There are many who wish for things in life
that others take for granted .
The homeless stood in line waiting for a cup of soup .
It was Christmas Eve and one old woman sat there talking away to herself .
“If only I could have a little home of my own. With a fire burning and bed with blankets to keep me warm as I sleep “
“You can keep on wishing for a home but when you wake up you’ll still be sleeping on the streets like the rest of us. “
Suspicious Sid Vicious who sneered at her,
“Oh, how I wish there would be an end to the walking from street to street and the begging and scrounging from rubbish bins for to find a feed “
An old homeless man came out of the alley where the homeless people sleep at night . He made his way over to the hot soup van beside the shelter .
“There’s no shame in wishing and if you ask me there’s more shame in those have lost the ability to believe that wishes can come true “
Outsi9de the shelter homeless people were being turned away by the man who runs the shelter there . He stood there and waved them all away saying .’
“Unless you’ve got a fiver , you can’t get a bed here for the night .
.
The man in the hot soup van overheard and said .
“I wish that more shelters could be built with free admission for anyone in need . Then all those in the alleyways might get a decent sleep for once .
Another homeless man who reached up for a cup of soup said ,
“I wish that the rich and well to do folk could spent a week with us sleeping out on the street’s having to beg for some bread and a cup of hot soup “
The streets can be a cold and merciless place where no one feels safe and warm and nothing can be done . Help is out of sight for those who sleep out at night .
Ther old woman kept making her wishes .
“ I wish I could have a home of my own this Christmas with a cupboard filled with food and books in the book case to read “
The man in the van took the old lady over to the shelter and gave the man there a five-pound note so the old woman could have a bed to sleep on and a little warmth for Christmas. .
On Christmas morning in the shelter there was a free cooked breakfast for the hungry men and women inside the shelter. A few well-off people arrived with some donations of clothes . As the day went on more and more people came with Christmas gifts for all those in the shelter .
There was joy on everyone’s faces . A business man came and handed out raffle tickets to the homeless and the first prize was a brand-new home .
The old woman was handed three tickets and she put them away safe in case they would get lost .
For most of that morning Christmas was not so alone .Many people came to the shelter with gifts for all the residents there in the shelter.
On New Year’s Eve the winner of the raffle was announced and it was the old woman who had been making wishes on Christmas . She had only stayed for the one night and left after Christmas day back to streets .
A search to find her began but unfortunately it was discovered she had died from hypothermia .
An old man scoffed and laughed saying ,
‘Imagine that she made a wish for a new home on Christmas eve and she won the first prize in the raffle with a big new house of her own . Such a pity she never got to know her wish came true “
The man in the soup van said ,’
”What would you know about wishes anyway . She has already returned to her heavenly home and knows only too well that her wish came true this Christmas and I wish people like you would think before they speak . Happy new year”
He got into his van and drove away and no one had evet seen him again .
'Catholic Voices in a World on Fire' Anthology, includes 'The Poorest of the Poor'; by Judy Joy Jones which is a chapter from her upcoming book about her volunteer work at Mother Teresas houses around the world including her house in Washington DC w
