Sometimes working in the main office and a step or two removed from our clients I forget the reason why we’re all here in the first place.  Last night, a simple act of understanding and kindness reminded me. 

Ricardo Beltran, our shelter Operations Manager, and I were visiting each site to draw up emergency evacuation plans in the case of fire or earthquake.  We were just finishing marking up the emergency exits at the Santa Ana shelter when a man and a well dressed older woman walked up to us dragging a suitcase behind them.  It seemed he’d found her crying on the street lost and with no place to go.  He was familiar with the small shelter we run at St. Peter’s Church and brought her to us.  Although our shelter is a men’s only facility, Ricardo and the shelter monitor on duty were more than ready to help... and as I later found out more then used to dealing with this exact situation.

As she explained her story, eyes tearing up and the sound of desperation growing in her voice, Ricardo comforted her with a simple promise to drive her around town until they found a domestic violence shelter space for her.  With that, she snuffed up the last of her tears and we all got in the van.  I was headed back to our main shelter site to check on the progress of a workshop on AIDS our case manager had put together.  As I jumped out of the van offering a mispronounced “Buenos Suerte, Senora” she laughed and they pulled off.  I knew that in Ricardo’s care she’d find a safe space for the night and the services she needs to pull her life back together. 

Ricardo explained to me later that because of the small, friendly and safe reputation of our shelters, people from all walks of life end up at our doors and although we can’t provide services to all of them we can at least provide a friendly ear and make sure they get where they need to go.