Mr. Mieczysław -- a lonely homeless man from Jaworzno
It's December, though there's no snow outside, but we're all slowly feeling the magic of the approaching holidays, of a shared Christmas Eve and a warm, love-filled Christmas. This will be the case in most Polish and Jaworzno homes. We'll be exchanging gifts and sharing the Christmas wafer. However, not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to spend this time with loved ones.
On the outskirts of Jeziorki, on Herbowa Street, lives Mr. Mieczysław, though it's hard to call it an apartment. The building where he's registered is, to put it bluntly, an old, dilapidated shack. It has no electricity, water, or even heating. Not to mention luxuries like a TV or telephone. Moved by Mr. Mieczysław's situation, Marika Warchoł wrote us a touching email. And if it weren't for Mrs. Marika, no one would likely have cared about his fate. We decided to visit the Jaworzno resident.
For many, the homeless can evoke negative associations, a nasty stereotype of a dirty alcoholic. Mr. Mieczysław defies this theory. He doesn't drink alcohol, yet he struggles with the hardships of life daily. Although the building he lives in is quite large, he has only managed to occupy one room, where he tries to survive the coming winter.
His only source of income is a pension of around 600 złoty. It's impossible to survive on that amount. He receives support from residents of nearby houses, who bring him food, cleaning products, and firewood. Although the makeshift heating of his "apartment" isn't very effective, as the doors and windows are in terrible condition.
In addition, Mr. Mieczysław is ailing. He has to use crutches, and getting even to the nearest store is a real ordeal for him. He also struggles with another very serious problem. His house has been turned into a dive by local drunks, who rob Mr. Mieczysław of even the smallest sums of money. He has no way to defend himself, as the building has no doors in several places, making it very easy to enter. The Jeziorki resident's face and body show signs of beating and numerous bruises. Mr. Mieczysław, however, refuses to reveal who is beating him.
He continues to receive support from residents who come to visit and bring him food, bringing a smile to his face. Mr. Mieczysław is incredibly grateful and moved.
We will also try to help Mr. Mieczysław. We will be contacting the Municipal Social Welfare Center, which we hope will help the Jeziorki resident.