| “Boundless Homelsss" Patrick Wood and his Street Ministry |
| “Boundless Homelsss" Patrick Wood and his Street Ministry |
From the description of recipients of the Virginia McKnight Binger Human Services Award:
He stood there looking slighty bemused by the hustle and bustle around him. A man, slight in build, white hair and beard giving him the look of a latterday prophet – a prophet in a flannel shirt and vest, boots, carrying a sturdy walking stick – designed and made, he said, by the Indians on the reservation where he was born. A shy, quiet man, retiring man – until he started to talk. The stories he told and the life he lived revealed a giant among us.
Patrick Arden Wood is probably one of the saints who walk and work on our streets. A man who has given his life to the homeless – to studying their situation, using his license as a psychiatric social worker to delve into the attitudes and motivations of people who live on the streets, and beneath bridges. But he’s far more than that – he’s a man who knows the homeless people well – knows their faces and their stories and understands how hard it is to be homeless – and how hard it is to go through the process of change. He walks among them daily, nightly – his street name is “The Ghost.”
Mary White, co-chair of MIM, introduced Patrick Wood by telling of her respect for him and his achievements in establishing two safe houses in connection with his work at People, Inc. Patrick Wood also serves on The State of Minnesota, Hennepin County and Ramsey County boards concerned with homelessness. He helped establish the first program with a clinical base.
Patrick described himself as a story teller and one of the stories he told us was of a man who lived in a dumpster, wrapped in a covering of bubble wrap. He told how the man would emerge from the dumpster every morning, smiling broadly when he saw Patrick and ask cheerily, “Did you bring the coffee?’ This man had an encyclopedic knowledge of things and places and eventually made his way into a more traditional living space than the dumpster. He had lived outside for 20 years!
Here are some of the things Patrick Wood told the group:
Patrick admonished the listeners to “look at the blue tarps that line the streets.”
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Of the homeless men, 1/3 are veterans. One member of the audience asked why the barracks that are built to house hundreds of soldiers, buildings which now are empty couldn’t be used to house homeless. No one had an answer to why federal surplus buildings are standing empty.
One woman said a family member was living on the streets and she did not know where he was or how he was. She wondered if Patrick could help her find the channels to assist in a search for him. He met with her privately to obtain pertinent information. Maybe he could help.
Someone asked about the “panhandlers” who stand at the corner with signs. Patrick answered, “don’t be misled by the stories you hear about the huge amounts of money these people make. I have had them tell me, I’ve been her for four hours and all I have is $3.40. It’s hard standing on those corners in all kinds of weather. It takes an emotional toll. It adds to the feeling of being invisible. Give them a dollar – or a warm pair of clean socks. That’ll be fine.”
Maybe that is how the problems can be solved. One person at a time. One caring, compassionate person at a time helping one other person.
It was compelling to realize that this meeting and speaker coincided with the week of activities being sponsored at St. Joan to meet the dire need for help in the areas of homelessness and hunger. Maybe it was just a coincidence but it was a great evening with a great speaker. It was comforting to be brought into the warm embrace of the people who attend the MIM meetings. I just wish you could have heard him. You shoulda been there. You really, really shoulda been there!
Patrick Arden Wood, Consultant, Strategies for the Street Homeless, can be reached at patrickawood@gmail.com. Contact him with your comments, questions and support.
Here is a list of Useful Websites compiled by Patrick A. Wood
(His comments are helpful and reflect his personal opinions and experience)
You Shoulda Been There!!! You Really, Really, Shoulda Been There: All – absolutely all are invited, encouraged to attend the MIM meetings to hear the fine speakers, to be better informed, to be part of the mighty task of education to erase the stigma and discrimination associated with brain disorders. It’s not just about ministry. It’s about social justice!!
Here is a list of the Speakers who have appeared and shared at the regular meetings of the Mental Illness Ministry (MIM) – the men and women who have informed, enlightened, amused, encouraged, clarified, illuminated the meaning of brain disorders, mental illness – all of them, in one way or another, have walked their talk. These are the experts who have been and will be with us in the months to come.
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