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Not everyone is looking forward to a warm family Christmas. Some just want to be warm. In Parksville, Manna is helping 8-12 people every night with hand and foot warmers; Clif bars; coats, socks, hats/toques, gloves and emergency blankets (reflective silver)… BUT we need your help. We’ve run out of gloves and winter boots. All donations can be dropped off at our receiving box opposite the main entrance at the Wildlife Recovery Centre on Leffler Road, Errington. Thanks, Jerrold Manna Community Chaplain ps. When you see someone in need, call Manna – 250-248-0845 We’ll deliver emergency warm gear, food, and blankets Donations can be made by e-transfer: mannaparksville@gmail.com Or cheques can be sent to: Manna Homeless Society P.O. Box 389 Errington BC VOR 1VO

Have you ever heard? “They don’t deserve it!” “Those drug addicts are all the same, they steal, lie, cheat – just to get their next fix!” “Anything you give them – they’ll sell for drugs!” Jade lives on the street. She has a family who’ll gladly take her back whenever Jade wants to get help, treatment, and counseling. But Jade doesn’t want too. Jade is somebody’s daughter, somebody’s mother, somebody’s sister, somebody’s lover. Jade lives in a dark space, an empty space, a loveless space, a lonely space, a trauma-filled space. Jade is twenty-six. Jade’s hands are blue from the cold, her feet need warm socks, and she would use a cup of coffee. She tries to get extra money by pan-handling but city by-laws restrict that action and store owners are reluctant to have people begging in front of their entrances. Her welfare support is spent in the first few days – she has no idea where it went or what she bought. But Jade is still hungry, still cold, and still lonely. The Bible story of Manna – God’s acceptance, love, and provision given to an undeserving people – motivates what Manna Homeless Society does in Oceanside. We care, value, honour, respect, and cherish the most vulnerable demonstrably with emergency food, coats, socks, gloves, hats, heat-reflective blankets, boots – whatever we have been provided; we share with those in need. This year Manna has noticed more people living in vehicles than ever before. We hear from Seniors who can no longer afford rent, medications, and food each month – so need to choose what to give up. We see the children of long-term Oceanside residents making poor, self-harming choices. And to all – without judgment – we offer emergency help, some hope for a better future, and the awareness that Oceanside is a caring community that helps one another – even those who don’t seem to deserve it. This Holiday Season please consider three personal action choices: Re-alignment in perspective – not to judge too quickly or harshly those evidencing poor self-harm choices – these are our sisters, cousins, brothers, moms, daughters and sons. When you see someone in need, text or phone for help from Manna: 250-248-0845. We’re in desperate need of winter boots, gloves, and coats – please drop off all donations at our receiving box opposite the main entrance at the Wildlife Recovery Centre on Leffler Road in Errington.

Manna Homeless Society gratefully accepts the generous donation from friends at Berwick in Qualicum Beach. This wonderful group of women knit toques and collected gloves, hats, and coats for the most vulnerable living rough in Oceanside. With hearts of compassion, the residents of Berwick donated to those living on the streets. Thank you friends from Berwick for your generousity, kindness, and compassion for others.

Gary died last night. He was twenty-eight. Does it matter why? Would it make a difference if he died from weather exposure, diabetic shock, or drugs? Does it change perception to know if he was homeless or from a wealthy family? Would it help to know if Gary was alone or under medical observation? Gary is dead. Here’s my rant. Gary’s death is needless, pointless, meaningless, useless, and unnecessary. We live, we’re told, in a civilized country; “the best place in the world to live.” But we treat our poor and drug afflicted like aliens from a Third World Country – only worse. There are answers, there are solutions, there are better ways of doing things than we are doing in BC and Canada – but it takes a resolve to act and shift the current system structures. Almost ten years ago SFU identified the costs of poverty and homelessness upon our system; $100,000 per homeless person with additional health care, policing, and property damage compared to the cost of incarceration of $70,000/person or the cost of supportive housing at $30,000 a person. Solely from a cost perspective something needs to be done. There are civilized countries who are making a difference and offering solutions. Switzerland and Portugal are but two examples. We know the advantage of “Housing First” – an initiative that first seeks to house someone in a safe environment before accompanying an individual toward transformative action through counselling, therapy, rehabilitation, or training. Here’s my four step blueprint for system structure change toward a successful solution for homelessness, poverty, and the drug afflicted. Realize we have the money and people available to make a difference – it may require a reallotment of funds and adjusting the “success matrix” so that services and funds prompt self-sustainability and independence. BC Housing supervise suitable clients to “Board” within appropriate private homes – to rent rooms or basement suites with oversight so as to reduce housing wait lists for Seniors or physically handicapped and those released from correction facilities – freeing up space in the current rental market and thus placing pressure on current corporate landowners to lower rental costs. Adoption of “Housing First” approach and the immediate inclusion into recovery programs upon individual request rather than the necessity for a two week waiting period that is currently practiced. An invitation to the table of policy makers and policy enablers so as to encourage experimenting for success – baseball players who hit homeruns less than 30% of the time are wildly successful; hockey players who score less than 25% of their shoots on net are declared elite; basketball players who average less than 20 points a game are considered stars – we applaud athletes every time they try – why do we fear failure for trying approaches that may save lives like Gary’s?

Are they only seen as drowning rats? Seven homeless adults, living under stairs, Seven homeless adults, but no one cares, Seven homeless adults. Seven homeless adults, cold and wet, alone, Seven homeless adults just wanting someplace, a home, Seven homeless adults. Seven homeless adults, but who will give a damn Seven homeless adults in this abundant land, Seven homeless adults.

So many sides to being homeless…

Where to keep all your items? So so many homeless women! Head lice is always a problem. Bringing comfort and letting people know you care.

With the first snow of the season, those without homes must prepare for the changing weather. Homemade waterproof ponchos are better than nothing. An Extreme Weather Shelter in Oceanside is sorely needed!

In a country like Canada, the following scenario seems almost impossible… The Manna crew sets out on the first snowfall of the season to see if they can locate people living on the street who need assistance. They will drive around until midnight. They come across a person outside who has a heart condition and kidney problems and has no feeling in his legs or feet. Unable to see the bottoms of his feet, he could not see the effects of the blood thinners he was taking. His skin was falling off. We (Manna) held his leg up trying to stop the bleeding as he had no feeling and couldn’t see what was going on. The concern was that he might have bled out if someone had not arrived. The ambulance was called and Manna volunteers departed, continuing their search for others in distress. This person does not smoke and is not a drug addict. Simply someone who desperately needs support. But there is no safety net in Canada for him during this cold and wet weather. Once he leaves the hospital, he must return to living on the street. With all of these health conditions and physical suffering, we must ask ourselves why animals get more support than humans in this country.