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Today marks a time to remember homeless who have died Date published: 12/21/2007
BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE
The Rev. Larry Haun took a rare sick day Monday. Even so, that night he helped at the cold-night shelter for the chronic homeless. He tended to a man covered in mud and so cold his eyes were glazed. That man, who periodically seeks help from the shelter, had two requests: a cab to get to work the next morning and to pray for Haun's health. Every day, across the country, homeless people like this die, said Haun, lead pastor of Fredericksburg Baptist Church. His congregation has an active homeless ministry at its downtown location and members help out at the cold-night shelter hosted by the Bragg Hill Family Life Center. In fact, this man, unless he finds regular shelter soon, won't live very long. At 51, he's already surpassed the life expectancy of an average homeless person by a year. In the Fredericksburg area, seven homeless people have died in the past three years, Haun said. He buries them with simple funerals. Cremations are sometimes donated by Covenant Funeral Home; sometimes burial plots paid for by church members. Today is Homeless Persons' Memorial Day, a time to remember people who died because they didn't have shelter. The national date "provides some dignity in death to people who were often forgotten in life," said John Lozier, executive director of National Health Care for the Homeless Council. "It reminds us all of our shared humanity and our shared mortality and should prompt greater resolve to end the national disgrace of homelessness." For Haun, the event provides an opportunity to remind people "that we have neighbors in need." He hopes the day puts a face on the homeless. "These are human beings; these are God's creatures," he said. "Here's a man, with his eyes matted together with cold, who wants to work tomorrow and who asks, 'Can I pray for you, Larry?'" Amy Flowers Umble: 540/735-1973Email: aumble@freelancestar.com
Date published: 12/21/2007
Nitro, has is ever occured to you that begging for money is the worse job anyone could ever have. Even people begging for booze and cigarettes are addicted people are at the rock bottom of their addiction and society's views of addiction. I for one am grateful fo AA, Al-Anon, and other treatment forms to get people off of drugs and the effects on other people closest to them. But no, it seems that you need to have people in the gutter just to feel superior to them, very sad, hope you grow up.
maybe 98% are there by choice. I know....my uncle knows one of Fred's homeless....you see the same 5-8 people all the time. Everytime he sees him, he gives him money....he's known the guy for years....he's just always liked to party and hang out. And he kept his ways and still does it to this day...any money he gets goes to beer and cigs. The ones who really need help and are down and out...they get help if they help themselves. The rest are drug or alcohol addicts or nuts.
shelter with your time and money. Also to the new Micah Ministry run by the downtown churches. It is in the old Pots and Paletes building next to FBC. They need clothes, sleeping bags , etc for the chronic homeless, people who the shelter cannot help.
You are truly unbelievable....there by the grace of God could be you someday! The fall can be so quick that you may not even realize how bad it is until you have hit bottom! Not everyone has family to turn to in their time of need! There are entire families living in cars in our own community! Shame on you!
Not all homeless like alcohol, drugs or are lazy. Unfortunately many have fallen on hrd times due to exorbitant medical bills, bad investments or other issues. We as a society have a tendency to shun those that are less fortunate except during the holidays where it makes us, "feel good" for giving a little bit. It would be great if the giving spirit was emphasized all year.
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