This past summer I tried to walk a mile in their shoes, the homeless shoes.  The drive to do this was because the feelings that use to surge through me whenever someone would stop by our migrant camp has never left me.

My life as a migrant worker began at the age of six.  I do not remember how many so called “scholars” stopped by to study us.  I vividly recall the feelings they generated in many of us.  The feelings that we were just animals in a zoo that academe saw as possibly another article or book to be published.  We felt exploited and often would laugh at what we told them because we felt they did not really want to help they just wanted to publish.  Hence, my Dad and the other men would feed them crazy stories.

However, I will always remember my migrant life as a young boy.  The names they yelled at us like taco bender, wetback, etc. or the items they hurled at us like empty beer bottles, tomatoes, etc. However, they did help in motivating me.

Thus, I wanted to study the face of today’s homeless not by stopping and pulling out my Likert scale but by walking a mile in their shoes.  Thus, I took off and headed east to begin my life experience as a homeless person.  Although, unlike a homeless person; I had an old Chevrolet Impala that I was going to drive and sleep in.

The first homeless night was spent in Maryland.  I met up with a group of six young White men. My guess is that they were in their late teens or early 20s.  As we exchanged stories, the first part of building trust is sharing information; I learned they were all from different parts of Maryland and Pennsylvania and all of them had dropped out of school.  Although, after listening, I felt they were pushed out of school.

After gaining their trust, I asked them, “What if God were listening?  What would you ask for?”

“I would ask God to move me to West Virginia!” one quickly responded.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because it is easier to buy a gun there!” he replied. The others joined in and agreed with the young respondent.

We talked until one by one we fell asleep.  I got up early the next morning and continued on my homeless journey.  The next stop was Baltimore, Maryland.  Again, I teamed up with another group of homeless individuals.  This group was older, racially diverse, and included males and females.

Once again, we shared stories. The story that stuck with me from that night was that of a 57 year old former teacher. Hearing the middle age man’s story was moving enough but as he shared it through his tear filled eyes made it that much more difficult to keep my composure as he told his story.

He talked about the numb feeling he got as he read his layoff notice.  He said he told his family not to worry.  He will apply for unemployment and get another job.  The only problem was that no one wanted to hire a 57 year old Black man.  His benefits ran out, he lost his house, and finally, he asked his family to move in with relatives while he traveled looking for another job.  Keeping the fact that he was now homeless a secret from his family, he continues his job search.  Additionally, he shared with me his frustration.  He did what he thought would lead him to a stable career.  He went to college, he became a teacher, and now he is a homeless man full of pain.

Additionally, my homeless walk a mile in my shoes trip led me through Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania.  Each one provided me with difficult life stories.  One that will stay with me for a long time happened in Philadelphia, PA.

I pulled over for a night’s rest in an area of Philadelphia that included a number of homeless sitting around a camp fire.  My body was in extreme pain but I finally fell asleep.  After about an hour of sleep I was awakened by a knock on my window.

A young man said, “Sir, I don’t know if you are from here but I strongly urge you to move from here.  This is a very dangerous spot.  In a couple of hours this place will be filled by thieves, drug dealers, pimps, and prostitutes.   It is not safe for you to stay here.”

After we visited, he told me about a 24 hour restaurant that was safe.  I thanked him and moved on.  I found the 24 hour restaurant.  After going in and enjoying a cup of coffee, I slipped a $10 bill for them to let me sleep in their parking lot.

The next morning, I met up with some homeless people and homeless advocates in downtown Philadelphia.  They were upset because the Mayor had issued an order barring Philadelphia churches from setting up outdoor soup kitchens for the homeless because he was concerned about potential health hazards.   The homeless and their advocates complained that the homeless are eating out of trash cans.  They believed the real reason for the outdoor soup kitchen ban was because the Mayor felt the homeless would hurt Philadelphia’s tourism industry.

