[Jesus said] Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’
Matthew 25: 34-36 NRSVue
This could well be the coldest start to a day this Winter in our part of Southern Ontario. When we lived in Sudbury there would be sustained frigid weather with "highs" of -30C but it's rare to have a day like this in Belleville and it may turn out to be a record for these parts. I actually felt nostalgic for the Near North as I headed out to the gym this morning.
I said a prayer last night for all those seeking shelter from the extreme temperatures. Shelters will be crowded and those "living rough" will struggle to stay alive, let alone warm. I listened to a person who works with the homeless who commented on the crisis of the growing number of unhoused persons in Ontario. She spoke about those who lose fingers and toes as a result of frostbite and the challenges of rehabilitation for those without an address.She expressed measured frustration with various levels of government buck-passing when lives are at stake.
The surging reality of rural homelessness was highlighted in a new report from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario in which 85,000 people were identified as experiencing homelessness in the province last year, 12,800 of whom were in rural and northern areas.The actual numbers could be considerably higher because it isn't straightforward to identify the homeless. It is the municipalities that must deal with the present reality of the unhoused, including encampments.
Our congregation, Trenton United, provides the space for the Quinte West Warming Centre and we asked son Isaac, the Trenton UC minister, about numbers on any given night this season. He says that there have been nights with 20 or more people using the centre, a contrast with half a dozen to ten on a busy night in years past.
So, when we are tempted to grouse about the cold, consider those without safe shelter during the day or night. We might ask how we can financially support accommodation for the unhoused as individuals and we can pray for compassionate governments.
There is no mention of providing parkas and shelter beds in the passage above but I figure Jesus would go even further to say housing and dignity.
Encampment in Winterpeg
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