Jessica’s Tomfest Story
A few weeks ago Ken and I spent four days at a Christian music festival. We were there in the hopes that we could share with young people about HOMEpdx and give them opportunities to get involved in what we are doing downtown. Needless to say we met all sorts of different people some whom did not understand at all why we were doing HOMepdx and others who wanted to help or were doing something in their cities already. We met an amazing couple from southern California who are actively involved in the lives of their neighbors who live outside. It was so encouraging to share ideas and stories with them. We also had many opportunities to spread the message of community and tell folks about our beautiful friends.
Toward the end of our first day out at the festival our friend Sam who has his own record label (plug for Sam) gave us the idea of collecting cans and water bottles, because there was no onsite recycling and that way we could take them down town and give them to our friends to cash in. Sam’s idea was a hit and folks brought us tons of bottles and cans (each one is worth a nickel and nickels add up).
There was one young woman in particular who made the festival worth it. On our third day as Ken and I sat at the HOMEpdx table attempting to engage folks in conversation she showed up energetic and excited holding two very large hefty trash bags full of bottles and cans. She had heard way we were collecting cans and made it her mission to collect as many cans and bottles as she could. She told us how the experience changed her because she had never gone through trashcans before and the previous night she spent going through every trashcan she could find pulling out all the bottles and cans for our friends downtown. She talked about how amazed she was that people everyday search for bottles and cans and how most of us who live inside don’t realize how difficult and often humiliating it is to go through a trashcan or walk up to individuals and ask for their bottles and cans. She shared with us about how she was changed by this experience and how much more differently she saw things as a result of “canning”.
I think Ken and I were moved as much as this young woman was. It is wonderful when people are interested in HOMEpdx, when they give money or resources we are always incredibly grateful, but I have never had an experience like the this one, where, when an individual doesn’t have money or resources they do something that scares them, makes them feel uncomfortable, challenges their world view and do what our friends who live outside do to survive.