In conclusion, I learned a lot from the experience.  First, being homeless is a lot of hard work.  Second, the main lesson that I took from my homeless travels was that the homeless also have a lot of pride.  Finally, what if God were listening?  What would you ask for? 

FRIDAY

Kitchen Unit feeds up to or over 200 women and children. This is accomplished by the local Mexican women who volunteer at the center.

The young children have their own dining room, where they are also taught how to use and care of books. Then volunteers collect and return the books to the library after the meal is served.

Expat Volunteers 

The free medical and dental clinic is open at the same time, and the doctors and nurses stay until every patient leaves.  Staff includes two Mexican doctors, one retired expat dentist, and one expat hygienist.

A bazaar is located in the Center which is also open for the volunteer Mexicans to shop with vouchers they receive for volunteering. They do not pay with cash.

SATURDAY

Sports program for the boys. They are picked up from Tepehua and taken to a real sports field to play soccer.

MONDAY

Reading class for adults to improve literacy.

TUESDAY

Counseling for the women; the registration office is also open.

The educational programs at the Center includes teaching mothers how to read, learn English, assist with the school work of the children, and during the holidays, art classes for all. The bazaar is also open so the women can buy at very low prices.

The clinic is open for two hours for women for cancer checks, family planning and other women’s health issues.

WEDNESDAY

English classes are available and the registration office is open.

THURSDAY

There is a clinic for women where one physician sees patients. Sewing and small industry classes are also offered that allow women to produce items they may sell. Women are also taught how to market their products. Reading classes are held in the afternoon for adults.

FUTURE PROGRAMS

A major concern is to get children off the drug infested streets into organized games. Many children are involved in street dog/cock fighting , seemingly unaware of the pain they inflict on animals. A playground project is ready to be implemented but the Center lacks the necessary funds to launch it.

A program to teach the women geriatric and home/nursing home care is planned. This would be offered by registered nurses and is planned to begin in 2013. Near Lake Chapala funds are being collected for a large nursing home. Ground breaking in 2013 for the first 300-bed home is now planned. They will need nurses and nursing assistants. The plan is to start at the end of February.

A sponsorship Education program to further the education of children that excel, but cannot afford the expense of staying in school is an additional dream we hope to fulfill soon. We have sponsors and will begin to design the program in 2013.

There are many less formal programs aimed at the very young, like hygiene, the care of books, and art appreciation.

FUTURE VISION

We envision that all the programs will be conducted by local Mexicans themselves, under the supervision of the Board and other main volunteer leaders.  Our hope is to have people who use the Center feel that they belong to the Center. We hope Mexicans will take responsibility and ownership of the Center.  This is happening slowly now. Even some professionals are now Mexican-Doctors, Nurses and others.  This project could be started in any barrio in Jalisco.  When you have a center for the people to socialize and get to know each other, you are creating a support system.  Poverty isolates people from their neighbors. This way, they realize that there is strength when they work together. For any financial information you would like to obtain please contact their Center. ( www.tepehua.org )

The vision is to expand the scope and mission of the farm, e.g., create an Exploratorium for sustainable technology and sustainable agriculture. This summer Dr. Juan Francisco Ornelas , owner and operator, visited the Environmental Education program at the University of North Texas (UNT) to review their program. He also visited the City of Denton’s environmental education program in local schools. They take students to the Elm Fork Green Belt outdoor center and to the Denton waste site that recycles some materials, cleans up waste water and handles city garbage. This site provides electricity for 1600 houses from the methane powering a cap generator at the site.

On our recent visit to meet with Dr. Ornelas at Santa Rosa farm, we learned that he had completed an exhibit hall and a small archeological sand pit for young students to dig up bones of a horse or a camel, for example. He had seen a similar sand pit at the EESAT building at UNT where students from 1st to 5th grade dug up bones.

