Food for Life Canceled for Tonight, November 30.

Food for Life is canceled due to Paul and Bonnie's work and Charity being sick. We will be back up and running next week.
Charity

Thanksgiving, A Time of Giving and Thanks!

Thanksgiving is a time that so many people sit down and try to think of ways that they can give to others. This is especially important to families. It is a great time of year for parents to teach their children the importance of giving to those in need as they consider all of the blessings in their own lives. Some people give to orphans and foster children, others reach out to single moms or widows, and others desire to lend a helping hand to the homeless. A question I am sure we all want to ask ourselves during this time of year is this, "How can I truly help in a lasting way, and not unintentionally hurt?"
Scripture talks about the importance of giving materially to those in need as an act of grace. We are told to make sure to reach out with a heart of generosity in the name of Jesus as if we were serving Him personally. Those acts of grace are so important, but what a difference we could make for the long-term if we used those acts of grace as a means to build a relationship, make a connection with the people in need. What a true act of grace it would be if that plate of food that we served led to a conversation, that conversation led to the sharing prayer requests, that sharing led to the joining together to pray, and that prayer was the beginning of a friendship. What a difference that would make!!!
There are so many churches and so many people at Thanksgiving time that do acts of generosity to the homeless but never make an effort any other time of year. Because of this, it is easy for the homeless to disconnect with the people who are giving to them. The homeless person could leave the facility with a full belly, a warm coat, and a heavy heart.
This Thanksgiving, as we think of the things that we are most thankful for, such as our salvation and our family and friends, let's remember that what makes us blessed most of all is not the clothes we wear or the beds that we sleep in, but our relationships. Relationships with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and with others who truly care about us are the things we are most thankful for, and these relationships are the things that enable us to flourish in our lives. The homeless community is no different. This Thanksgiving, let us give with the same heart of generosity with which we give every year, but let us give the two greatest gifts we can offer, the gospel and our friendship.
~Charity

Lawlessness

I could talk about the constant verbal and physical abuse that some experienced last Tuesday night. But that could lead to the conclusion that this type of lawlessness was representative of the homeless community, which it is not. Sure we have times when there are disagreements between individuals, but it is not something that can not be resolved. I am reminded that this lawlessness is every where. My next door neighbor was robbed in her garage when she got home from work. I did not need to go downtown. I could have looked out the window for a lesson in lawlessness. Just watch the news on TV for another look at our society. The homeless are constantly on guard but we are not. They know for a fact that some resolve their differences with violence. We think everyone is basically a good person and we think it will never happen to us. But it does. The Bible teaches us that we are not good but bad. It is our nature so why would anyone be surprised that some would act up downtown. They act up everywhere. Laws can not change people’s hearts, only God can. That is why we go downtown. Not to feel good after feeding the homeless in a sterile environment. But to go downtown and preach the gospel which is only thing that will change a heart of a homeless person or a volunteer.
~Marc

Problems with Working

It is very difficult for most of the homeless to obtain any type of employment. Too many prospective employers want an address and home phone number which none have. So some of the choices available is working as a day laborer, usually through a company downtown, or looking for homes that they can do some yard work. Since most are not covered by any labor laws many are cheated out of their wages one way or another. At least, that is what I hear from most, although, I know there are two sides to every story.

Paul helps many out by hiring some to wash dishes at Streetside. This helps some to move up to a motel room, at least temporarily, but some will work and continue to stay on the street by choice. It is a real challenge to hire a homeless person because none have transportation which means providing a taxi service, which usually falls on one of the Streetside employees. Many don’t mind for a short period of time but it can be difficult if they are really busy. But if someone doesn’t provide that service, then you can be sure they can not be dependable even on good day.

Last Tuesday night a couple of the homeless had come up with a good idea to make some money. They decided to be street entertainers. According to them they had even acquired the proper permit from the city. So they started their enterprise by providing entertainment with the meal. They were very good, but at first the audience seemed to only focus on eating. But after playing a few songs, many did give them an ovation, although it was not standing.

So if you see them performing on the street maybe you could give them a couple of dollars. It is still work and they are providing a service that deserves some reward.
~Marc

Hungry Folks

We served 133 meals last Tuesday. I can’t remember serving this many meals in the past, other than Thanksgiving two years ago. It seems more and more people are in need. Fortunately, we continue to receive support from some wonderful volunteers. Not only those who show up, but some who prepare food in advance for us. One of our volunteers recently prepared meat loaf for over 100 meals. We added some chicken and vegetables with ice cream for dessert for a meal. Everyone said it was great. One individual told me, as he was leaving, that he had never had this much food at one time. He said that it was especially good for him because he had been hungry all day. We use food to make connections with people. If we can show some compassion for a hungry person then we have the opportunity to present the Gospel to all who have ears to hear.
~Marc