So, I have decided to do a more uplifting post because as my dad so kindly pointed out, I seem depressed based upon my last 2 entries. To be clear--I'm not depressed, I really do enjoy my job, and I write about things that make a lasting impression on me. Also, I choose not to use guests real names because it's a privacy thing....you understand. Personally, if I had issues to this caliber, I would probably change my name to Scarlet (as in Ms. Scarlet from Clue).
Anyways, I have yet to speak of my numerous fellas at Nativity House. They are all different and have different approaches to how they either ask me to play cards, ask out on dates, or propose. It's a daily occurrence and it never ceases to amaze me of the audacity these guys muster up. I will tell you about some of my favorites (in a couple of posts) and change their names, so it will make things a little more personal...sort of.
I should probably start with my very first proposal, James. It's pretty funny because I call this man James when I speak to him. It's not his real name, but for some reason he likes me to call him that. My guesses are it's either his alter ego or it makes him feel debonaire, but really I have no idea. He is a bit of an addict as well as felon (for which he claims his innocence), but that doesn't stop him from trying. He told me that he is currently supporting his kids, 4 girlfriends (one is in jail), and his boyfriend, BUT I am truly the one for him. His proposal (the first time) went something like this...
James (sitting at a table): "You should be my wife. I've looked all around the shelter and the streets at the women and I like you best. We can get married, move back to your town, and I know you can clean me up. Plus, you'll have one of the baddest names around and nobody will mess with you.
Me: "Really? James, that was one of the worst proposals I've ever heard. No, I will not marry you. Go marry one of your girlfriends."
James doesn't even look defeated and his buddies all laugh. We then proceed to play cribbage and he later tells everyone about our engagement. A couple of days later, he proposes again but this time gets down on one knee and calls me Jennifer instead of Rachel. You may have guessed, but James also gets shut down for this one.
Following James comes Frank. Frank is this crazy old guy that floats around Nativity House. I am pretty sure he's usually drunk, but he does this weird fairy kind of walk/prance. It's hard to describe and entertaining to watch. Anyways, here is the scenario for when Frank asked me to marry him.
I am sitting at a table eating lunch when Frank comes up and says, "Rachel, so when we gonna get married?"
Me: "I never said that I was gonna marry you, so get outta here."
Frank keeps on pushing until one of my bosses (who was sitting at the next table) says, "Frank, go away and leave that child alone."
Frank: "But, Ms. Paulette we're gonna get married."
Paulette: "Leave that girl alone. She doesn't want your old and crusty self, so leave her alone and go away."
Ha Ha Ha...poor Frank. I wish I could say that he learned his lesson, but he still likes to pester me every time that he comes through the door. More stories to come...
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Project Homeless Connect
Today, I got to participate in a really cool event that has taken place throughout many cities across the U.S. It's called Project Homeless Connect. Pretty much, the main event center, the Tacoma Dome (who happened to host Lady Gaga the 2nd night I was in Washington) opened its doors to the homeless population of Tacoma. Inside were tables and booths with pretty much every resource a homeless person would need...for FREE! I will give a brief run through of the opportunities available (with some highlighted favorites):
Chemical Dependency Counselors
Child Care
Child Support (to make payments or to get set-up)
Dental: this was probably the most popular area with people getting teeth pulled, cleaned, X-rayed and everything else you can expect from the dentist only behind a curtain in an event center or in the "Smile Mobile" which are huge traveling dentistry RV's
DSHS (food stamps)
Employment Information
Family Housing assistance
Family Services
Flu Shots
Haircuts
Immunizations: Hep A, B, & C as well as HIV/AIDS testing
Legal Information
Licensing (ID's, drivers licenses)
Medical: also popular with everything needed for check-ups and free follow-up appointments
Mental Health
Pet Care: collars, leashes, food, beds, toys, ect.
Podiatry
Shoes: Probably my favorite area because of the story behind these shoes. A man named Monte from a local church was put in charge of coming up with the shoe donations for this year. His task: 3,000 pairs of shoes. With help from local school districts, churches, fire stations, family, and friends...his goal was reached. There were between 2,000-2,500 pairs of shoes (new and donated) given out to men, women, and children today. The rest will be donated to street ministries.
