Visiting the mission

Today, I visited the rescue mission in our city. A friend of mine from church works there, coordinating all of the volunteers that come in daily to serve food, sort donations, and any number of other tasks. The mission is housed in a massive building that is over 100 years old and has previously been a school, among other things. There are four major ministries, and a number of smaller ones. First, homeless men can come for meals and a place to sleep overnight. They have one huge room with - get this - 250 beds (that's 125 bunk beds). The men come to the intake center with ID, fill out info, etc. They don't take anybody who has been a sex offender or is in trouble with the law. Second, is a longer term program for men, most of whom are addicts, where they come clean, take classes on life skills and bone up on whatever their educational needs demand. They work at the mission while in this program, and are there about a year. Third, there is a place for women and children to stay. They are also provided meals, life skills classes, and help in getting on their feet. Fourth, is a school for K4-3rd graders from the neighborhood. In order to qualify to come to the school, children must come from at-risk situations and meet income requirements.

As it's supposed to be around 0 degrees tonight, I imagine the men's shelter will be completely filled. J. told me that there are homeless men in their program who have never learned to read and others who hold master's degrees. Addictions play a big role in homelessness.

So why did I go? Ever since J. has worked at the mission, I've wanted to see it from the inside. Poverty becomes so much more real, and doing something about it so much more compelling, when you can put a face on it. Today J. & I had lunch with Kathy and her 15 year old daughter Amelia, who recently returned to the area after having lived down south. Kathy has two other adult children who live in GA and FL, and after visiting them for awhile, she and Amelia decided to come back north. Thinking they had accomodations, they made the trip on the bus, only to discover once they got here their plans had fallen through. Kathy made some phone calls and secured them a place at the mission. They've been there about a week, and will stay until Kathy can figure out what to do next. Kathy didn't look like she could be over 35 years old. (It takes most women 4-8 months to get through the program, find a job and a place to live.) And she and her precious daughter were so very grateful for the roof over their heads - they share a bedroom and bath with three other moms and their children, so it's not a place you'd want to stay forever, but it beats the streets of winter altogether.

One of the books I've been reading quotes passage after passage of Scripture concerning our responsibility to the poor - I think I'll look them all up when I'm done with the book.