Oregon has been experiencing a heat wave as of late. Did you ever wonder how homeless people handle heat? We know that several die of exposure every winter, but the heat can be just as bad.
One sweltering day in August, Barb and Our Peaceful Place volunteer Raliegh walked both sides of the Willamette in downtown Portland handing out ice cold bottles of water and sports drinks. They gave the bottles to friends and strangers alike; to people on the streets, people hanging out in the backs of trucks, or waiting for the bus, both those with homes and those without- those who needed to be out in the heat to keep their homes, those who had no homes to go to. Matthew 25 is the chapter of the Gospels that lists the corporal works of mercy- and giving the thirsty a drink is one of them. Who knows how many were saved from heat exhaustion by a simple act of kindness. This is what Our Peaceful Place is about- filling the gaps that larger organizations can't, filling the immediate small needs. A bottle of water doesn't seem like much- but it can save a medical bill.
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