Glimpses of God - Day Ten

Over the course of pandemic I have had the opportunity to connect with more members of the Street Community than I ever did before. This was partly because when I started using the office again, most of my colleagues were still working from home and most of our meetings were on zoom - for St John's, for the Diocese, for pretty much everything I was connected to. That meant I had more time around the grounds of the Church and would often find myself chatting to those who were sitting in the garden, or on Mason Street, many of whom had been moved on from Pandora Avenue a block away. 

They shared their stories, bummed smokes, and were, on the whole, friendly and engaging. I learned about the Street Community, listened to them, and was often surprised by their reflections, wisdom, and humour. 

I am in no way trying to romanticise Street Living, I heard also about the violence, the substance use, the mental health and trauma struggles that so many had. But in hearing the very human stories of the people who made a point of talking to me, and often still do, I saw something of what it means to learn to see Christ in other people - including, especially, those often considered the least or lowest in society.