Vanessa

I’m running late and even though I planned my route to avoid the Marathon, I forgot about the Ten Commandments. Not the commandments themselves, but the fact that they are being displayed at the ROM for the last day today and Bloor Street has suddenly become a parking lot.

I’m taking my mom down to Covenant House on Gerrard Street, for the annual volunteer and donor appreciation event. We haven’t been down there since 2005 when I received a certificate for 10 years as a donor.

As we hurriedly make our way into Covenant House past young people opening doors for us and welcoming us with open smiles, my irritability over the traffic chaos melts away.

This building is a wonderful place, warm and inviting, as it was planned to be and as it must be if it is to achieve its goal. We’re directed to the cafeteria for refreshments of sandwiches, cheese, fruit and sweets. Nanaimo bars, oh my God, they have a platter of Nanaimo bars!

Mom and I fill our plates and find a spot in the crowded room to sit. The food is fresh and tasty and I try to imagine this as the first meal in days for a homeless young person. I want to go into the kitchen and hug the staff.

As the room starts to empty a little, I see that some of the young people are clearing the tables to make room for arriving guests. That’s when I spot her, a young woman probably not even 20 years old, with long brown hair. She’s wearing a NYC sweat shirt and a pair of jeans that are frayed at the feet. She looks out of place in this room full of donors wearing business suits and Sunday dresses. It’s her posture that has me puzzled as she’s always looking down at the floor, hardly looking up at all. She passes close by me and I see the reason for her timidness. She has terrible acne and most of her face is red with awful sores. She is trying to help out and remain invisible at the same time. Her name tag says Vanessa.

It’s such a pretty name and I wonder what her story is. Where does she come from and what has landed her at the doorsteps of Covenant House. Was she seen as a leper amongst her peers and ostracized? For twenty minutes I try and make eye contact with her as she floats silently amongst the tables collecting empty dishes and cups.

Finally, she makes it to my table and I lift my plate and hand it to her forcing her to raise her face to look at me. I smile and say “thank you” as she takes my plate. She softly says “thank you” and I glimpse a small smile on her face. Her beauty suddenly illuminates the room.

I want to go back to the people lined up outside the ROM who are waiting to see the Ten Commandments. I want to tell them there is a woman at Covenant House named Vanessa, who has just shown me the face of God.