JustFaith Border Crossing
Visit to St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen, Waterbury, CT
November 19, 2005
The following are some of the thoughts of the people in the JustFaith program who were able to visit the St. Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen in Waterbury, CT on November 19, 2005, and interact with the clients there..
Below are my observations on our JustFaith's group visit to St. Vincent DePaul's Soup Kitchen in Waterbury-
The majority of people there were white men. There were a few women, some children, and some black men and women. The meal provided was a hot, freshly cooked meal with a choice of desserts.
I spoke to four or five men. One was a displaced autoworker from Detroit. There were cutbacks and he left for Virginia. He then came to Connecticut. This man discussed politics with me. He expressed no bitterness against the government or anyone else.
Another was from Canada and spoke with a French accent. The Detroit man introduced us. Both of these men had homes to live in and drove off in a pick-up truck together.
I waited for one toothless man to finish eating before I introduced myself and asked if he would speak with me. He raised his head and started giving me his background. He had been in a mental hospital and could not find work because employers wanted to know where he was during his "no-work" periods. He has stopped applying for jobs. This man said he had an architectural degree from UConn. He was now living in the shelter at night. He had an appointment with the Social Worker to help him qualify for disabled status with Social Security.
The last man I spoke to was new at the soup kitchen and was very grateful for the meal. He had work, but with rent costs, there was no money left for food. He felt with a little help here and there he could be self-sufficient.
I was very impressed by the Manager of the Saint Vincent DePaul Soup Kitchen. After the 150 people had been served, he called our group in the storage room to answer questions and explain the process. His compassionate nature was evident when discussing banning clients who were involved in a fight, (not a frequent event). He wouldn't let them eat inside but would provide a meal-to-go so no one went away hungry.
He also told us of the help available to his clients for referrals to drug or mental programs through a social worker at the main office. If people were homeless or needed clothes or household items those things were available through the shelter and thrift shop.
Again, thank you for asking for my experiences at the Soup Kitchen. It was the first time I have ever been at a Soup Kitchen.
Sincerely, Elaine Hendrickson
During one glorious Saturday morning last November, I found myself sitting in a Soup Kitchen located in Waterbury exchanging thoughts with one of its participants about the problems of life and more important why he was there. I was impressed with his candor. I told him that I was part of the Justfaith Ministry from Sacred Heart Parish.
I having ascertained that he was a Catholic although no longer practicing and he ascertained that I was not going to move to another seat, we forged ahead in an uneasy truce.
My new friend described the events that put him here and at the Homeless Shelter just down the road. I heard no "fates are against me" nor "God has turned his back on me." I waited for quiet plea for sympathy and my guess I would still be waiting for what I truly witnessed, was a man of faith.
Here was a man who told me that this was not the end of his adventure and that he knew that God had something else planned for him and it was not going to be at the Soup Kitchen or Homeless Shelter. I am not talking about bravado or delusionary ramblings. My companion knew that he was sitting in the hand of his Christ.
I asked him if he used prayer to sustain him and he replied with a most energetic "No! Well maybe just a little." continued my luncheon companion with a slight smile. Then he asked, "But don't you trust God?"
Now we were into some heady stuff and frankly I was getting uncomfortable being unsure of my response since this is why I am in the JustFaith Program to help me further define and solidify my faith but I wasn't going to tell him that.
After another half an hour of conversation and now being called to join my colleagues, I thanked him profusely for allowing me to share bread with him. I further told him that he helped me far more than he would ever realize.
"But don't you trust God?" A simple question from a man of faith whom I had just met and probably will never see again. In any event, I certainly will never forget him.
Dennis McLaughlin
| 