The Voice of Fireside, by PETER WACHIRA

If you ask any native of Birmingham where Fireside is, they will direct you with ease and some will endeavour to describe what it does.

According to Sister Sabina, who was among the pioneers of this project, the name Fireside has a religious significance. It means a fireplace, a warm place where Homeless people tormented by cold nights could come in to warm themselves and share a cup of tea.

It has been in operation for the last fifteen years giving a dedicated service. Since last year, Fireside merged with another organization dealing with alcoholics and people with drug problems called Sifa, hence the new merged project is now known as Sifa-Fireside. The Fireside is located on Pershore Street whilst Sifa is on Lower Essex Street. Both places are engaged in similar theological praxis of uplifting, helping, restoring disfigured and marginalized people from streets of Birmingham. Members who come to Sifa and Fireside have different stories of their lives. Members are an amalgamation of people milling together from different walks of life, nationalities, status, genders, ages, religions, and personalities. The number of members has increased due to a number of factors of hiked lifestyle not to mention strings of Credit Crunch.

I work in Sifa Fireside on Thursdays and Fridays. Both days are similar in that I begin my work at nine o’clock at Sifa. Here members are served with breakfast from nine o’clock to eleven o’clock. My assistance is highly appreciated in the kitchen department. I help in serving breakfast of stuff such as baked beans, porridge, cereals, toasting bread, preparing tea and coffee and washing up because we do not have a dish washer. That means Sifa’s kitchen is a beehive of activities happening simultaneously. From eleven, members and mobile staff leave to the next place of refuge that is Fireside.

Between eleven and Lunchtime members with needs such as clothes, shoes, foodstuffs and showers especially for rough sleepers are ushered in first. Before lunch other members are let in for warmth of tea and discussions. I have been attending these discussions which vary from day to day depending on the staff in charge. At times we have meaningful discussions on Music, Talents, Sports, Christmas and Brainteaser questions. It was at this juncture that I reckoned with the wisdom that you never underestimate people from their looks. Some of people are genius and experienced beyond my imaginings, but only handicapped by life’s situations. Being on streets is a situational problem not to do with them as persons or their look of life. At around noon lunch is served which is always a surprise because there is no menu and depends on what is available and the day’s chef.

At lunch time I help other staff and volunteers in whatever is pertinent. Sometimes I collect plates and cups, help in serving lunch, and at times doing coffee, tea or juice refills. Occasionally at lunch time I sit near members and have chats with them, some stories are really moving and you really pity them. Some members are very honest to share their struggles and pains of their life and expectations. It was here that I realized and saw the words of Nietzsche as they are reckoned in the book Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Franklin that “He who has a why to live can bear with anything.”

Some of the members have taught me life’s lessons. They have a solid faith, especially total dependence on God. This is a very strange country and time where people put lots of faith and securities in material things for futurity and survival. I would think that credit crunch was a test to the triviality of life’s securities and hopes.

The daunting challenge is to discern who the genuine homeless people are. Some are homeless voluntarily whilst another group are out involuntarily. Some members drop in to have a free meal and have a home to retire to. This issue keeps bothering us because it disguises the whole idea of the project. I have talked to a good number of members, and have clicked well with a number of them who are open and listen to my views. Some have really appreciated my company, especially the new comers. I have managed to speak to some in French and Swahili and make them feel at home.

After lunch the majority of the volunteers leave the premises and I make my way to the basement where we do sorting and packing tins of foodstuffs in shelves. In November we had many donations from harvest festivals. Fireside is a widely known project in Birmingham, so we received loads of foodstuffs and clothes from colleges, institutions and organizations. Our shelves are filled to capacity and we have still plenty of stuff pending to be sorted out but space is limited.

It is here in the basement that I spend quality time on my personal evaluation. Once here in the basement, it is very quiet and lonely due to its isolation, I recall what has happened during morning session. It is here that I resonate with experiences and stories shared by members and effect they have on me. Not all people appreciate what we are doing for them, and some feel that we are wasting time. One member had the audacity to tell me off. “This is not an era of doing charity work when all brighter people are chasing after the elusive quid.” He challenged me to rethink my commitment to JVC and the values it upholds. Another member was telling me that voluntary work does not count as work in this country because you are not earning money. In some occasions I had very interesting talks that were uplifting but other days were hopeless when I met critical and negative thinkers who looked me askance. I find it very interesting that some people do not differentiate me from Jesuit novices; they think we have the same formation, status and dreams of becoming priests. Some of the members are very critical about the Church, especially the Catholic Church. This is a generation that has nothing to do with the Church, though they do respect religious figures like nuns, but they see themselves out of that circle of religiosity.

There are many other things that happen here, I work alongside a big team of dedicated staff and volunteers who buoy and help me stay the course in spite of all challenges I face. What have written is to sum up my major experiences and reflections and could not include the many other things that happen here.

Peter is from Kenya. He can be found thinking deep thoughts in the basement at Fireside or helping at Brushstrokes in Smethwick