It might stick today.

Snowflakes glinted in headlights as I stood at the bus stop this morning. The frosty crust on my lawn was beautiful in the early sun, and the noise of the world seemed muted in the cold.

Working at a homeless shelter makes me take more notice of changes in the weather. We have a steady stream of people coming in to ask for blankets, and our overflow mats are all filled at night. Thank God for people who donate their quilts and stocking hats to the needy. I can tell you that they are well used.

My office doesn’t have any built in heat, so I crank up the little space heater when I arrive each day. It is usually about half an hour before I can take off my coat and scarf, and my fingers stay cold even longer.

About five years ago, I lived on the Seattle streets for a week through the Urban Plunge program at my university. It was an exposure and education experience to help college students understand homeless life and the programs that serve the street community.

The organizers matched us up in groups of three for safety, and they gave us a sparse schedule of agency meetings that we had to attend during the week. We slept on the floor of a local church each night so that we didn’t take beds away from those who really needed the shelter, and we kept track of the services we used so that we could reimburse them for their cost in the end.

It was snowing that week, and my little group had long blocks of time to spend outdoors between meals. We had tried staying warm by sitting in hotel lobbies and food courts, but we were asked to leave in spite of our good behavior. Finally we got on the bus and rode through the free zone to the end of the line. The bus let us off at Pike Place market, and we found a sheltered corner near some public tables where the sun came in and the wind stayed out.

All three of us fell asleep. We were warm for the first time that day, and I honestly did not care one bit about the tourists who awkwardly broke off their conversations when they came around our corner.

I learned a lot that week. There are positive and negative ways to interact with the homeless community. Treat them as humans. Look them in the eye. Smile genuinely. Be smart but not fearful. Help with tangible needs- food, clothing, toilet paper, socks. Give money to agencies that have a reputation for meeting the needs of the homeless. Don’t give cash to those who say they need food or shelter, but research local services so you can give people good information and a way to meet their needs.

I hope I will never have to live on the streets, and I don’t pretend to understand everything about the lifestyle. But I do know that there are many people like me who are riding the busses today to stay warm. And I know that snow can be as miserable as it is beautiful when you don’t have a home.

Every seat filled.

Thanksgiving is almost here, and I am grateful for the beautiful fall colors, the friends and family who fill my days, my church, and the stunning cycle of life.

I am fortunate enough to celebrate three times this year- Tuesday with Dan'’s family, the Thanksgiving feast for the homeless with my work on Wednesday, and with my family on Thursday. What are you doing for the holiday?

........

For those of you who haven't heard, I'm heading back to Africa this January. This time I will be working with the Lahash partners to help them establish infrastructure for their volunteer programs. I am really excited to use my professional skills overseas, and I am looking forward to connecting with some of the friends I made last time.

That said, I hope you will plan to follow along again on our team blog:
www.hopeisalive.com. We are usually able to post pictures and stories of our work along the way. I am also still trying to raise the last leg of my support for the cost. If you are interested in giving to the trip, you can send support with my name noted to:
Lahash International
10750 NE 4th Ave
Portland, OR 97211

........

I spent some time with my dear friend Denise and her polka-a-dot dress this weekend. She and I have been connected since the days of our awkward adolescence in our tiny high school. We lied on our stomachs in her cozy room and listened to a Simon & Garfunkel record on the stereo she bought at the rummage sale. It seemed almost too nice to be real.

Rise over run.

I heard a theory once that the zenith of the American Empire was the first term of Clinton’s presidency. It is an interesting concept.

The U.S.’s perception of itself has changed so much in the last decade. In the nineties, we were on top of the world. American foreign policy was strong. We had the internet boom bolstering economies that were desperate for change. And anti-American sentiment seemed far away and tedious.

Things are very different now, and the last six years have created deeper questions about the role of the U.S. in the world. It has been a difficult path of self awareness for our nation. We have no claim to perfection. Whether you agree with the zenith theory or not, the USA is not sanctified, and it will not last forever. There is no reason for it to do so, and the next world power will clearly point out our mistakes.

In the meantime, I am optimistic that we can still offer something positive to the world. A frustrating decade does not mean the end, and there is still time to strengthen the American identity in the eyes of the world. Democracy is a good reminder of how quickly things can change.
........

We had the Black & White art exhibit about a week ago. If you missed it, check out the write up over at the Lahash blog.

The turnout was great- we had over 250 people attend, and the Urban Grind coffee house was the perfect spot to hold it in. Their staff was phenomenal. They went out of their way to accommodate us as we completely took over their space.

The whole event went much smoother than we could have anticipated. In spite of all the people we were inviting, the amount of art we were handling, and the number of people helping put it on, there were no major fiascos. The biggest problem was removing the art after the show. Our double-stick mounting tape became very permanent after two days, so it took a long time to get everything off the walls.

........

I’ve been getting a lot of joy out of downloading the This American Life podcast. I think it is on of the highest quality productions on radio, and it is always very entertaining. If you haven’t ever heard the show, take a little listen.

........

Dan’s parents got back from Sudan last night. It was great to see them. They looked a bit more tan, and they both looked thin after a diet of rice and beans for a month straight. We welcomed them back from rural East Africa with a plate of cinnamon rolls and the latest updates on national news. So much to digest.