One of our projects is to hand out water bottles when there is a need. Especially during the summer, we often meet people affected by homelessness who are dehydrated. When we meet people in such condition on our street walks, we respond at that moment by buying them a water bottle. This small kind of help happened throughout the year on our street walks. It may seem small at times, but it can mean more to a person than we realize. Sometimes it is even a response to a life threatening situation.

“It was a particularly hot day. We noticed a man sitting on the ground all alone, wrapped in a warm jacket. He was the only one sitting on this side of the street. Because all the others were in a place with some wind or in a tent. As we approached him, we noticed that his mouth was moving very slightly. We asked him if he was not too hot in this jacket. Again he moved his lips very slightly. We sat down next to him and tried, as best we could, to understand what he was saying. Then we heard him say in a very low voice with fear in his eyes: "Thirsty, water, thirst, I need water". We asked him again if he was not too hot in his jacket. He said again very quietly that he could not take off his jacket. We asked him, "What is your name?" He said that his name was Jase. When we touched his jacket to help him take it off, we noticed that it was completely sweaty.

Jase showed symptoms like parched lips and we realized that he was suffering from severe dehydration and that is why his body was so weakened. Before, he probably could not get help because those who passed by him did not hear his cries for help because he could only whisper so softly. We asked him if he was ready to go to the hospital. But he told us that he did not want to go (due to previous traumatic experiences). We quickly got water and brought the water bottle to his lips, as Jase was unable to lift his hands to drink on his own.

We also fed him some food, since he was also no longer able to eat on his own. So we stayed with him for about two hours and helped him to take in food and fluids. We monitored his health to make sure that he did not need any medical help. After some time we saw that he regained some strength. He was now able to move his head a little. He was also talking a little louder now, as his body was reacting to the water he was receiving, and he was able to tell us that he was feeling much better.

Jase thanked us for coming to him when he needed help. He told that he was really afraid to die of thirst, because he was not able to get up to get water. He said that he had seen us before with other people and he was very grateful for the help. We were also very grateful to have met Jase and said goodbye a little later. "