“We need to do things with enthusiasm" Josep Mª Gaja Street Programme Volunteer
	Josep Mª Gaja i Galofré was born in Barcelona 72 years ago. Currently he is retired though had previously worked as a salesman for a sports company. It is precisely this experience of contact with other people, he says, that has been of great use in his task as a street volunteer.

When did you start volunteering for Arrels?

In 1990 with a Jesuit, Josep Mª Agustí. We roamed at night around carrer Pelai. As there were plenty of shops with a small entry hall, we would usually find twenty people or so spending the night there. In fact, we were the first ones to do the streets at night time.

Nowadays, have things changed a lot?

Now there seems to be a greater number of young people. There are also more people from abroad. There are still people who have deteriorated and, in general, there seems to be greater dispersion throughout the city, since in the past homeless people tended to concentrate in Plaça Reial and Les Rambles. The problem remains the same, though.

Isn’t this a bit discouraging?

One of the nicest things of all these years as a volunteer is that I have never felt discouraged. ‘Doing the streets’ means making friends; after so many years there are plenty of people that call me by my first name and many others that no longer sleep on the streets. This makes you want to keep on working with the same, or even greater, determination.

In this sense, what would you tell a volunteer who has just started?

Working on the streets is very rewarding. Some days are better than others, but you get to appreciate people, which is great. You realise this every time you pass by a corner where somebody used to live which is now empty. Love is missing others. To the volunteers I would say that they have to be constant. This is necessary because the work on the streets does not only entail bringing people to Arrels, but making sure that the person feels supported.

Your wife also collaborates with Arrels. Does this mean your commitment is even greater?
My wife and I have loved each other for 43 years and we are more in love as time goes by. The fact that she is involved in Arrels allows us to talk about it and to share many more things.

Is death ubiquitous to your task?

Since Arrels was founded, more than 170 users have died. The relation with most of them has lasted until death. I could relay many stories. I have so many, that many of them are now forgotten. Not long ago, a homeless person stopped me in the street and told me he would never forget the day I brought him a bottle of water to the hospital- a bottle of water! Some cases are so touching, that one almost dares not speaking about them. For instance, I remember the case of Emiliano who, after spending two years sleeping in Plaça Reial, accepted to come to Arrels. On the way to Arrels’ centre, my legs were shaking with emotion.

Can you go back home with all those stories on your shoulders?

Obviously, the stories I witness affect me, but I consider myself fortunate because of the time I have spent with them; otherwise they would have been alone. The street has helped me a lot. Furthermore, there is the street team doing a great job, formed by excellent people, who are very well coordinated.  

What would you say to the members of Arrels to face the discouragement they may feel in face of the magnitude of this problem?

That they should stay in their place and that every member of Arrels is as important as any other. I remember that one day, while I was looking at a volunteer cleaning a pile of shoes in the cloakroom, I thought to myself: “this woman has found her place and it is as important as any other”. We are all important and it is the collective spirit that makes Arrels so special. We need to work well everyday, not feel indifferent and help each other. Hope is what keeps us going.

What needs to be done?

To discover and apply the values we all have. Also, we need to communicate more with each other.  I am who I am thanks to others. It is clear to me that there is more goodness than there often seems to be. The worst thing is routine. To avoid falling into it, we need to do things with enthusiasm. If I ever lost my feelings for the street people, I would quit.