Weekly Updates on Our Homeless Friends
Sunday 19-02-2017 - Saturday 25-02-2017
Another privileged week for the Mustard Seed Soup Run.
We are now part of an amazing European initiative, Fund for European Aid for the Most Deprived (FEAD), providing us with Pot Noodles, Soup, Porridge, Tea, Coffee and Sugar for the whole of 2017 in return for nightly statistics regarding how many homeless people we look after.
This week we looked after a Total of 234 people of which 54 were born outside of Ireland. The total number 234 individuals was made up of 200 men and 34 women,
Sunday night was quiet for Gary and Sarah though Monday was a different story for Linda and the Northside team who looked after 46 of our friends. Thankfully, the Woollen Mills who regularly provide us with beautiful food, had given us a generous donation of sandwiches and pastries on the night which was warmly welcomed and deeply appreciated, especially since we have run out of our own sandwiches on the busy night. Tina and Deirdre in Faith, our soup run van, encountered two different young people having difficulty coping with bereavements, and supported them by hearing their stories. A sad and emotional night for all.
Anthony & Judith had a smooth night Tuesday, calling in to provide support to those in tents ⛺️ @ Bins Bridge, the Old School House 🏡 and Clonskeagh.
Wednesday's weather took a turn for the worse. Maura had a lovely chat with our regular rough sleeper from Mauritius. He has a job and sends the money he earns back to his family, he is very appreciative of us.
Thursday Dougie and Bernie met a new client, she was rough sleeping on the streets, but tonight she had money to sleep in the Internet Cafe. She requested a sleeping bag and duvet which we were happy 😊 to provide. When we gave her both, she broke down and sobbed on Bernie's shoulder, tears visibly flowing down her cheeks.
Trish & Aldrius had a smooth night on Friday but Saturday was a busy exciting night in Dublin City with lots of Rugby 🏉 revelers.
Every now and then we look after non homeless people who are challenged by having very little financially.
DOUGIE
Sunday 12-02-2017 - Saturday 18-02-2017
This has been a tough week for the Mustard Seed Project, especially Friday and Saturday night. Please continue to pray for us, especially the team, for Dougie who leads the team, for our homeless rough sleeping friends.
Sunday was a normal night for Gary and Sarah who chatted and looked after all our regulars with good cheer and enthusiasm. On Monday Muriel and the Northside team were privileged to be shown portraits, the artist 👨🎤 a homeless girl, seemingly they are very good, she is very talented, please pray that the chain of addiction will be broken in her life and she can pursue her dreams. Tina and her son Edward were out in the van Monday night. They had a quiet night. Tina and Ed stocked up the van at the Exchange, returning later to get blankets which are proving popular. They were glad to meet one of our regulars who has moved again. Since his tent ⛺️ was removed from the lane where he resided for over a year, he has become nomadic, we have not seen so much of him lately.
Anthony & Judith had a good night Tuesday night. Freddie & Maura, a retired nurse and Ray were concerned about one of our friends who needed attention 1st Aid wise, Maura looked after him Wednesday night. Thank you Maura. Mark & Bernie had a quiet Thursday night. Our popular couple had a night off from the streets and had a bed in a hostel for Thursday night.
Dougie & Audrius collected some supplies from Penneys. Pennys Dun Laoghaire kindly supplied us with items we get from them regularly at a reduced end of season price, half and less than half price. Thank you Penneys. We had a challenging encounter tonight ending up where I refused to serve two of our regulars, this is not an isolated incident, it has been building up for a while now. I am not prepared to for any of our volunteers to face disrespect and verbal abuse, it is also a priority to protect the team. This is tough love and implementing boundaries.
Ray, Muriel and I this morning discussed Saturday night's incident in detail, also it was reported to one of our Network Leadership Team. We face challenges and difficulties in life, we are stretched, we want to do what is right, facing danger we want to protect those we are responsible for.
On Sunday night Ray was on duty and the saga continued with us barring the main culprit, we are going to stay away from this area for the next while, serious threats have been made and we will review our position after Easter.
DOUGIE
Sunday 05-02-2017 - Saturday 11-02-2017
Every Sunday one of our volunteers Gary picks up sandwiches from Londis, Inchicore, today they also donated a full carton of Tayto crisps. Gary & Sarah also had blankets donated by Lima at Jurys Inn Parnell Street, these have been greatly appreciated and received by our friends.
10 new volunteers joined the Mustard Seed Team, adding to another four recent recruits, and the return of other team members making our present team numbers very good.
We had a team of twenty which we split up on to different routes and different tasks.
All week we got great supplies from Esquires and on Monday night we also got lovely cakes and food from the Woollen Mills.
NO BUCKS CAFE operates three nights a week on O'Connell Street, we happily share some of Esquires fantastic fresh food with them.
A lovely story this week, a rough sleeping friend of Dougie's who sleeps in a tent, was woken by the Gardaí at 2:30am, temperatures below zero. They were concerned about him, especially been so cold, so they invited him with his sleeping bag to get into the squad car, they took him back to the station and allowed him sleep there in a warm place. Our friend laughed re-telling the story"Dougie that is a first for me, to be in a Garda car not been arrested."
The Soup Run was very busy each night this week and in addition to the normal routes, we covered tent-land at Bins Bridge, Milltown & Clonskeagh.
We helped an average of 37 rough sleeping friends each night this week, well done everyone.
DOUGIE
