gymnasium to do an early wake-up call for one of the overnight guests at the Winter Housing Overflow. Forty five of the fifty slots are taken. As it turns out, the ID numbers are wrong, and I first rouse the wrong person, but the woman who is expecting the 6 AM call is already awake. One person, at least, is deep in sleep, snoring loudly across the room.
Tonight, we're told, we have one pinkeye- and one head lice- infected child to deal with, quarantined as best they can be in the opposite corner of the gym. All in all, a group of homeless people generally thankful to be out of the cold of the street and their cars, huddled for the night in a safe, welcoming place.
When we put the lights on for an "easy" wake-up call, the blanketed shapes begin to emerge to reveal sleepy faces. The youngest is an adorable two-month old. He is already busy at his bottle. Two older siblings burrow further into their blankets nearby, reluctant to give up their snugly beds. This is one of the families that will have a hard time getting themselves put together by the 8 AM deadline. We will run late on this shift.
My heart breaks for the little ones. A little boy, barely school age, bravely brings mat after mat into the storage area for us to stack. When he is done, he takes a package of instant oatmeal and a paper bowl to his mom. "No time," she says. "You should have gotten up at 7 when I first asked you." He accepts her verdict without complaint. I intercept him as he brings his breakfast choice back and ask if I can help him fix his cereal. He says there isn't time. "Well, let's just fix this and you eat as much as you have time for. If you don't have time to eat it all, that's OK." He gratefully follows me, and I prepare his oatmeal and give him a breakfast bar "to go." No longer bugging his mom as she tries to get ready, he is able to finish his warm breakfast.
I volunteer here once a year. It is a sobering reminder to me that "there for the grace of God go I." Over the last few years, the makeup of this group has changed: many, many more children; younger families; fewer victims of addictive lifestyle choices; more victims of the economic downturn. Cell phones charge overnight. Wheeled luggage holds pared down possessions. Infant carriers and strollers sit next to floor mats.
There for the grace of God... I hope their lives were touched by God's grace through our interaction this morning. Mine was.
