Chippewa Valley Street Ministry Journal
We hope this journal note finds you all well. We continue our work on the street with our unhoused brothers and sisters, with growing concern for the increased number of people we're serving. We have been seeing a steady increase and are now going to start preparing for 70 guests each time we're out. It's a challenge to know how much to bring out, as we never want to leave someone in need of food or hydration; some people tell us that the food we provide is what gets them from one day to the next, especially if they're working and cannot get to other resources.
We've been blessed to have some young visitors from the local family shelter over the last few visits. The pictures are used with the mother's permission. She said the children had clothing needs, and our partner, Shepherd's Closet, filled the needs, and we provided the items at the next visit. The mother reports that they will be moving into housing in the next few weeks, which is very exciting news. At each visit, the children are gracious and interactive. We're happy to be of service to all ages and needs.
The children love the Prime drinks that we distribute!
Lots of smiles and hugs from our young friends.
The people we serve often have to carry everything they own from place to place. To the outsider, it may be curious why someone who has nowhere to store their belongings would attempt to bring so much with them. There is likely a psychological explanation that I suspect relates to trauma and/or the need to have some control in their lives. It is not our place to judge the behavior; we do not know the past traumas or triggers of each person. Our role is to support the current needs of those we serve to help keep them safe from the elements from day to day. We do set limits on how many items a person receives in order to ensure that there is an adequate supply for as many people as possible.
Everything a person owns is strapped onto this bicycle. Somehow, the person manages to balance and ride it.
This person has a cart to wheel her belongings from place to place.
We were happy to talk with a man who independently obtained housing! His presentation has changed drastically: housing has taken several years of stress off his appearance. He smiled throughout the conversation, appeared to be more confident, he stood taller. We believe that he has the skills to be successful, but did encourage him to keep in touch with us for basic needs.
As always, thank you for your ongoing interest and support of the street ministry. We absolutely cannot provide our services without you and need donations, both financial and material. Please check out our needs list for more information.
Blessings to all!
CVSM staff
