D.S., the prolific and world-renowned novelist, has written a book that is a departure from her normal fictional prose.  In A Gift of Hope: Helping the Homeless, Steel reveals clandestine work that she has done with the homeless on foot for 11 years.  The work is a tribute to her late son, Nick Traina.

Steel leaves her comfortable world and courageously ventures out into the toughest (and sometimes the most dangerous) homeless areas in San Francisco. She brings sleeping bags, jackets, gloves, socks, and toiletries.  She does her work at night ignoring adverse weather conditions and even her safety.

She asks for nothing in return.

In her memoir, Steel provides detailed accounts of her personal experiences with the homeless on foot.  The most deprived and barely surviving group of people in the homeless population.  She describes the areas and conditions in which they live, the display of impatience and desperation by the homeless, the physical deterioration and emotional effects of the homeless caused by the lifestyle, her concern for the very ill, a few close calls that endangered her life and that of her small crew, and more.

Steel also talks about how the work affects her and her view of the homeless:

"It is life-changing to be there, to look into the eyes of people who are lost, suffering, sick in body and mind, most of whom have lost hope.  They are the forgotten people, whom no one wants to think about or know."

Steel's work of hope and compassion are her gifts to the homeless.  There are two other gifts that she generously gives out: they are the rare gifts of unconditional love and unspoken understanding.  Since her acts of human kindness come straight from her heart, she asks for nothing in return and requires no explanation.

There is one last reason why Steel's work should be commended: She treats the homeless with respect.

A Gift of Hope: Helping the Homeless is an important book for the public as well as for the homeless.  Steel gives the homeless a voice and that is a very powerful step to identifying and solving problems.  I highly recommend this book.



Image Credit:Thomas Hawk via photopin cc