Deadly Cold Snap

For eleven years I ministered in the downtown of Sudbury, a city that was sunny and frigid in the heart of winter. One of the recognized characters of the city centre was a woman named Claire who would be on the streets in even the coldest weather. Claire had money and a supportive family but her mental issues meant that she was paranoid about virtually everyone. At that time authorities could pick her up and, get her on back on her meds, and give her a stay in "the Algoma" the psych hospital. But she would soon return to the streets, and we all wondered when we would get news of her death by exposure to the elements. That never happened, but it does occur far too often.

This past week two men died during the cold snap in Toronto. One perished on the bus shelter bench shown above. He was found in a tee-shirt and jeans and nothing else. The dedicated folk who are involved in advocacy for those without shelter decried these deaths and did their best to draw attention to the issues but it is tough. They pointed out once again that the "out of the cold" programs provided by a number of churches demonstrate that society as a whole takes on "out of sight, out of mind" view of the homeless and the marginalized.

There was a memorial service held by the Church of the Holy Trinity to commemorate these men and others who are vulnerable in this weather:

At 5pm today all are invited to gather at the SW corner of Yonge and Dundas to mourn the death of the man who died there last night of hypothermia and cardiac arrest. City warming shelters were not open and the regular shelters are full.

We may think that there aren't homeless and highly vulnerable people in Belleville and other cities but that isn't so. A downtown business person leaves blankets and coats and mittens behind her establishment which are picked up by those who need them. She feeds people in the morning who wouldn't eat otherwise.

Our Bridge St. congregation will soon resume our active and worthwhile Inn From the Cold meal ministry, but we don't provide shelter. The other day, perhaps the coldest of this winter, I stopped to say hello to Pam, who panhandles downtown and never comes for our meals. Lots don't because they aren't comfortable in settings with lots of people.

Jesus did say that the poor will always be with us, but he never suggested that this is an excuse for a lack of compassion and practical response. It is a gospel imperative to care and find the ways to live Christ's love.

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Jesus the Homeless Timothy Schmalz