raymond favors

“I'm grateful for God to give me time to wake up everymorning” – Raymond

Raymond Favors, is a homeless man out on the streets of Santa Ana. Raymond grew up with a normal childhood with seven other siblings and his mother, Mary. When Raymond was younger he aspired to become a firefighter as an adult. Every moment in Raymond's life is his new happiest. Living out in the streets is hard and that is what reminds Raymond of his troubles as he has growing heart problems. He passes everyday struggling to the next day. This is a bad time for him as with his heart problems cause him to go to the hospital for a round about of two or three days once a month to just drain out the fluid from his heart. Not only suffering with his heart problems in which also cause him to have high blood pressure, he also has kidney problems. God was a very important figure in his life and then comes his mom, Mary.  Mary was described as a very wonderful woman raising all of her seven kids right by herself. With her passing last year, Raymond thinks despite the situation he is in, that she is wonderful and still loves her. Raymond gave that advice to always have and show respect to others and themselves as it can get them many things in life.

jacqueline, 15

Dreams of becoming a surgeon or an artist
Important influence:  My older brother, Michael
Grateful for: my family and friends

Joining this class I was always told, from a young age, that it was your own fault when becoming homeless, but I disagreed thinking that in some cases that problems in life just overwhelmed them, the homeless, into the situation that they are in.  I see the numbers of the homeless increasing in Santa Ana, and joining this class I found myself finally seeing a way to help their situations and bring a bit more hope in their life. I was given Raymond Favors to paint, and while choosing the colors knew that itd have to have purple. I then found myself wanting maroons also in the painting, but I found myself instantly mixing various shades of blues and teals for him also. I can't describe why I chose those specific colors other than just saying that they spoke to me. Finishing the painting of Raymond I thought that I captured him very well and anticipating for him to meet him just to see if I have made him happy giving him more moments to be happy of in his life.