Trying to expect an increase of the night time temperatures may be futile for the rest of 2011. We seem to be stuck in nighttime temperatures in the upper 20's and lower 30's and for a homeless person those temperatures are incredibly difficult. And it's going to get worse.
My heart keeps reaching across the land at those who don't have a dirty filthy shed to sleep in, who don't have the "luxuries" I have been blessed with in an awful situation. Knowing that it's incredibly difficult to remain healthy when you are homeless.By 10 am the temperature had reached the lower 60's, but I was still frozen solid. My feet like blocks of ice. No matter what I did, I couldn't get warm or comfortable.
Despite my own physical inability to get my body to adapted coming out of frigid conditions, it turned into a beautiful sunny, and warm day. Another "picture perfect Indian Summer day."
I am scared. I have no idea how to physically or emotionally withstand another winter homeless. I can't pretend otherwise. When everything you try in an attempt to rectify a situation - fails, and continues to fail for lack of money, hope hangs shredded and torn.Yet my mind keeps going to others who know the sheer heartache, heartbreak, "homeless" brings in it's wake. For myself the answer could be fairly simplistic. If the convicted felon would return the money he stole intended for our home the resolve would be immediate. I seriously question the moral integrity of those around him who enabled his criminal activity by their silence, but dare not cast judgment on hearts only God knows.
But there are those who could not find such a resolve. Early today I received one twitter that caught my attention.After walking out of this hotel room I broke down. To be honest, I don’t know how Jean does it all. She tries to be a good mother to her five children. Every day, even in the Missouri rain, she rides a bicycle to her minimum wage job. But minimum wage is not enough for the family to break the weekly rate hotel cycle.This is the invisible people we need to make visible. Luckily, this family and many others found a very kind man in St Charles County that is helping homeless families get back on their feet. I have traveled all over this country visiting people in hotels. Thanks to Paul Kruse these families are staying in a fairly decent hotel. But it’s still not home.
Many of the affordable, weekly rate hotels are run down. Most places are filled with drug dealers, criminal activity and are unfit for children. It’s a vicious cycle of homelessness because while paying to stay at these hotels it’s nearly impossible to save for first and last months rent to get out of the situation.
Jean once had a home, a car, and a better life for her family. Unfortunately, we are going to see more families losing everything and facing homelessness.
I am glad that we have people like Paul taking real action to help people. We need more to step up.
. We need you!
http://invisiblepeople.tv/blog/2010/08/jean-and-her-children-homeless-st-charles-county/
As a woman who is living in a dirty shed in someone's back yard, in a fairly affluent community, I know the heartache of living in substandard living conditions and the knowledge that so few care.
If anyone lives in the St Charles County, Missouri, area I strongly encourage you to help pick this family up and turn their lives around. YOU could be the difference between hope, and hopeless.
There has to be someone related to Robert & Sylve Huckins must have some means to reach them, if it be Michael Huckins, Dr.Kenneth Ogilvie ( Diana Huckins? Dominic Huckins? Malcolm Huckins? ) or Patricia Ogilvie-Huckins and get them to return ALL of the money they stole from us so that I can buy a home and get our lives back. I am begging anyone in this family for help.I don't believe I have EVER witnessed any none violent crime that can be as devastating as stealing someone's home. I am walking in Dorothy McKeevers footsteps, day by day, month by month, year by year.
Liam Griffin, I sat in your law office with two witnesses as you gave me your promise, your guarantee, that our money would be returned before harm came to us.
Patricia Ogilvie-Huckins you were present the day I signed contract with your son. You walked out of the kitchen with Sylve Huckins and your son introduced me to you. He told you that I was the British horse trainer he had told you about, the one he was going to build the home and barn for. Why didn't you say something? There may be a rational and reasonable explanation but I have spent over 3 years, homeless, not understanding it. I understand it even less knowing that though I was a total stranger, both Dorothy McKeever and Sally Canning you KNEW, and you knew what your son had done to them and others.
Dr. Kenneth Ogilvie, I contacted you and simply asked for a reference, not knowing that Robert Huckins was your cousin. Robert Huckins had just stolen over $30,000 from the domestic violence shelter, HEAL, yet everyone was trying to hide it. There was a history of stealing large amounts of money. $65,000 PLUS from Nancy Canning. $89,000 PLUS from Dorothy McKeever, $45,000 from Francis McKinney. The list just goes on and on and on.
Because of Robert Huckins I ended up paying $140,000 to be homeless.. sat in the cold, emotionally, physically and financially broke. In the middle of a recession, with no way to recover the stolen funds.
Today Robert Huckins has his own home...
He also has OUR home.....
He also has a lot of people's money...
And his freedom.
Women are not banks or loan institutions. Women should not be the source of a retirement fund for people who don't want to do an honest day's work for an honest day's pay. Holding women hostage while playing with the judicial system, a horrendous game of cat and mouse extending YEARS, with the victims whose very homes, families and stability are in jeopardy is cruelty, as cruel as a physical beating. It is financial and emotional RAPE. Homelessness is not justice. It is a slow, painful death.
Please, I beg with everything I have within me, please convince Robert Huckins to stop this torture and return the building fund he stole from us so we too, can have a home.
"He who finds though that lets us penetrate even a little deeper into the eternal mystery of nature has been granted great grace. He who, in addition, experiences the recognition, sympathy, and help of the best minds of his times, had been given almost more happiness than one man can bear." - Albert Einstein
