Children's Chapel

As we continue with our centennial 3-6-5 project, the photo chosen to represent the Mission as our facebook profile pic is "Children's Chapel." Last year, the Mission provided shelter to 339 children. A large part of that "shelter" is the opportunity to share the word of God with them and to show them the love of Christ. This would not be possible without your gifts to the ministry of rescue. As we pass the one year anniversary of the completion of our women's and children shelter, we look forward to the opportunity of seeing and serving more children in need. Thank you for enabling us to do so. Thank you for being a rescuer and for helping us help others!

The View from the Top

Most of us, at this point, would prefer to forget that just days ago there was snow on the ground. However, the photo chosen to represent the Mission as the profile pic of our page on facebook shows the snowy ground as seen from above: the roof of our Maplewood Center. This view helps me look at once in the past, present, and future. Seeing Maplewood is a reminder that a year ago, the building was still under renovation. While the east wing was occupied, the west wing (and largest portion of the project) still had to be completed. The quietness is reflective of that waiting period, where we had to "quiet" our spirits, our anxieties and eagerness, and rest in God's timing for the project. Now, in the present, it's difficult to remember those frustrations as we deal with today's challenges. The view also looks toward the future in that I can see the projects yet to be completed. A great example is the playground. Contemporary to the building's service as a school, the play area is in need of its own renovations. With the help of our local Kiwanis groups and Lake Trust Credit Union, we hope our "Mission: Play" project will be underway within the next few months. So many opportunities to continue to serve our guests! Because of your support of our efforts on behalf of men, women, and children in Michigan's capital area.

Wash Me Whiter than Snow

The City Rescue Mission has been "capturing" images to represent the Mission as we celebrate our 100th year of service to Michigan's capital area. This week, the photo chosen was of the recent (and rare this winter) snowstorm that blanketed our community in a layer of white. In Psalm 51, David asks God to wash him "whiter than snow." For many of us, not just our guests, we have things in our past that haunt us. Choices or circumstances we would love to forever purge from our memories and our lives. It's more than just the consequences; there is the guilt that covers us in darkness and despair. However, Psalm 103 also encourages us that "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." Once we put our trust in Him.

That is the message we have proclaimed for our 100 years of existence, the message that shines from the cross that symbolizes the Mission, the message of "rescue" and forgiveness. "Hope lives and rescue can be found, within sight of the cross."

All Creatures Great and Small

This week, our 3-6-5 photo highlights the fearlessness of a little boy named Elijah as he confronted Azan, a rather large dog. Don't get me wrong, Azan really is a walking teddy bear. Our executive director brings his (can I say gigantic?) chocolate labradoodle to the shelter, and most people eventually give his head a pat. And Azan loves the attention. He loves to be loved. However, in many cases he can look our young guests in the eyes, and his teeth, yeah, they're intimidating. But Elijah was fascinated by this "creature" that walked into his world on four paws and settled onto the floor like a rug. He actually thought Azan might be a rug and tried laying on him a few times. Then he wondered what was hiding inside the giant toy to make it move, but gazing inside Azan's mouth didn't reveal anything more than a long red tongue.

The truth was that Elijah's fearlessness came from a state of ignorance. He didn't know that big things, like Azan, are not always as nice and forbearing as Azan happens to be. Elijah trusted that he was safe and would be protected. It's fitting that his name means "My God is the Lord" and comes from the fearless (most times) prophet Elijah in the Old Testament. Elijah doesn't yet realize that there is such a thing as homelessness and shelters or poverty and want. He trusts. A simple, fearless faith that we should all emulate.

Praise the Lord, Elijah and his mom have a home of their own now. And we pray that it will be a house blessed by faith in "the Lord is my God" and fearlessness that God will always protect them.

Feeding the Multitudes

Over the past few months, the Mission has been working on our Centennial 3-6-5 project. The idea for a 3-6-5 project did not originate with us, but we are grateful to be able to use this idea as a tool to show our supporters (fellow Rescuers) the work the Mission does on a regular basis. Each week, seven photos are chosen to represent that week in the "life" of the Mission during its 100th year of service. Staff and those who visit the Mission's page on facebook are able to "like" and comment about the photos of the week. The photo with the most comments is chosen to represent the Mission as the profile pic of our page on facebook.

This past week, the photos have all been of drawings done by some of the children who stay at our women and children's shelter. Too many people are unaware that the Mission actually provides shelter to men, women, and children. And the reality is that we are currently providing shelter to more women and children than men. (Last month, for example, we had 153 different women and children stay at our shelter.

The theme of these photos included Jesus walking on the water, self portraits by the children, and the feeding of the 5,000. Our executive director works with the children every Wednesday evening and had the opportunity to help teach them this story about God's provision.

One of the great things about this story, and the photo that was chosen, is how it represents what the Mission does every day. For 100 years, we have existed solely on the faith that God will provide. Last year, we served 118,000 meals, and we could only do that because people were moved with compassion and donated funds and food. These "Rescuers" were an answer to prayer, our prayers and those of our guests.

Thank you for helping us help others. Thank you for being a Rescuer!

