From here:
The Rev. Sean Krausert is feeling grubby. He has been sleeping in a tent in his backyard for 19 days and bathing every four days.
An ordained deacon from St. Michael’s Church in Canmore, Alta., Krausert isn’t preparing an audition tape for Survivor. He’s been participating in “That Poverty Project,” a reality show of his own to raise awareness about poverty.
I don’t know about you, but I had no idea that there were poor people in the world until Rev. Sean started living in his tent. I consider my awareness now fully raised; I am sure the poor feel so much better because of it.
That is a very posh looking tent, though and, now I come to think of it, when I was growing up we only used to bath once every seven days – in a tin bath with water heated in a kettle. Since we all did it (not all at once) we didn’t know we smelt – or that we were poor. In fact, in spite of the fact that I grew up with little decent food because of post-war rationing, with no car, no phone, no TV, no central heating, no vacuum cleaner, no indoor toilet, (my alcoholic grandfather – whom I loved dearly – used to urinate in the kitchen sink), a coal fired stove for cooking and no spare money at all, my parents loved me very much and I had a deliriously happy childhood.
Of course, I had no idea I wasn’t supposed to be happy – my awareness had yet to be raised.
I also had no awareness that The Rev. Sean Krausert is an ordained deacon from St. Michael’s Church. He may be raising some sort of awareness of world poverty, but he’s doing a heckuva job of raising the world’s awareness of The Rev. Sean Krausert.
I’ll notify the dailies.
Most homeless people I know don’t have tents.
Who is he kidding. This is camping, not being homeless. Being homeless means living outdoors in January, not knowing where or when your next meal is coming. No tent- no blankets -no bath every few days and no backyard to camp in in the summer months. What a slap in the face to real homeless people!
Krausert is playing at being homeless in the same way that The ACoC is playing at being Christian.
It also means sleeping in crowded shelters rife with drugs. It means sleeping with your boots on because if you take them off someone will steal them. It means getting trench foot regularly. It means getting harassed by the police. It means panhandling. It means being treated like you are subhuman. It means people ignore you and won’t look you in the eye.
Exactly Kate. Hardly a campout in the backyard!
I for one am willing be give a bit of charity to the Deacon. His heart is most likely in the right place. Even if his methods are likely to make no difference. That he is blogging on facebook, posting on twitter, and giving interviews to poverty activists suggests to me that he is “preaching to the chior”, and not really getting the attention of anyone who is not already motivated.
Jesus Christ ate and drank with outcasts and sinners. I wonder if the Deacon has considered spending some time at a shelter to bring some spiritual food to the hungry?
Maybe, AMP. I just get so frustrated by folks who just seem to be publicity hounds, when I know so many people who are working hard to make a real difference. Stunts like his help nobody. The real solution to homelessness, I believe, is more available addiction treatment and psychiatric help.