Reuben from Tenderloin District, San Francisco

Rueben

The Missionaries of Charity in Pacifica, California often go into the nearby ‘Tenderloin District’ of San Francisco to minister and provide food to the destitute and homeless. In May, Reuben was brought into the Gift of Love in Pacifica from the Tenderloin District of San Francisco (historically the center of the city’s homelessness and open-air drug crses) with the thought that he would be receiving end of life care from years of living in the streets and drug addition.

For the first three weeks in the Gift of Love Reuben was basically curled up in a ball on his bed, with an odor that one could smell from accross the building. He wouldn’t accept friendly conversations and simply kept to himself while the doctors dialed in the right medicines to get him off his addictions and illnesses. Day after day the Missionary of Charity sisters and volunteers would try without any success to have meaningful conversations with Reuben.

Finally, Reuben gradually began to have conversation and to follow at least some of the advice from his doctors on medications. Even though not taking all his medications had adverse affects on his terminal illness, Reuben began to come alive and reciproate the love of the sisters as they cared for him and prayed in his room for him and made time to get to know him. He even took a bath and allowed staff at the Gift of Love to cloth him in fresch smelling garments!

As I finished by shift the last week of June, I helped Reuben with his night medications and after a lovely conversation realized how much the sisters and volunteers at the Gift of Love, combined with the skill of doctors and nurses, meant for Reuben. He looked transformed. And he was feeling cheerful and eager. I took a quick picture of him to capture the moment and to remember that when skilled doctors are combined with helpers who express love and kindness continually, one can resolve even the most complicated of problems and be renewed.