We don’t always hear about the good things that happen in our Street Friends’ lives.
When I was doing Street Outreach, I would often come across a Friend who was sick and older than a lot of others. He didn’t complain much, was always thankful for a sandwich but in his heart he hoped for a home. Seeing him now in his own apartment brings joy.
I also saw a Friend who has now a steady job, who came to say thank you. We didn’t get him the job, but because we came alongside him and provided him with the very basics when he needed these most, he was encouraged and then able to move forward.
It can take many of us working and praying together, sometimes over a long period of time, to see a difference in the lives of our Street Friends. Many face multiple challenges and have no friends or family to support them. Very often the only people they talk to are those in same boat as them, and OIM staff and volunteers.
Our actions can seem small, but they have the power to break the cycle of hopelessness.
~Ellen Niekoop, Administrator
