17/08/2020 - Ireland

 What Bernadette Misses Most During COVID-19

I have been working with the homeless now for about three years.  The Hostel is owned by DEPAUL Ireland and is one of their many hostels in the North and South of Ireland.  Many people ask me why I would want to work with the homeless and those afflicted by addictions or what good can I do.  The answer to that is that I always felt drawn to people less fortunate than me and as for the good I do, I’m afraid only God knows that. 

The Hostel I work in is what they call a low threshhold wet hostel.  That means that the people who come to the hostel are really at an almost no return stage.  They are allowed to buy their alcohol or drugs and come back and stay all day in the hostel and of course have a bed there.  Each of them have a support worker and they try to get them to link in to the various organisations working with addiction and mental illness. 

We have had a few success stories, one young man managed to get off drugs and was then transferred to Coolmine where he is doing so well. We have had our sadness there too, last year two residents of the hostel died.  One was a young mother who had a seven year old boy, but had not seen him since he was a baby.  We also had the death of a Polish man and thankfully we were able to get in touch with their families who took responsibility for giving them a dignified burial.  When there is a death it is so sad both for residents and staff.  I spend a lot of time with them so that they go through the grieving process and we have prayer services.  It is so important for them to know that they are remembered and treated with dignity, sometimes they are surprised, when they see us upset and crying with them after a death.

We have happy days too.  I play Bingo and other games with them.  We have Karaoke, we have an odd day out for those who are able.  I cook a big breakfast twice a week and other days we do pancakes or whatever they want.  They really appreciate it when you do something special for them.  A box of biscuits or sweets is always welcomed.  Usually, they are looking for medals and rosaries and holy objects.  When they are in hospital, I visit them and get them some little treat.  We always send them get well cards and they get a birthday cake and card for their birthdays.  To me, this is all a way of showing them how much they matter and of course to respect their dignity.

People ask me: ‘What good do you do?’  I don’t know.  I always say “look at the person first”. This is a human being like you or me, we have blood in our veins, we get up every morning hoping for the best for our day, and we never know what circumstances could interfere or change in our lives that we could end up with addiction or homeless. That could be us and how would we like to be treated?  I don’t change the world for them, sometimes, it is just the importance of listening to the story of their lives and how they ended up homeless. We would be surprised at how easily it happens to many of them.  I just sit with them and let them cry and listen to their fears and try to give them a little bit of reassurance and support and of course never judge.  For me, it is having time to sit down with them when staff are busy and be there as a person who maybe can help tap into the resource of hope or resilience that is in them.  Homeless people have an innate dignity and sometimes you are the only person recognising that and treating them as decent and good human beings, believe me, they know who cares for them and trusts them.

I love my work with them and I have to say that in three years, not one of them has raised their voice to me.  I have missed my time so much with them during the Covid-19 but volunteers are not allowed in yet. I also miss the staff, sometimes they need pastoral care too and it’s a privilege to be there for them all.

I could talk forever about them all but I will finish with the Lord’s Words:

“I came that you may have life and have it to the full”

Sr. Bernadette Healy

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