Meet Gabriel

This past Thursday I arrived in Attawapiskat, Ontario. A First Nation reserve situated about 10kms inland along the western shore of James Bay.

My plan as many of you know, was to spend some time with some of the Band and school officials, meet a few local residents, hear their story, take a few pictures and come back and share my findings. Following that, we as an organization would come up with a plan and supply aid.

Well – those plans went out the window once I touched down in Attawapiskat and met Rosie. Rosie is an amazing young mother of four who up until a year ago was the secretary at the high school. During her year long maternity leave she has acted as a volunteer community service worker, receiving and distributing donated goods. She is a champion of her people’s cause.  Her husband Robbie now works as one of two maintenance workers at the homeless shelter –  otherwise known as the “H Trailers” because they are trailers that form the shape of an H.

There are 80 people who live at the H trailers. They are among the ‘fortunate’.

There is an estimated 1,000 people on the reserve who are considered homeless. Those with homes typically share it with several others. Most of the homes I visited were 2 – 3 bedroom houses with 12 to 15 people (adults/teens/children/seniors) living in them.

The houses themselves were dilapidated and, found in any other circumstance, would be condemned.

I visited the shelter along with several homes both Thursday and Friday. Without exception, every story I heard was heart breaking. The gamut of emotions I experienced ran from anger to a deep sadness to sympathy to confusion – and I really above all, understood on a gut-level the deep despair and hopelessness these people have lived with every single day for the last several decades.

I could relay a dozen different stories from Attawapiskat – but instead, I’ll leave you with just one.

Thursday (my first day) was particularly tough on me. I was not prepared for what I saw. I had seen pictures on the internet and read some stories and articles. Even with that, I did not expect to see the level of extreme poverty and unthinkable living conditions that I saw. In the south – we simply would not be permitted to live in those conditions. Social services or Children’s Aid would forcibly take out kids, move us to a shelter and condemn the house. In Attawapiskat their current state is ‘normal’ and has been that way for as long as any of them can remember.

I was physically and emotionally spent after Thursday’s events. I was looking forward to Friday – all that was on the ‘agenda’ was to meet with a couple of school officials, grab a sandwich and catch my flight.

As it turned out – word had spread that True North Aid was on the reserve, and several more people asked me to visit their homes.

The last home I visited Friday belonged to a sixty year old man – Gabriel. He was born with one leg at least a foot shorter than the other. The one bedroom house we visited him in was the same home he was born in.

He opened the door to Rosie and I and in Cree warned us to watch our step. There was a huge hole right inside the door where the wood had rotted. Below, it was easy to see that there was no insulation between the ground and the floor.

The room inside was thick with smoke. So much so that it was difficult to breath. Gabriel was making bannik over an open flame on a coleman-stove type of stovetop. That was the only “appliance” he owned, other than the wood stove he used for heat.

We soon learned that he has been living with no electricity for the past two years. With his disability and age, he is finding it increasingly difficult to cut firewood. So – most times now, Gabriel buys his wood at a cost of $180.00 and if he’s conservative, that will last him a week.

To see at night, he has a kerosene lantern – but because kerosene is so expensive, burns cooking lard in a tin plate.

Not only had his electricity been off, his plumbing hadn’t worked in over two years. Instead of a toilet, he used a bucket in the bathroom that once full, would be emptied outside. (we saw this in more than one home)

The windows were cracked and/or broken – the one in the bedroom had been cardboarded over and draped with a coat because there was no glass.

Standing in Gabriel’s kitchen mid morning, my feet (although in winter boots) became quite cold. I can’t imagine how cold it must get at night when the fire dies down.

The stove pipe was obviously in bad shape, allowing even more smoke to fill the house. Gabriel, although living in extremely poor conditions himself, had taken in a homeless woman who had been living there in this two-room house for the past several months.

Gabriel nor his roommate Susie had any knowledge of the homeless shelter. Before leaving, Rosie was making arrangements for them to move out of their current residence and into the H trailers.

Thank God there were no kids in this home. All of the other homes I visited were filled with children of all ages. None of the homes I saw would in any way be classified as a good situation.

This is a community in crisis – in every sense of the word.

There are some very easy and obvious places to start. The shelter has no cooking utensils, pot/pans, plates, glasses, eating utensils.

There is a large communal eating area – but there are no tables and chairs other than the 3 that were borrowed from the parish hall.

There are 3 tv/rec rooms with no tv’s, furniture or activities (foose-ball, etc)

The shelter has no toys, activities, cribs, highchairs, etc. for babies and toddlers.

There is fulltime security in the H trailers, but have expressed the need for security cameras. Because of the close-quarters and lack of privacy, tempers often run high and violence breaks out. The night I was there, two women got into a fight in the other end of the trailers. No one witnessed it or was able to intervene.

The trailers have one washing machine and no dryers. (hookups are there for more)

On behalf of True North Aid, I committed to help. I made it very clear I had no idea where to start, but promised to help none-the-less.

The people were all very gracious and welcoming. Despite the abject poverty that has become their culture – there was a sense that maybe finally someone has noticed.

I apologize for the length of this entry, but hopefully I’ve been able to give you a slight glimpse into this extremely needy community.

True North Aid has the opportunity to change lives. I am willing to do whatever it takes to bring help and hope to Attiwapiskat.

The work begins now.

Please click on this link and donate now.

Should you wish to donate cribs, toys, clothing, appliances, etc. Please email me at: bob.prankard@truenorthaid.ca