Nineteen, Pregnant, Addicted. And some more

Hard to believe life sometimes. Two months ago we got this girl info about services for pregnant women on heroin. Last night we ran into her. She still hasn't made the move, and now she's four months along. I think I might try a CPS move on her somehow. Father Kim urged her to do something now. She's got to love the baby more than smack.

Meanwhile I was talking to a fifty year old Norsk who lost his green card and was spending his Real Change dough on getting drunk. That will help his situation tremendously. He had a place to go all week, which required that he be sober. So the choice to drink was also a choice to stay outside. He thought God was involved with him being in a bar with two (actually three) priests. At 11:15 I told him I might be able to get him into another shelter, one that doesn't require sobriety. He turned me down.

"I want to keep drinking."

Alrighty then.

Father Kim said the guy looked 70.

Another character came over for a hug -- "Gummy" (not even her real street name) has been on and off the street since the late 1970's. Someone intervened on her behalf, restored her hearing, got her into an apartment. Hadn't seen her in a year, since we talked at the "Red Front" tavern in the International District.

Back at the home office before midnight we had a chance to encourage a guy who lost his wallet on the bus that day, and was going to have to stay outside -- all the shelters were full.

For more information on homelessness check out www.homelessinfo.org or www.nationalhomeless.org/
Blessings.

Rick