The big gray house. Gwendolyn, a member of the Washington DC Theosophical Society, always wondered what went on in the big old gray house up the street from where she lived.  When she finally investigated in 2012, she discovered “Joseph’s House,” a hospice for the homeless.  After taking a tour, Gwendolyn told her TS group they just had to see this for themselves.  So several members, including current TSA Vice President Rozi Ulics and current Lodge President Susanne Hoepfl-Wellenhofer, visited the house, wondering what they were walking into.  For Rozi, as for most of us, “Death is an intimidating thing and when you throw in homelessness, it almost seems hopelessly overwhelming.”

After their tour, Rozi recalls that “each one of us was floored.”  Far from intimidating, their tour of Joseph’s House was profoundly uplifting.  Rozi felt “privileged to witness what they’re doing.”   Each resident of Joseph’s House was experiencing homelessness, and most are terminally ill.  They are uninsured, homeless, alone, and dying.  Many are mentally ill, and many suffer from addiction.

Joseph’s House was founded in 1990 to provide compassionate care for homeless men dying from HIV/AIDS.  With recent medical advances, people with HIV/AIDS can live relatively long lives, so Joseph’s House now cares for all genders and also houses homeless people dying of cancer.

Hospice on steroids.  Joseph’s House is an intentional community affiliated with a Christian church, but they also include Zen Buddhist practices in their daily routine to ensure that the residents get the most loving care possible, and also to prevent burnout and depletion among the staff and volunteers.  “You really have to see it to believe it,” Rozi says.  The staff practices compassionate care “so that the act of service itself becomes a source of healing, both for the served and the server.”  Founder David Hilfiker, MD, says, “Our hope is not to present God to anybody, but to SEE God in everybody.”

Rozi saw how precious each resident is to the staff, who make sure the residents’ last days “are filled with all the compassion and dignity and love they didn’t get on the streets.  Then they memorialize them after they die so they are not forgotten.”  Joseph’s House calls it “healing into death.”  Rozi calls it “hospice on steroids” and noticed that the healing doesn’t stop with the residents.  Staff members love to tell stories about the profound impact each resident has had on their lives.

Since 2012, Joseph’s House has enjoyed friendship and support from the Washington DC TS/TOS members in the form of fundraising and monetary contributions.  Rozi says, “There are just so many lessons they have for us about living intentionally and loving whole-heartedly.  It applies to all of us.”

To learn more about Joseph’s House and witness compassion in action, visit their website.