Social Security
Taxes
Tobacco Cessation: "Stop Smoking"
Transportation
Veterans Services
Vision: which offered free glasses lenses (another very popular area)
Voter Registration
In addition, people were allowed to participate in surveys for $15 grocery gift cards and were given food vouchers to a Tacoma institution called Freighthouse Square. Pretty much it's a a mall food court (with better food) inside of an old train station.
Overall, it was awesome to see the greater Tacoma community to come together to serve about 1,000 homeless people that came through the doors today. It was also cool to see Nativity House guests excited and utilizing services that have the potential of getting them off the street.
I would say that one of my favorite moments of the day was watching one of the guests get his first haircut in years. He was nervous, but with a little encouragement, he shaved his head! The new look took years off his face and gave him the biggest smile I have ever seen him. His excitement and genuine joy were priceless.
Chemical Dependency Counselors
Child Care
Child Support (to make payments or to get set-up)
Dental: this was probably the most popular area with people getting teeth pulled, cleaned, X-rayed and everything else you can expect from the dentist only behind a curtain in an event center or in the "Smile Mobile" which are huge traveling dentistry RV's
DSHS (food stamps)
Employment Information
Family Housing assistance
Family Services
Flu Shots
Haircuts
Immunizations: Hep A, B, & C as well as HIV/AIDS testing
Legal Information
Licensing (ID's, drivers licenses)
Medical: also popular with everything needed for check-ups and free follow-up appointments
Mental Health
Pet Care: collars, leashes, food, beds, toys, ect.
Podiatry
Shoes: Probably my favorite area because of the story behind these shoes. A man named Monte from a local church was put in charge of coming up with the shoe donations for this year. His task: 3,000 pairs of shoes. With help from local school districts, churches, fire stations, family, and friends...his goal was reached. There were between 2,000-2,500 pairs of shoes (new and donated) given out to men, women, and children today. The rest will be donated to street ministries.
Social Security
Taxes
Tobacco Cessation: "Stop Smoking"
Transportation
Veterans Services
Vision: which offered free glasses lenses (another very popular area)
Voter Registration
In addition, people were allowed to participate in surveys for $15 grocery gift cards and were given food vouchers to a Tacoma institution called Freighthouse Square. Pretty much it's a a mall food court (with better food) inside of an old train station.
Overall, it was awesome to see the greater Tacoma community to come together to serve about 1,000 homeless people that came through the doors today. It was also cool to see Nativity House guests excited and utilizing services that have the potential of getting them off the street.
I would say that one of my favorite moments of the day was watching one of the guests get his first haircut in years. He was nervous, but with a little encouragement, he shaved his head! The new look took years off his face and gave him the biggest smile I have ever seen him. His excitement and genuine joy were priceless.
Yelling At The Vents
Disclaimer: This is a little bit disturbing.
There is a guest at Nativity House that is becoming a daily concern for both myself and the rest of the staff. R is a woman whom I would guess is in her early to mid 50's. Upon a psychological examination, she would be/possibly has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and delusions brought on by psychosis. However, due to the rapid decline in social service jobs and confidentiality, there is not much we can do for her unless she becomes physically violent (to herself or others). She was receiving help from a mental health agency, but due to her choices and delusions, she lost her apartment and is living on the street.
Now for the delusion that is causing concern: R is convinced that her daughter has been kidnapped and is being beaten constantly by the woman who kidnapped her. Now, you may be thinking that this is terrible, but R's daughter is 26 and the woman who "kidnapped her" does not exist. For example, yesterday R's daughter was having her head beat into the wall, drowning, and being cut by this woman. She told us this was happening at Nativity House in the walls. R will actually roam around Nativity House and yell at the supposed locations of wherever she believes her daughter and this woman are at that exact moment. This could be on the roof, in the walls, in the vents, etcetera. She is convinced that we will be able to hear her daughters screams if only we stop and listen. She is always being beaten to within an inch of her life in some of the most gruesome manners that you have ever heard.
Today, R shared that her daughter was recently brought to the hospital because this woman had beaten her daughter so badly that she lost consciousness. However, the doctors were able to bring her back to life, but she is still with the woman who is continuing to beat her. Also, the woman and her daughter were on the roof today...at an event center. When I saw R, she was going to go speak with the police about filing a report about her daughters problems. This is not the first time she has tried to do this.
