This week was supposed to be Jen and I working our "regular" shift at the Franciscan House of Mary and Joseph, but I had a last minute family commitment come up, and so Jen brought her friend Vicki and Vicki's husband Brian along instead. For my absence, I gave some money to FHMJ instead. If you are just catching up with us, you can read about the mission of the House and some of our experiences there in previous posts (Week 11, Week 14, Week 17).
Since I was not there, I have only second hand information to give you, but it sounds like it was a fairly usual night at FHMJ - some excitement and some regularity. The first and most important news is that Vicki and Brian had a good time. Vicki had been to the House once before with Jen as part of a work day to clean the dormitories, sponsored by a church. That work day was, in fact, how Jen found out about the shelter and how we came to work there on a regular basis. It was Brian's first time working at a shelter, and he was fascinated and surprised by the experience. He mentioned that he was very surprised to see how many of the people there did not look like they would be staying in a homeless shelter. This is something we have come to expect as we have worked with the homeless and those who need the help of shelters and pantries - a lot of times they look like everyone else. He manned the sandwich line, which means that he had to tell people "no" a lot. That is because they limit people to one sandwich each until it is clear that everyone has gotten one and they have fed the people outside who won't get a bed for the night. I am told he did a great job for his first time out.
Jen tells me that it was an average night in terms of volume, but that some of the staffing was different than we are used to. There was a woman staffing the kitchen that Jen had not met before who made the soup that night. Jen did not catch her name, but was told by the women patrons that they like it better when this lady makes the soup. The discipline during the men's session was a little less than usual, and so there was a little scuffle and Jen got hit on by a guy who we have seen there a lot. He is almost always drunk, and he loves Jen. It is fun for me when I am there because I get to swell up a little and tell him that she belongs to me. (Don't get me wrong. Jen doesn't belong to anyone, least of all me. She is her own woman and I would not change that - it is just fun to remind this guy that he is there to eat and go to bed...) Walter (the guy) always gives Jen a little more room after I talk to him.
In any case, it sounded like another good night at the shelter. More than a hundred men and women got a meal and a place to sleep, and Jen and Vicki and Brian had a good volunteer experience.
We will both be heading there next week, and as well as going to a new place, Common Pantry. Come back next week and read all about it!
For more information about FHMJ go to:
Franciscan House of Mary and Joseph
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