Feeding the homeless

The second Thursday of every month our church volunteers to feed the homeless. We meet in the parking lot at church and drive as a group to St. Vincent DePaul. It's located in a poorer, Hispanic area of Milwaukee. We bring the milk to serve with dinner. We carry in 50 gallons for tonight. The meal consists of chopped suey, rice, salad, jello, bread, and cake. Another larger church does all the meal preparation. They are responsible for serving the food, we are responsible for serving milk, coffee, and water. The St. Vinnie's staff is responsible for set-up, clean-up and getting the people they serve in and out. They are very strict about their rules.

We start the evening with prayer then take our assigned places as the line progresses. There are many older men, too many families with children, and some women. We wait until they get their food and find a seat then walk over and fill their glasses and coffee cups. It's simple work but very rewarding. You get to talk to many people, most look weathered and worn and I wish there was time to hear all their stories. But the rules are to get them in and get them out. We refill their glasses as many times as they wish in order to allow them to stay. They are all so very polite, some flirty, some talkative, and some introverted. I wish I knew Spanish to I can respond on a more personal level.

On this night there is leftover food. So the staff allows seconds and announces their availability. A young boy is happy and shows it by skipping back to his mother with a tray full of jello and cake. This is where I lose it. I just become a blubbering fool. The thought of this child, of all the children in this room having to hope they will get fed got to me. I have yet to be able to handle the enormity of their situations. I just can't toughen up. Maybe that's a good thing but I hate that I can't control it.

After we clean up and put the tables and chairs away we can go. The strange thing is I find it hard to leave. I want to know that everybody's ok. That they have a place to go. And it's raining outside. Are they cold? I'll be back here next month to make sure they're all ok. I guess that will have to do for now.