The lights are low. The music is soft. The armchairs are filled with sleeping men. On the outskirts of the room there are quiet conversations going on; relationships being built. One person quietly refreshes the coffee and puts unneeded things away. It has been a long night.
It is 5:30 am and I have been at Evangel since 11 pm last night. Love Overwhelming is using the building to hold an Extreme Weather Center that opens when the temperature drops below 31 degrees.
I have been volunteering for Love Overwhelming’s Daily Living Essential Cafe for about 3 months. Every Tuesday I have been here from 7:30 to 11:30 am. I came to help but I got so much more. Yes, we provide the needed items to homeless people in our area, as we have them. You can always get some water, coffee and tea and sometimes different juices, hot oatmeal and a variety of snack items. People are offered a warm, safe place to be, with clean restrooms. Most importantly, they have the opportunity to interact with people that care about them.
Now as winter has set in the EWC is open. Last night was the first time I have been able to be here over night.
Most of the evening and wee hours of morning, I caught up on some computer work I had to do, but I also had the chance to give a man a blanket so he could be warm while he slept. I have answered questions and got more coffee cups when we ran out. I have also looked in the eyes of a stranger and smiled. I think this is the most important thing I have done.
As the morning moved on I realized that my friend, business partner, and fellow committee member, Karen has given her time to listen to a man talk about the the details that swim around in his head. He proudly showed her the note he had shown me earlier, and keeps in his breast pocket. He is talking about Christmas and the computer he used to have.
John, another fellow committee member is also here. He knows this gentleman. He quietly tells me that he lives in one of the shelters at the bus depot. “He only weighs about 80 pounds.” His alcohol addiction is so bad that he probably will have to be institutionalized to be able to detox. John takes it upon himself to sit with him at church and remind him to keep his voice quiet during services; “Howard” tends to either shout or whisper interchangeably.
When John moves on to take care of the many details of church life at TRiHOP, I look over and see Karen completely involved with “Howard”. As this sweet-faced man tells her all the mixed up details of his life his passion is shown in the way he talks about Jesus and all the things he remembers. She is smiling and listening carefully and I realize that I am a very lucky person to know all these people who have made time for “those people” the ones that need a friend and someone to see them.
The Extreme Weather Center is located at:
Evangel Christian Fellowship
1335 11th Ave. Longview, WA
In order to be open we need enough volunteers. Learn more about how you can help at: http://loveoverwhelming.org/extreme-weather-center/volunteer-opportunity-ewc/
