EDGES MAGAZINE Issue 13

March -May 1998

Homeless With Celebral Palsy

I am going to start where I am. I have been homeless for years. I live in someone's house, trying to do my best. I am autistic (which is no a mental disability, but halfway between going towards normality). I also have cerebral pausy. I am ambulant, which means I cannot get support, usually as I look alright but am not. I manage by faith in myself.

Anyway, being homeless is not me as I pat my heart into home, which I have made, building walls, painting, buying plants, and mowing the lawn.

Everything I do, I do for God, and really home is the heart of God. I am here to do my best to help people understand what it is like to be different, even if I don't like it.

I have used love to cope, to care about things, like being me to be given home I could not have on my own.

I have a special home, very different; full of art and creative things that have helped me in my screams, (which is one drawback to autism).

Someone close to me has entered my world, saw me blossom in all things ordinary would not be given to me and other people could not understand. I've also tried to care for my friend as we have always been short of help. He is in a wheelchair which gave me the opportunity to use my skills on my own (autistics like to be alone) finding ways to cope I would no of known. It's given me a feeling of God's presence.

In my homelessness I found home in giving what I have myself to give when I have nothing but unconditional love.

All the things around me are just here for these moments. What I do is important for just now, tomorrow will be taken care of.

Home I have in my heart wherever I go. In he years I've had I have found shelter, food, water, warmth, care. Even in a harsh world of negative help there have been the few who saw how it is for me and I have homes open for me sharing what they have with me, even the last cup of tea.

I have seen so much in my life. To sit with my friends who have less then me. I am glad to know love like this.

I go on with my life, to give home when there is just the bare floor, few cups, when two or three come together there in the midst is God's home.


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THOMAS is an integral part of Catholic Welfare Societies, Registered Charity number 503102