I am Wesley Lin from Taiwan. Poverty is a social issue in Taiwan, I have been volunteer helping the people to live by themselves in Taiwan and Indonesia. I have heard that in America, which is typical Capitalism country, poverty is a huge social issue especially in San Francisco.
It's a day for us to connect with the homeless in downtown of San Francisco. No wallet no phone no fantastic clothes. We brought nothing. Street retreat is what we did today. We walked on the street in small group of 3 people and try to have a conversation with the homeless. I am not afraid of talking to them, but I am afraid that they don't want to talk with us. Since we met a helpless man, I changed my mind. We saw a man just fell on the street and we tried to help him stand up. What we just found out is his feet are weak and also his hands have the same problem. They're also some black spots on his hands. He told us he has disease since he was little and he didn't have chance to see the doctor. I am not sure the disease he told me is Myasthenia Gravis or Poliomyelitis because he couldn't talk very well. Of course he wishes he could find a job but with his disease it's really hard for him to work. We have a pretty long conversation with him and at last I was impressed by my partner Risa who came from Macau. She asked to give the man a hug although the man has some smell and also is not clean. That's really friendly for Risa to do that.Thus, I gave the helpless man a big hug too. This hug is full of emotion. I can feel his sickness and I can feel it's really hard for him to walk. I wish I can do something to help him walk longer in the street or in his life but I don't know what to do.
We also visit the church serving the food for the homeless. Everyone can get a free meal in the church. We tried to experience the life of the homeless. What I just found out during street retreat, is some of them choose to be homeless. They can have shelter, but in the shelter is a very small space because they are in SF. The price of house is high. So they will prefer to sleep on the street. It's more comfortable and feeling free for them to sleep on the street. I asked all the people I met how do they think about SF? The answer I got is, "it's a good city". Although the housing price is high here, there are some free meals for them and they can take a shower on the portable bathroom and no one will drive them away. That's a way they choose to live here. It's a day that gave me a huge shock and it really makes me feel full of satisfaction to the life I have now.
It's a day for us to connect with the homeless in downtown of San Francisco. No wallet no phone no fantastic clothes. We brought nothing. Street retreat is what we did today. We walked on the street in small group of 3 people and try to have a conversation with the homeless. I am not afraid of talking to them, but I am afraid that they don't want to talk with us. Since we met a helpless man, I changed my mind. We saw a man just fell on the street and we tried to help him stand up. What we just found out is his feet are weak and also his hands have the same problem. They're also some black spots on his hands. He told us he has disease since he was little and he didn't have chance to see the doctor. I am not sure the disease he told me is Myasthenia Gravis or Poliomyelitis because he couldn't talk very well. Of course he wishes he could find a job but with his disease it's really hard for him to work. We have a pretty long conversation with him and at last I was impressed by my partner Risa who came from Macau. She asked to give the man a hug although the man has some smell and also is not clean. That's really friendly for Risa to do that.Thus, I gave the helpless man a big hug too. This hug is full of emotion. I can feel his sickness and I can feel it's really hard for him to walk. I wish I can do something to help him walk longer in the street or in his life but I don't know what to do.
We also visit the church serving the food for the homeless. Everyone can get a free meal in the church. We tried to experience the life of the homeless. What I just found out during street retreat, is some of them choose to be homeless. They can have shelter, but in the shelter is a very small space because they are in SF. The price of house is high. So they will prefer to sleep on the street. It's more comfortable and feeling free for them to sleep on the street. I asked all the people I met how do they think about SF? The answer I got is, "it's a good city". Although the housing price is high here, there are some free meals for them and they can take a shower on the portable bathroom and no one will drive them away. That's a way they choose to live here. It's a day that gave me a huge shock and it really makes me feel full of satisfaction to the life I have now.