I have struggled with living in Chicago and fighting against harsh and sometimes dangerous conditions, freezing winters, and sirens throughout the night. But I’m blessed to say that a lasting sense of home was created for me here about a year ago, when I met the friend that changed my life. Since then a lot of amazing things have happened as our journey in loving the homeless as family has continued.
I wrote about the horrible tent fires that happened a few months ago. These fires took from people who already had nothing, and I thought it couldn’t get worse than that. But then several weeks ago an actual life was taken and it affected me personally.
The friend who changed me chose to leave the rehab program we had helped him get into, and was tragically killed in what we think was a heroin overdose, or a poisoned batch of heroin (which is becoming more and more common in Chicago). But no one really knows. He was found with no identification, dead outside his tent. The city cremated his body before we could see him a final time. I’m still without a sense of closure.
In his honor, a group of people from the tents birthday party got together and raised money to buy heaters this winter for all of his friends staying in tents along the river, just like we did for him a year ago that very first time.
The morning of the tent visits I woke up excited and with a full heart. We met our group under the bridge which leads to an entrance for one of the first tent cities, and it began to snow. We prayed there together under the bridge, huddled up, and then trekked through what felt like a cold urban jungle to the first tent.
The first woman we visited was new. I had never seen her before. She was sincerely grateful for the heater, hand warmers, breakfast, and hot coffee. I think she was newly homeless because there were only a couple of blankets in her tent. We showed her how to use the heater and I gave her my cell number in case she needed anything or just wanted to come over for a shower and meal. I asked if she wanted me to pray for her and she said yes.
Then something special happened when I prayed for her. I sensed her value. It was like as I prayed for her God was showing me how much He loves her, and let’s just say she’s pretty precious to Him.
Because you are precious in my eyes,and honored, and I love you.Isaiah 43:4-5
I love coming to the tents, but I know it’s not us who bring lasting love and peace; God does that.
We traveled on. A little further down was a larger set of tents, so we stopped there. Some people we knew, and some we didn’t. Everyone was so grateful for the heaters, and opened up to us about things they were going through (divorce, job loss, abandonment, etc). As always I know the best thing we can offer people is our genuine presence, just to listen and say “I see you” and “you matter.” But the heaters brought an even stronger sense of relief to people, and we saw real hope in their eyes. For each person, that first time the heater was turned on inside their tent they had a look on their face that said, “I’m going to make it.”
I prayed that someone in the tents would have prayed that morning, “God please help me” and when we arrived they would feel their prayer had been answered. That they would know:
God heard me.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.Psalm 34: 17-20
And He did. We’ve been taking love, breakfast, and coffee to the tents for a year. But the heaters today brought such a different level of support and security. It was like people now felt they could have the chance to experience warmth again, in every way.
For the homeless living outside in the winter these heaters have provided a sense of home. And this experience and these people have provided a sense of home for me too. Because I know this is right where I belong, at home with people who don’t have homes.
Lynne, I am so very sorry to hear about your friend. But I am also so grateful for you and your heart for the people of your city. Love you, sister friend.
I love seeing the presence of God in a world that is dark and uncaring. A Sense of Home really brought this image of God among his people for me. Thank you for your insights and scriptures that you shared. God Bless all of you for making God present.