Vendor of the Week - Mona Joyner

Vendor of the Week - Mona Joyner

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Jan 27, 2010, Vol: 17, No: 5

When it was Monas turn for a video interview, she began by handing us the following story. A poet, writer, and passionate advocate for homeless people's and women's issues, heres Mona in her own words.—ed.

"Then I Cried" by Mona Joyner

I want the good and kind people to know a little about my personal life.

I started selling Real Change at QFC on 45th and Wallingford in October of 2009. My sister had just passed away with cancer and I have two more dying from cancer. It had already taken my mother and brother, and I have a disability myself.

I worked long and hard days and nights at QFC or Bartell's. I was cold, sometimes frozen, but I prayed hard and pushed on.

I had a goal, a dream. I wasn't giving up, quitting or dying, and I would help my family when needed. I knew that this too would pass sooner or later.

Tell that to your frozen hands as you hold an umbrella. Twisting in the frigid rain, your frozen toes where you had no boots and your backside as you only had a sweatshirt, no coat, and keep your papers dry.

I pressed on day after day until Christmas Eve.

All of a sudden up behind me came an angel.

She hopped out of a little school bus, she really did, ran up to me and said, "You know, my friend and I are just riding around tonight with hot chili looking for someone to eat it. Could I give you some, please?"

Wow! Then the tears came. Then I cried.

Then I stood there oblivious to anyone around me, looked to Heaven as the pouring rain filled my nostrils, gave my heartfelt thanks to God and asked Him to please give these people an extra Blessing and watched my guardian angels drive away.

My third angel came out of nowhere. "Why are you crying?" she said. I told her because these angels fed me. She gave me a big hug as my tears hit her jacket. She went into QFC and came back out with a big slice of pecan pie and said, "Have this for desert, you deserve it."

Then I cried and still cry as I write this just remembering.

I want my customers to know I dont drink, smoke, or do drugs. I have a lot of illness in my family, and I do have a disability.

I use the money from the Real Change to supplement what I cant afford on my own, to pay my bills and help my family members who are sick. Real Change is really appreciated, and I speak from experience: the paper sales do make a difference in my life.

We all hurt from different reasons. We all sell Real Change for different reasons and we all are human beings in the end. Out of the depths of my grief and depression I cried, I sold the homeless paper, I worked through my devastation. I continued on. I am strong, I will survive.

Thank you, Wallingford, for adopting me.

Please stop by and allow me the pleasure of meeting you and thank you for all you do to support Real Change. I am a Real person with a Real story and you buying my paper helps me make a Real Change.

And thanks to Real Change staff, volunteers, and Neal and Tek: thanks for all your support. We can never lose this paper as it disciplines, motivates, molds and makes its vendors. I believe in you as you believe in me, and I believe in me.

—Mona Joyner

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• real change
• street news
• angel
• wallingford
• religion
• god
• change
• disability
• seattle