By Dave Dahl

Springfield Thursday night joined the cities commemorating Homeless Persons Memorial Day, held on or about the first day of winter.

The candlelight service outside the city’s Helping Hands shelter recognized the thirteen homeless people who died in Springfield over the past year. If you think that number sounds high, shelter director Erica Smith says, “For us who work with people who are homeless, it is not a surprise, and this fuels our sense of urgency. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say this is a public health crisis and requires intelligent, compassionate, immediate attention.”

Bishop Jonathan Franklin, of Mount Zion Apostolic Church in Springfield, said, “I would like to add another name to that list; one who was homeless and died in that condition. His name was Jesus.

“He was born homeless.”