October 22, 2020
This morning, members of the Andre House and Human Services Campus Staff, buried 25 people. 25 people with different stories, names, and families. 25 people who were buried and prayed for by 3 individuals. There was a stillness in the air between the roar of fighter jets landing and taking off from Luke Air Force Base next door to the cemetery. And in the midst of the stillness, we stood, over 25 small black boxes marked with an ID label that had a name and a number to identify the person being buried. Each box was lined up about 12 inches apart in front of a four foot deep trench where each person’s ashes would later be lowered. The same trench for 25 people. One member of group commented, “it’s as if they were prisoners” as we stood looking at the small boxes. Once the dirt is returned and packed down, a single PVC pipe and brick marks where their final resting place is located. One long trench. 25 people.
Why are they being buried at White Tanks Cemetery? There are a variety of reasons but usually it’s because no one claimed their bodies or no family or friends were able to afford a funeral or the funeral homes couldn’t reach any family or loved ones. But, they were loved. They were loved by the One who loved them first by sending His Son into the world to suffer and die for all of us. They were also loved by those of us who were there this morning and undoubtedly they were loved by others who may not even be aware that they have died.
Every Thursday, people are buried at White Tanks. Every Thursday. The numbers of mind boggling. Lately, it has been normal for burial counts to be anywhere from 12 to today’s number of 25. These deaths were preventable. Many of the people we buried today experienced homelessness. We knew recognized some of the names of people that we buried today as they received services at Andre House and the Human Services Campus. Their lives mattered. They mattered.
People died alone in their tents in insufferable conditions – conditions that you wouldn’t wish upon anyone. There are laws in place to save lives of pets in hot cars, but we leave human beings no choice but to sleep outside in the summer, and this summer being the hottest on record in Phoenix, in tents on public easements because they don’t have a home. Temperatures soaring to 140 degrees inside a single tent. And then, we (society) push them around when we don’t want to see them anymore because it’s easier to do that than actually sit and talk and come up with a solution together. It’s easier to place chains and poles blocking the small place that they were able to call a home than to actually strike up a conversation and ask, “How can I help you?” “Is there something I can do for you?”
Every one of the 25 lives lost was preventable. We hope we never have to bury 25 people at one time ever again. We probably will though especially as our friends experiencing homelessness are continually victimized by the system and by those who feel threatened by their very existence. How is it that we, as a society, are ok with people having to sleep outside? When did we become so desensitized to people experiencing homelessness that we aren’t banging on the door of our elected officials and demanding change? When did we stop caring about people suffering? When did we lose our hope for change?
No one should be left with no choice, but to sleep outside. No one should be pushed around and seen as a criminal just because of their housing status. No one should be viewed as less of a person just because they have no home.
25 people were buried this morning. We prayed for them. We mourn their loss. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Please join us in prayer for the people who we buried today. They are listed below with their ages:
Ernest O. – 53
Jaye J. – 41
Naomi B. – 56
William M. – 70
Dennis M. – 68
Edward Z. – 65
Herman S. – 64
Frank G. – 82
Richard P. – 47
Darin S. – 55
Freddie R. – 37
James A. – 46
Doris R. – 90
Jeffrey C. – 63
Gary F. – 65
Glenda S. – 79
Glenn H. – 72
Anthony H. – 50
Lindsay M. – 70
Maria F. – 53
Jaime H. – 51
James C. – 59
James H. – 59
Ronnie T. – 63
Karl W. – 66
