MEET KEITH - AND MR. HCB!

Whatever the weather, Keith can be found in this draughty tunnel between the town centre and the bus station, playing his guitar and singing and generally brightening the days of all who pass by - and he nearly always has a smile on his face.

I have been stopping and speaking to him and several other homeless guys for sometime and found out last Christmas that Keith isn’t actually homeless but lives in a caravan. He has two children and has them to stay quite often, but as he has no television, they play lots of games. 

This led to further conversation today between Mr. HCB and Keith, when he told us his daughter played Mahjong - a game Mr. HCB enjoys playing on his computer. Keith told us he taught his daughter to play when she was about 8 years old and now he can’t beat her!  Mr. HCB said that he had taught our two boys to play chess when they were about that age and after a while couldn’t beat them either. There was much laughter at this and Keith agreed that children were like sponges and picked things up very quickly.  

I had been worried about Keith because I hadn't seen him for a few weeks, but he told us that he has a friend who gave him work for a few days, so he had been away in Dorset, but it was good to see him today and to know he would be spending Christmas with his children again - so for those of you who didn’t get a Christmas card from us - know that Keith has benefited and hopefully you won’t feel so badly about us!

I gave Keith a couple of little hearts for his children then we wished him a Happy Christmas and went on our way -  we hope and pray that he and his children will be blessed this Christmas - from the way Keith was speaking, there will be no shortage of love.

“It is Christmas every time
     you let God love others
          through you…..
yes, it is Christmas every time
     you smile at your brother
          and offer him your hand.”
Mother Teresa

P.S.  I had taken a photograph of a Council worker emptying bins, which was going to be my Blip for today - until we met Keith - but have put him in as an extra - we have reason to be grateful to all these people, who clear up after us!