PPCSinc Blogs

In the times that the Hebrew and Christian scriptures were written, hospitality was among the most prized of virtues. And it’s not difficult to guess why. It may have something to do with the desolate surroundings. Living and especially traveling in the desert has a way of keeping you focused on the fragility of human life. We simply don’t last long without food, and especially water. And if the land where you live is mostly arid and lifeless, knowing where your next drink of water is coming from becomes very, very important. It’s a great comfort to know you can count on your neighbors for help if you get into trouble. Hence, the scriptural value of hospitality and the concern for our neighbors.

This past Sunday’s Post-Dispatch carried an article with the headline: “Homeless clash with push to gentrify city.”  The story reported the controversy between homeless people who congregate in Lucas Park downtown, and neighbors of the park who have moved into loft condominiums along Washington Avenue who would like to be able to use the park without being panhandled.

Now, because I work for an agency that provides housing and services for those who are homeless, you might think you could guess “whose side” I’m on in this situation. But as it turns out, in this case I don’t think it’s about “sides.” The condo-dwellers have a legitimate desire to use their neighborhood public park without being harassed. And the people who are homeless…well they need to be somewhere, don’t they?

The problem here is that too many homeless people have nowhere else to go. By definition, they have no space that is theirs. Lucas Park has been dubbed “Hobo Park” by homeless people for decades. I can only imagine that they chose to gather in the park because for years, until the recent revitalization of Washington Avenue, it was off the beaten path. There is less visibility there than in the parks along Market Street, and so they draw less attention to themselves, and so feel safer. It has the added benefit of being bordered by the New Life shelter, the main branch of the public library and Christ Church Cathedral.  All three provide them with a refuge from the weather (and access to indoor plumbing) for at least part of the day.

The best solution is to create a space where homeless people will feel safe, a space that offers protection from the heat or cold, a space where their needs are met, whether it’s an immediate need for a rest room, a shower, a meal, a telephone…or a need for services like medical care, legal assistance, and substance abuse counseling. 

The good news is that there are spaces being developed that will meet some of these needs. Our own Breakfast Club at Centenary United Methodist Church offers a morning meal and a caring staff to offer assistance to more than 200 homeless men, women and children each day. A nurse from Grace Hill Clinic provides regular medical screenings, agencies like BJC Behavioral Health, Community Alternatives and St. Patrick Center provide outreach and mental health services, and Legal Services of Eastern Missouri visits to provide free legal aid.  And at lunchtime, Centenary Cares and St. Patrick Center both provide a meal, as well as linkage to a wide array of services.

As it turns out, the answer to this problem is hospitality. This week on the news I saw a woman interviewed who came to St. Louis after Hurricane Katrina. She spoke of her love for St. Louis, and how her family felt welcomed and cared for here. Just imagine how many problems in our city could be solved by applying that St. Louis hospitality.

By the way, that word hospitality comes from the same root as the word hospital, a Latin word that means “guest room.”