Collecting coats for the homeless was not enough for two Oliver pastors who ended up spending 24 hours on the streets of Penticton recently.
Mark and Rae Pankratz from Life Church felt compelled to walk a mile in the shoes of the destitute. So they found a friend to look after their kids and set out on the unforgettable journey.
“What we did was very small (compared to what happens in their lives every day),” Mark said of the homeless people they met.
The couple came prepared by bringing blankets, pillows and snacks, including granola bars and two oranges that Rae accidentally sat on and squished.
Once on the street at 5 p.m. on November 7, they simply wandered around and started conversations with people who looked homeless.
“We’re always afraid of what we don’t understand. When you meet homeless people you realize they are just people,” Mark said.
For example, while standing in line at the Soupateria, Mark met this fellow who had a family, but the pressure to be the breadwinner was too much and he ended up on the street.
Mark said the man preferred living “just above the bottom of the barrel.”
Rae said waiting in line for food was very humbling, and watching the drug pushers looking for prey gave them an uneasy feeling.
Another fellow they talked to was a successful businessman who had a college degree and a family. But he fell into drugs, which led to homelessness.
Mark said many of the street people they spoke to suffered a traumatic experience. One person lost a child and his marriage fell apart, while another young man lost his mother.
Rae found out that one homeless man lost his shopping cart full of belongings, including a portable stove and a sleeping bag. So she gave him a sleeping bag to ward off the cold.
She also met a “kid” who was “beat up so many times.”
He said the most important thing to a homeless person is finding the right friend.
“Seventy per cent of the people we met had been homeless at some point in their lives,” Rae said.
The pastors wandered around some more and visited people at Compass House men’s shelter, where they heard more heartbreaking stories.
They even tried panhandling, which prompted one woman to become suspicious and question their motives.
At around 10 pm on the first night, Mark and Rae had to start looking for a place to sleep. That’s what caused them the most stress.
“We were feeling very vulnerable sleeping out in the cold without protection,” Mark said.
They eventually found an alcove behind a strip mall.
“It was cold and uncomfortable, the blanket wasn’t big enough, and I had cold ankles and face,” Rae said.
“You don’t really sleep because you’re stiff and cold,” Mark added.
At one point they heard a domestic fight and loud screaming, which was scary and unnerving, Rae said.
The couple received a cold reception from one business person who abruptly asked them what they were doing hanging around.
They explained the situation and the lady merely told them to be cautious because of people urinating in the area.
Mark observed one homeless fellow taking election signs off a fence, probably with the idea of sleeping on them.
Mark noted that a street person’s energy is focused solely on basic needs. They can’t really focus on overcoming their addictions because they are too busy surviving.
Rae said friendship and a simple cup of coffee go a long way to add comfort to these marginalized people.
“One of the best things you can do is buy a cup of coffee for them,” Mark pointed out.
He added that most of these street people are very kind and generous, willing to share whatever resources they have.
Mark ended up giving a job to one young man who was looking for work.
When 5 pm rolled around on November 8, the couple heaved a sigh of relief that it was over.
“We couldn’t imagine staying on the street again. We were tired and sore. It was overwhelming,” Mark said.
But they are currently working on a project to help the homeless at Christmas time. Their goal is to make 100 goodie bags full of necessities, such as clean socks, hats, Blistex, chocolates and toothbrushes. They plan to distribute these to street people in Penticton and to several homeless people in Oliver.
Lyonel Doherty
Oliver Chronicle
