This is one of my harder reflections because, wow, I am speechless. Wanda’s deep insight and wisdom continue to stun me. Her passion for God was evident through both her actions and words. Once she heard the music, she headed straight towards the worship service. She did not want to miss it. Despite her desire to be front row at the service, out of the kindness of her heart, she stopped to chat. When she began her story with “God has always been good to me”, I knew I was in for a treat. Encounters with homeless individuals that view their circumstances through such a positive lens, never fail to inspire me and remind me why I do what I do. It is people like Wanda that most of us tend to overlook. We think: She’s homeless, living on the streets, what does she know about life? This is where Conversations After Hello become so important. When we allow our preconceptions and generalizations about society influence us, we miss out on opportunities for enlightenment. Had I shied away from Wanda as she walked towards me from the outskirts of Church Under the Bridge, I would have missed out on a life changing conversation.
Wanda’s outlook on homelessness brought to life a concept that I had never thought of. Before we make assumptions about homelessness, we need to define home. Home can be defined as the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household. Generally, I think this is a good definition of home; however, it has been confined to meaning, simply, a house. To encompass the true meaning of home, we must first expand our vision. Is the Earth not our permanent home as well? Is mankind not our family? Did God not design the Earth to be our temporary home and the Body of Christ as our brothers and sisters? He did indeed. Therefore, Wanda was onto something when said “Remember, because you’re homeless, you ain’t really homeless… All this belongs to Him anyway!”. Just because one individual owns a house, accompanied by other Earthly possessions, it does not mean that they will have a home forever. That definition of home is narrow in that it is temporary. Wanda reveals that homelessness is temporary as well. This leads us to the conclusion that our true home is found in eternal life in Heaven accompanied by our brothers and sisters in Christ. Life on Earth is temporary, so, regardless of your personal circumstances, stay focussed on kindness, love, and joy.
May God bless you and give you peace.
-Sidney Kaliher, 11/27/17
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