“When all the congregation saw that Aaron had died, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days” (Numbers 20:29).
We received word today that Aron died. He was a very quiet man with a shy smile. He never said much, though he did offer once that he was from Memphis. He wasn’t a daily guest at Manna House, but he came often enough that those of us who volunteer every day or most days, came to know him.
Aron pushed a shopping cart in which he carried both his possessions and his various finds. To earn a few bucks, Aron would take what he had found either to the recycling center or to the pawnshop.
Aron walked with a significant limp, with one foot curled in so far that it almost dragged. I’m not sure what had happened. He mentioned an accident, but he wasn’t too clear about it.
The first time he came to Manna House he was looking for some shoes. His old shoes were so completely worn down that he had gone through the outer sole and even the next layer of cushioning. The shoe for his curled in foot rolled decidedly to the outside, and its side was scraped up by the way Aron walked. We got him a new pair of shoes. His pattern became that about every three months or so, he would come by for a replacement pair.
This was done outside of “regular channels” because Aron usually arrived too late to get on either the shower list or the “socks and hygiene” list which are the usual ways to get shoes. In fact, I don’t think Aron ever came for a shower at Manna House, and he rarely got on the “socks and hygiene” list. Other than the occasional pair of shoes, his typical request was simply for a pair of socks. In the winter he might ask for a hat or a pair of gloves.
Since we have a Moses at Manna House, I liked to kid Aron that his brother Moses was had already arrived. Whenever I’d say this, Aron would flash his smile and chuckle softly.
Aron never hung around much. After getting his socks, he’d be on his way, pushing his cart. I looked for a picture of Aron but couldn’t find one. This just deepens my grief over Aron’s death.
I don’t want his death to go unmarked. In the hustle and bustle of Manna House today, a woman I did not recognize shared with me the news of Aron’s passing. At first I thought she had said “A-Rod” and I wasn’t sure who she was talking about. She did promise to return with news of the funeral arrangements. We prayed briefly and I shared my sorrow with her about his death. We loved you Aron and you will be missed.
Aron pushed a shopping cart in which he carried both his possessions and his various finds. To earn a few bucks, Aron would take what he had found either to the recycling center or to the pawnshop.
Aron walked with a significant limp, with one foot curled in so far that it almost dragged. I’m not sure what had happened. He mentioned an accident, but he wasn’t too clear about it.
The first time he came to Manna House he was looking for some shoes. His old shoes were so completely worn down that he had gone through the outer sole and even the next layer of cushioning. The shoe for his curled in foot rolled decidedly to the outside, and its side was scraped up by the way Aron walked. We got him a new pair of shoes. His pattern became that about every three months or so, he would come by for a replacement pair.
This was done outside of “regular channels” because Aron usually arrived too late to get on either the shower list or the “socks and hygiene” list which are the usual ways to get shoes. In fact, I don’t think Aron ever came for a shower at Manna House, and he rarely got on the “socks and hygiene” list. Other than the occasional pair of shoes, his typical request was simply for a pair of socks. In the winter he might ask for a hat or a pair of gloves.
Since we have a Moses at Manna House, I liked to kid Aron that his brother Moses was had already arrived. Whenever I’d say this, Aron would flash his smile and chuckle softly.
Aron never hung around much. After getting his socks, he’d be on his way, pushing his cart. I looked for a picture of Aron but couldn’t find one. This just deepens my grief over Aron’s death.
I don’t want his death to go unmarked. In the hustle and bustle of Manna House today, a woman I did not recognize shared with me the news of Aron’s passing. At first I thought she had said “A-Rod” and I wasn’t sure who she was talking about. She did promise to return with news of the funeral arrangements. We prayed briefly and I shared my sorrow with her about his death. We loved you Aron and you will be missed.
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