Spokane Update 2

A lot has happened since my last update. I have been working at the House of Charity for almost a month now, and I am feeling a lot more comfortable there. The most shocking thing at first was simple the shear number of people who are at HoC on a daily basis. I have since learned that a large majority of the faces are familiars who come in almost every day. I have gotten to know a fair number of patrons by name which has put me at ease. There are also new faces everyday, some who have been at HoC for a long time, but I have just never met them, and others who are new to Spokane and looking for a place where they can feel safe. At first I struggle with what exactly my purpose was working in a homeless shelter. I knew that I could do very little to actually alleviate the worries and struggles of the patrons, and so I wondered, "What good am I doing?" I have learned that I am providing services that I take for granted on a daily basis. I pass out toothpaste, towels and soap, clothes, mail, and cough drops. Recently we ran out of razors. Now I am growing my beard out so I rarely shave, but I know how annoying it can be to have itchy stubble. But it was very hard to tell patrons that we were out of razors for several days. And then suddenly when we had them again people were smiling and it was clear they were very happy. How strange the simple things can bring joy.

I have also worked in the sleeping program on several occasions. The night program is very different than the day program. Only men are allowed to sleep at HoC, and we can only sleep a set number of men on a given night so as a result the night shift involves fewer patrons. However, there are still plenty of struggles because there is also less staff. But it is also good knowing that HoC offers beds to those who otherwise may not have anywhere to sleep.

Spokane is also starting to feel more like home. I am getting used to not having a car on a regular basis and having to get around via bike. It can very tiring, but it also brings its own rewards, namely that I am being environmentally friendly. It has also been strange getting used to eating on a budget. I have to be much more conscious about what I buy and when I buy things. It's very different than anything I have ever done before. My housemates and I all take turns cooking which has been fantastic. Each night we have something different, and every person cooks in a different way. We also all take turns with different chores so no one person gets stuck doing the same thing every week.

Hopefully sometime soon I'll be able to upload some pictures. I hope all is well with everyone!