UPS & DOWNS, December 1999

WAYFARERS' HOUSE NEWS

WELCOME TO Charlene, Cathleen, Beth and Cole, Carla and Jean.

FAREWELL and good wishes to Pat; Sheryl and Ashley; Yong and Dennis; Donna, Crystal, Donovan, Ashley and Nashon; Alisha; Karimah; and Natalie.

HAPPY DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS to Kathie, Marsha and Carl!

WELCOME TO OUR YOUNGEST RESIDENT! Jonathan Lee Riddle arrived on Dec. 12, and weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces. He and mother Cindy are doing well. Cindy has asked Ups & Downs to thank everyone for all their love, help and gifts to Jonathan. She said it meant so much to have the support of people, the clothes and other baby supplies and those extra hands that every new mother needs.

Our Wayfarers' House Puppeteers entertained at the Community Thanksgiving Dinner at the Elkton United Methodist Church and were well received. Congratulations, Puppeteers! When is your next performance?

December 21 is NATIONAL HOMELESS MEMORIAL DAY

Concert to benefit Meeting Ground
January 5, 2000, 7:30 p.m.
First & Central Presbyterian Church, Rodney Square, Wilmington
The concert in Delaware will feature four classical musicians, one of whom is soprano Kimi Whipple, daughter of May and Wako Yokoyama.

New cabinets in the Wayfarers' Office and some newer furnishings are giving a decided uplift to the much-used room. Our hearty thanks to Eric Schaumann for those cabinets!

A recent letter published in the Cecil Whig follows:

"Have you ever seen the movie 'Miracle on 43rd Street?'
"There are miracles happening every day at Wayfarers' House. Rest for the weary, food for the hungry and comfort for the wounded soul who is homeless.
"May God bless those involved in this ministry of hope to those experiencing a crisis in their life."
- Natalie Thomas Davis

CONGRATULATIONS to Yong and Dennis, Natalie, and Sheryl and Ashley on their getting housing.
Congratulations, too, to Yong on getting her "green card" and her library card at the same time!

NEW PROPERTY

Meeting Ground has acquired a house and land in Elkton on Mackall Street which will provide a site for longer-term residency and a special program for achieving longer-range goals of residents. Stay tuned for more news.

A MEETING GROUND NAVIDAD
"About ten years ago, on a frigid Christmas eve -- we got a call from the State Police. It was already after 11:00 p.m., and we were settling everything down from all the pre-Christmas events, and getting ready to relax and enjoy the quiet of Christmas day. The officer on the phone asked if we could pick up a stranded family whose vehicle had broken down on I-95. The family, we were told, had no money and were stranded far from anyone they knew or were related to. They were, in fact, homeless.
I remember the late Pete Clark, tired as he was, got in our old station wagon and drove out into the night to pick them up. He got back just after midnight. The rest of the story is amazing, yet true.

"He arrived back at Clairvaux Farm with a young mother and father, carefully holding their infant son who was wrapped tightly in blankets. Their names were Mary and Joe.

"This may sound unbelievable, but it is a true story. They were young, kindhearted and destitute, very alone and frightened. They had no idea what to do when their car broke down and began to worry immediately about what would happen to their baby on such a cold night if they had no place to go. Needless to say, they were deeply grateful for our hospitality, and we were greatly moved by their need.

"They stayed with us approximately two weeks, before they were able to get things together and move on to their destination and rebuild their life. . . just two young people and their new baby struggling to find a foothold in a wide cold world. After they left, they became a bit of a legend for us. We have recalled many times since the night that Mary, Joe, and their infant son came to us. . .We often think of Christmas eve as that most holy of nights, but in fact, Christ may cross our very threshold at any time. And when he does, that will become, for us, the holiest of nights or days."
(Reprinted from a letter authored by Carl Mazza, General Director of Mission for Meeting Ground.)

AN IMPORTANT HOLIDAY MESSAGE

Former Wayfarers' resident Sharon Gatelein-Parker wrote an article a few Christmases ago to alert us to depression, a common affliction in our society and one which sometimes needs professional help. It also helps when people treat each other very gently, especially at this time of year . The following are excerpts from Sharon's article:

A deep depression may afflict many of us during this season of the year. It may occur due to the absence of family or friends, whether caused by death , sickness or separation by distance. It may be brought on by ... physical exhaustion ... from Christmas shopping ... (negative feelings about) commercialism, ... ill-mannered people,... the "after holiday letdown..." There are times, though, when professional treatment is indicated and you should consider a consultation with a mental health professional: if depression lasts more than four weeks; if you suffer hopelessness , thoughts of suicide; interference with daily functioning , loss of pleasure, uncontrolled aggressive outbursts, abuse of alcohol or other drugs changes in appetite of sleep patterns, fatigue, inability to concentrate.
To Sharon's comments Ups&Downs would add this: Whether we feel sad because e miss happy Christmases past or because we have few happy Christmases in our past because our memories are a mixture of pleasant and miserable, we can begin now to make kinder memories for ourselves and each other right here.