To be honest, talking to R is both terrifying and incredibly sad, as you might imagine. R is so intertwined in this story that she has completely lost all sense of reality. She can no longer communicate in a regular fashion because these delusions are her entire world. She believes 100% that everything she is saying is actually happening and we are all the crazy ones. When it comes to R, I'm really at a loss of what to do besides prayer and trying to show her the love and grace that God shows me on a daily basis.
There is a guest at Nativity House that is becoming a daily concern for both myself and the rest of the staff. R is a woman whom I would guess is in her early to mid 50's. Upon a psychological examination, she would be/possibly has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and delusions brought on by psychosis. However, due to the rapid decline in social service jobs and confidentiality, there is not much we can do for her unless she becomes physically violent (to herself or others). She was receiving help from a mental health agency, but due to her choices and delusions, she lost her apartment and is living on the street.
Now for the delusion that is causing concern: R is convinced that her daughter has been kidnapped and is being beaten constantly by the woman who kidnapped her. Now, you may be thinking that this is terrible, but R's daughter is 26 and the woman who "kidnapped her" does not exist. For example, yesterday R's daughter was having her head beat into the wall, drowning, and being cut by this woman. She told us this was happening at Nativity House in the walls. R will actually roam around Nativity House and yell at the supposed locations of wherever she believes her daughter and this woman are at that exact moment. This could be on the roof, in the walls, in the vents, etcetera. She is convinced that we will be able to hear her daughters screams if only we stop and listen. She is always being beaten to within an inch of her life in some of the most gruesome manners that you have ever heard.
Today, R shared that her daughter was recently brought to the hospital because this woman had beaten her daughter so badly that she lost consciousness. However, the doctors were able to bring her back to life, but she is still with the woman who is continuing to beat her. Also, the woman and her daughter were on the roof today...at an event center. When I saw R, she was going to go speak with the police about filing a report about her daughters problems. This is not the first time she has tried to do this.
To be honest, talking to R is both terrifying and incredibly sad, as you might imagine. R is so intertwined in this story that she has completely lost all sense of reality. She can no longer communicate in a regular fashion because these delusions are her entire world. She believes 100% that everything she is saying is actually happening and we are all the crazy ones. When it comes to R, I'm really at a loss of what to do besides prayer and trying to show her the love and grace that God shows me on a daily basis.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Things I Have Learned Thus Far
1. If you eat a piece of raw kelp that washes ashore, you will not get sick. Don't let the bad smell defer you from eating because it tastes like salty celery.
2. Walking around is one of the best ways to learn a city's layout. I know Tacoma pretty well from my extensive times spent wandering around.
3. I feel safest when I am by myself in areas of Tacoma with large large percentages of homeless people. I spend my days with them and feel more comfortable than with strangers.
4. Stamps are expensive. Enough said.
5. I honestly didn't realize how much I drove my car until I got here. No one in my house has a car in Tacoma and it's a rarity that we have access to one.
6. There are 150 variations of solitaire. Of of the guests at Nativity House knows more than half of them too.
7. Receiving mail (not bills) is something I have come to love.
8. To thaw frozen foods (specifically meat) you have to leave it running in cold water. I learned that when I had to take my "Food Worker" test so I am certified to handle large-scale cooking.
9. I know almost nothing about gardening except for reaping the harvest.
10. Seeing Mt. Rainier on a clear day is something that never gets old.
2. Walking around is one of the best ways to learn a city's layout. I know Tacoma pretty well from my extensive times spent wandering around.
3. I feel safest when I am by myself in areas of Tacoma with large large percentages of homeless people. I spend my days with them and feel more comfortable than with strangers.
4. Stamps are expensive. Enough said.
5. I honestly didn't realize how much I drove my car until I got here. No one in my house has a car in Tacoma and it's a rarity that we have access to one.
6. There are 150 variations of solitaire. Of of the guests at Nativity House knows more than half of them too.
7. Receiving mail (not bills) is something I have come to love.
8. To thaw frozen foods (specifically meat) you have to leave it running in cold water. I learned that when I had to take my "Food Worker" test so I am certified to handle large-scale cooking.
9. I know almost nothing about gardening except for reaping the harvest.
10. Seeing Mt. Rainier on a clear day is something that never gets old.
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