Initially Ana Paula, the new biologist at the farm and Dr. Ornelas will focus upon moving the farm toward a more organic production and to more sustainable and less carbon-based agriculture model. The next focus will be to create a place to visit alternative green technologies at the farm, so citizens in villages and neighborhoods can learn how to become more sustainable and healthier.. Below is the model of one clean stove from a factory in San Miquel de Allende established by Rotary Club in Oregon.

The team ( from Santa Rosa, SuBire , UNT , FWOP and local green companies) are reviewing the building at the farm to see how energy efficiency strategies might move the farm toward a “ net zero energy” site- so as to demonstrate how it can be done in other locations.

In the exhibit hall we plan to have alternative green technologies, such as clean stove models that burn more efficiently, water purification systems for home use, solar pump systems for drip irrigation systems, and water harvesting systems. Above is a solar panel system that was put into a remote rural school in the State of Zacatecas to operate one computer and provide light in the school.

When completed the farm will have dorms for teachers and rural high school students. The high school students while working on the farm will be able to secure a high school degree.  In addition, students from SuBire and CUM will be visiting the farm;  it is planned that the farm will accommodate visitors from villages and neighborhoods in the region. The Exploratorium  would be a place to experiment with a wide range of technologies to improve the quality of life.

I met the Green Peace Parent Group who are organized to build a link between the families and the school.   Their goal is to design a healthy living community around the school where some 6700 families live.

Two days later I met some 25 second graders, eight parents and a teacher  from CUM at the Santa Rosa Farm near Lake Chapala , south of Guadalajara. The students learned how to plant a garden, milk a cow, and feed various animals.  They all took home a pot with a plant and a seed to germinate.

The farm receives students and parents five days a week from either CUM (www.colegiounionmexico.com or SuBire  ( www.SuBire.mx)  by bus.  The farm is striving to become a major regional environmental and sustainable technology education center in the State of Jalisco.   They travel on the impressive bus pictured below.   Stan.ingman@unt.edu

FWOP Membership

 FWOP membership is free to anyone who believes that every person in the world has the right to have a life without poverty. If you believe that everyone should have the opportunity of adequate food and shelter you should be a member of FWOP.

Membership in FWOP is open to anyone with an e-mail address and it is free.

Our goal is to build an electronic voice of 1,000,000 voices by 2013.

Together in solidarity we will speak out for the rights of the poor and organize chapters around the world to give voice, self-respect and hope to the poorest of the poor.

If you can afford to make a donation of $10 it will help cover the expense of creating this network.

If you can afford a donation of $20 we will give a solar light to a family with no electricity so that a child can use the light at night to read and write to improve their education and job opportunities.  To make a donation, click on the Donate Button on the right sidebar.

Are you a part of those that feel it is time to take a stand against hunger, homelessness and the ravages of modern day poverty? By signing up to join the Global Electronic FWOP Network you are telling the world leaders that we need an end to the suffering caused by the uneven distribution of the global resources.

To join, please enter your email address on the right side of this site or click here.   Thank you!

Hundreds of volunteers (424 Volunteers) worked with Rebuild Together-St. Louis to transform a north St. Louis building into a training center for military veterans.

Veterans Front Entrance

The former dormitory of St. Louis Christian College was donated by North City Church of Christ and will be run by the Renewable Energy Training Institute, which provides veterans with skills to prepare for civilian life.

Once it is complete, the facility will include a new wheelchair ramp, fencing and new carpet.  It will also have a patio and garden in the back.

Former Marine veteran Charlie Boyd was thrilled with how many volunteers came to help.

“It’s more than we anticipated for the volunteers to do what they are doing,” said Boyd. ”It’s just overwhelming and mindboggling as we say in the Marine Corps.”

The effort is part of the Home Depot Foundation’s two month Celebration of Service Campaign which honors military veterans.  It started September 11 and runs through Veterans Day. St. Louis (KSDK) — Hundreds of volunteers worked with Rebuild Together-St. Louis and Mission Continues to transform a north St. Louis building into a training center for military veterans.

