A Homeless Christmas Day
"Are you spending Christmas with family?"
With my sisters in the Toronto area and my brother in Newfoundland the answer would appear to be "No", but is that true?
I had breakfast with the homeless and volunteers at Resurrection Life. I had my Christmas turkey dinner at Seven Oaks Alliance with hundreds of other dinners. Both halls were well populated with people I know and with whom I exchanged meant wishes of a Merry Christmas. (see stories below)
In between I got to visit, play bingo and carol with a diverse group of homo sapiens, most of whom I have shared the past several Christmases with. This custom started when, in the knowledge that I had no place to go or share Christmas with, I was invited to come and join the celebration.
Although my recovery and activities have resulted in other opportunities for visiting and celebrating the Day, it would not have been Christmas without attendance at this special celebration.
It was sitting there, in a in a moment of quiet reflection between bingo games, that I found the true answer to the question of family and Christmas. Yes I was celebrating Christmas with family and friends.
For family, friends and community are terms that we each, as individuals, get to define for ourselves. Not with words and rules but with our hearts and spirits.
Breakfast and Christmas dinner
5:30 AM Christmas morning. While most of Abbotsford is still abed, with visions of sugar-plums dancing in their head, Pastor Ray and his elves were up and working hard at Resurrection Church.
On eggs! on sausage! on pancakes and French toast!
Now coffee! Now hash browns! Now ketchup and muffins!
The gift bags, BIG gift bags, were stuffed with underwear, socks and other such needed items.
And when the homeless and hungry who had come for the food where leaving; they left with more than just gift bags and stomachs full of good fare. They left with spirits filled with the “Merry Christmases” and caring from all the volunteers who served breakfast with such cheer on Christmas morn.
1:30 PM Christmas afternoon found the tables at Seven Oaks Alliance set with care, to welcome the guests soon to be there.
Our hosts greeted their Christmas dinner guests, biding all welcome and seating them at tables arrayed for the feast. The serving line formed in orderly fashion; and the plates of the hundreds attending the celebration were soon filled with the repast.
As I walked back to the table I shared greetings with many I knew. All were spread and intermingled, making the homeless and hungry welcome at every table. Conversation and learning for those that were able.
Good food and good spirit had everyone leaving with a smile as they stepped out the door into the falling snow.
A Christmas Wish: that the spirit of these volunteers inspire all to generosity of spirit and caring for those so much in need of love and healing, each and every day of the 365 days of the coming year.
