Yesterday we got together with Anita’s Angels to put together and spread on the streets of London to the homeless 400 bags with essentials, warm jackets or blankets and the hope that someone is thinking of them. I headed over to Shoreditch with a couple of friends and walked for a few hours until we found someone to give the first bag. The bags were heavy – my back was aching , it was cold and I was feeling hungry – but I couldn’t stop walking until I knew we did what we came there for. Yesterday it wasn’t about us. Or me, for that matter.
I was thinking all the time that I don’t know what hunger really is, what cold really is, and I have the privilege of waking up and going to bed into a warm house, with a roof above my head and hot water and be able to ask for help and be given when i need it. How precious that is!
Finally, we met someone who was surprised we stopped talking to him and then looked at us joking that we’ve been shopping a lot – the 10 bags in between 3 people made us look the whole day like shopaholics. When I said, no no, it’s not for us, this is for you, he started crying. I was overwhelmed. As we said goodbye and left I saw him opening the bag and pulling a “Yoohoo!” with a big smile. <3 I forgot anything about any physical pain or need I had. We continued walking. Then we started seeing more and more. People in front of banks and under the bridge, sleeping on the cold concrete in ripped layers…How many times do we stop to look at them on a day to day basis?
We met a man called Carl, ex army, got back from Afghanistan suffering from PTSD and sleeping under the Shoreditch bridge. I gave him the “Believe” bracelet and helped him put it on. He was emotional. I was too as I listened to his story. His biggest frustration: “No one stops to even talk to us”. We got him a hot chocolate and a hot sandwich, which ironically had a “5p from this sandwich goes to help the homeless” that I didn’t see until I gave it to him. That felt ironical. I felt powerless. These people don’t need the 5p that go to organisations – they need hot food, a roof and the support to get back on their feet. Even a hot drink given to them, at least in the winter could go a long way. There was a great system I’ve seen in other places “coffee in the waiting” or “soup in the waiting”. You get your drink/food and you pay for someone else’s that can come and claim it after. That should be implemented, not the 5p that most of these people never see.
Better off, don’t wait for some shop to initiate it. When you pass by a homeless person just grab a tea/coffee/hot chocolate/hot food and bring it back to them. Buy some gloves or warm socks or a hat and keep them in your bag. Next time you see a person being cold – offer it to them. That may keep them warmer for another day.
London has been cold these weeks, especially at night and this is the least we can do. I don’t want to feel so powerless anymore and useless. Yesterday, was emotionally tough because of that. For now I’ve got a few packs of gloves that I’ll take with me when I go out to hand them over.
What can we do more to make a difference? Let’s do anything that stays in our power!
With love,
xxo Denisa
