If you ask our opinion, the Man of the Year in Lawrence is Roger Farah; we would say without hesitation.
We are all aware of the situation that has been created lately with the unfortunate people who do not have a roof over their heads to cover them from the inclemency of the weather, nor a bed that receives them at the end of the day so that their bodies can rest.
Always, these people have been labeled as addicted to drugs. This could not be further from the truth. It is true that some of them are taken to that extreme by the impotence of not being able to leave the circle in which they live although many work, others go to school, but cannot afford the price of an apartment.
It is noteworthy that for a long time, Lawrence has three sites to house these homeless, Daybreak, Casa Nueva Vida and Lazarus House. All well organized with strict rules but with limited capacities and we know that the population of homeless people has continued to grow.
This past week we visited House of Mercy, which opened its doors on January 2 of this year at 85 Bay Street Road. Mr. Farah understood the need and did something about it. He was willing to invest his own resources and the support he found from the community filled us with hope for the future and for humanity. There are so many people who give of their most precious possessions: their time and their money. That is Roger Farah.
As a complement to this editorial, be sure to read the articles on pages 8 (English and 9 (Spanish)) and understand why we consider Roger Farah, the Man of the Year in Lawrence.
