Most of our street friends are respectful of our overtures to assist them with food, warm clothing and kind words of encouragement. Many are cheerful, despite their homelessness, addictions or traumas.
Some seem helpless and solely dependent upon one or more of the many institutions, like Ottawa Innercity Ministries (OIM), whose support is freely and willingly available to them.
Often, OIM outreach teams come across those whose friendly banter and hopeful smiles make our simple acts of kindness extremely rewarding.
Recently, seated on the sidewalk on a cold winter’s afternoon in front of the Rideau Centre, a young man named ‘Stan’ (not his real name) displayed all of these signs of outward appreciation. But in his own small way he exemplified God’s love as can only be found on the street by giving our team something he created himself; a poem of hope called “Mountains” as follows:
Mountains have snow-capped tops
Along its’ ridges many jagged rocks
This makes for difficult terrain
But I want to climb one all the same
Maybe just to say I did
But more to conquer the fears I’ve hid
There is always the chance that you could fall
And from this height it could end it all
You can’t have these thoughts in your mind
Or the law of attraction must abide
So get out there and give it a shot
And see the view from a mountain top
Your whole perspective just might change
Once you remove the fears and doubts from your brain.
Peter, Street Outreach Volunteer
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