Veterans Landscape Team

The former dormitory was re-positioned by North City Church of Christ and will be run by the Renewable Energy Training Institute, which provides veterans with skills to prepare for civilian life.  Pastor Robert Lawrence, an Army Veteran himself will serve as the Chaplin to the RETI veterans.

Once it is complete, the facility will include a new wheelchair ramp, fencing and new carpet.  It will also have a patio and healing garden in the back of the dormitory.  The goal is to provide a place of peace, rejuvenation and career training.  Dr. Brune shared that 24 Veterans will cycle through this site every 6 months.  By rehabbing this building, Home Depot has provided 12 private apartment homes for returning veterans.

Former Marine veteran Charlie Boyd was thrilled with how many volunteers came to help.

Veterans Landscaping Side

“It’s more than we anticipated for the volunteers to do what they are doing,” said Boyd. ”It’s just overwhelming and mindboggling as we say in the Marine Corps.”

The effort is part of the Home Depot Foundation’s two month Celebration of Service Campaign which honors military veterans.  It started September 11 and runs through Veterans Day.
KSDK

On September 18^th Mariann Contreras , Edwards Ochao (Pato) Contreras and Stan Ingman met to discuss various items that Mujeres Vigilantes, COFIMICH and FWOP need to consider in building more livable, strong, and sustainable neighborhoods for low income families.

The highlight of our meeting was a visit to some 50 houses under contruction in Sahuayo. The plan is to build 150 houses at this location. Houses measures 7 x 20 meters, have three bedrooms, one bath room and one common living area. At this stage our team also has houses under construction in Zimapan, State of Hidalgo (200) and Sahuayo . Go to www.remuni.org to view a YouTube or click on Mujeres Vigilantes logo on our sponsorship list.

Below you have a photo of Stan, Mariann, Celia (Pato’s wife) , and Pato with children and grandchildren from both families. People are looking at the roof and as you may know families can add a second floor to their house if funds become available.

Citizens must fund street lights. While in Guadalajara Ingman met with Solar Technology ( www.solartechnology.com.mx) to explore the best options to solve this issue. In addition, Syl Flores contacted a solar panel company in Ripley, Ohio to find out if they might have a good solution at a good price. Tom Benjamin is also working on the issue in Virginia. Walmart has a solar flood light that could be another solution.

We are now discussing in more detail how we develop this neighborhood to create a self-managed liveable neighborhood. What committees, what educational programs do we bring to the site, and what links to alternative employment do we create nearby?

For some 8 years FWOP have worked with San Martin to make this small settlement more livable. Initially, a gasoline generator from Texas was installed to supply two light bulbs per 10 houses. Later three solar panels were installed to substitute for the generator. Now they use them both. A TV antenna show that someone now watches TV.

Villagers had to walk mile or two to locate a bucket of water. So , our team located a spring some 2 miles away from San Martin. GPS help us determine it higher than San Martin. A gravity system of pipes pushed the water tank to San Martin, and finally lines to each house per water access.

Stan and Pato visited San Martin on 19^th and sat down with Antonio the chair of the village committee. First we learned that the spring went dry some two years ago. Antonio had watched Tom Benjamin do the initial project. So he merely located another site of water in the ravine a site of old water tank and dug a hole and reconnected the system and water continues to flow to San Martin.

Second , the evaluated the generator – solar panel system and determine that we could merely relocate the panels and perhaps secure more sun light and thus , they may not need to use the gasoline generator for electricity.

Our next stop was near Mazamitla and the site of where some 500 houses for low income families. These houses will have some exciting features. Solar water heating systems on the roofs will provide warm showers . Bio-digestor had the bottom of the hill will receive all toilet waste. Methane gas will be piped to individual homes will allow families to cook meals without buying butane gas tanks or burning wood. They also have a rebate for program to reward families who recycle.

Currently, electric boxes are installed. The septic line have been laid out for all houses and come down the hill to be linked to the biodigestors. Finally federal permit will allow them to cut the trees down to then move ahead with constructing houses in November.