"A Shelter in the Time of Storm"

Sadly, the word "shelter" has a negative connotation to some people. Actually, a shelter is a good thing, referring to a refuge, a harbor, a place of safety. At the City Rescue Mission, our goal is to offer true "shelter," a haven or refuge. More than just a place to sleep, we offer a clean, safe environment for our guests.

Recently, at our centennial celebration, we were able to have an open house for supporters to see how their donations make a difference in the lives of our guests. One of the tour groups included a guest at the women and children's shelter. She had brought her mother, so she could see the facility and know that her daughter was in a safe place.

What a blessing, not only to be able to offer refuge to this young woman but also to be able to provide her mother a measure of peace. Thank you for "being a rescuer." Your generosity and compassion makes it possible for the Mission to continue to make a difference in the lives of men, women, and children in need.

"I met God at the Mission..."

At our recent staff breakfast, one of our staff men was telling that he had recently "run into" a former guest of the men's shelter. This guest had been a drug addict for many years, but when the staff member saw him, he hardly recognized him. He wouldn't have stopped but "John" (former guest) stopped him.

"I'm trying to keep away from the old lifestyle and the old friends," John told him. "I met God at the Mission," he continued. Though he was suffering from health issues as a result of his former choices, John was so grateful for the change in his life because of the Mission and the Message that he heard there.

Our guests, especially at the men's shelter, are "transient," meaning a person who stays only a brief time. They come and go, and while we are grateful for even limited opportunities to present to them the gospel, often times they don't return to tell us of the impact on their life (similar to Luke 17:11-19).

What a blessing when two ways meet again, and we can hear from men, like John, who were trapped in a lifestyle of sin and slavery and are now free. Because of you and your faithfulness to the Mission. Thank you for helping us help others. Thank you for being a rescuer!

Flexibility and Focus

Looking over the 100 year history of the Mission, there is one thing we've "always done": preaching the gospel. The many other services we've incorporated over the years--feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the needy--are results of our mission rather than the whole of it. There are other services, too, that have come and gone, depending on ability and need. And we are grateful that we can stay true to our core purpose of preaching the gospel while being flexible enough to adjust through the years.

Recently, an article in the paper featured a local agency's backpack giveaway and mentioned that this is a service no longer provided by the Mission. What they failed to explain was that the number of men, women, and children we are sheltering has more than doubled in the past few months. The need for food has also increased. As a result, we've utilized that flexibility to adjust the "results" of our mission, while holding fast to our original purpose. Instead of providing a child a backpack, we are providing a roof over his head, food for him and his family, a safe place to go during the day, a shower and the things necessary for cleanliness and health, and a measure of stability in a world that can seem increasingly hostile to a child unsettled due to poverty and homelessness.

Last night, there were 6 more men staying at the men's shelter than we had beds. They slept on mattresses on the floor of the chapel. There were 106 single women, mothers, and children at the women and children's shelter. One hundred and seventy two people, not counting men in our Life Transformation Program, were under our care and received help not only for their physical needs but also for their spiritual ones. This is an amazing opportunity, as each person represents a life, a living soul, that is being impacted by those who choose to support the City Rescue Mission. People who choose to "be a rescuer."

Rather than focusing on all the "could haves" and "what ifs," let us take some time to be grateful for what we do have. Times are difficult, for those we shelter and for the Mission, as funds are stretched more than at any time in our past. Friends, fellow rescuers, do not grow weary in well doing! You are making a difference. Thank you for your compassion and for helping us help others!

When we all get to Maplewood...

Around the Mission administrative offices, we have a song phrase we sing from time to time, "When we all get to Maplewood," sung to the tune of "When we all get to heaven." It's really difficult not to talk about Maplewood all the time because, for what seems like an eternity, we've been preparing for this move. But, as with all things, the timing truly is in the Lord's hands, and we've all been learning a lesson about patience (harder, it seems, for some of us).

In some cases, the upcoming (as in the sense of some distant future) move had become a coping mechanism. Sure, it wasn't the most convenient to trudge up and down 23 steps every time a copy needed to be made, but "when we all get to Maplewood" it would be so much better... I'm putting on some "Mission muscle," but when we all get to Maplewood, we'll be away from the temptation of a kitchen right next door. With our cooks eager to try out recipes on even more eager office guinea pigs (us :).

Now, the day is rapidly approaching when the offices vacate and leave space for the men's shelter and public dining room to expand. It's hard to hold back the excitement, tinged as it is with a small sense of remorse. Because, in spite of the joy of a new "home," we'll miss the old familiarity of Michigan Avenue, the rich sense of history that is an integral part of these old buildings.

Waiting on the brink of a new direction in the "life" of the City Rescue Mission, it's an exciting and humbling opportunity to stand with one foot anchored in a rich history of service and another stepping on the building block of new opportunities to make a difference. Thank you for standing with us, to meet the physical and spiritual needs of men, women, and children in Michigan's capital area. Thank you for being a rescuer!

Little Boy Blue

Yesterday, there were some rather excited noises coming from the chapel...not excited in a good way. A young boy, there with his mom and two other siblings, had come in for the noon meal. As is our policy, guests sign up for lunch between 11 a.m. and noon, have a short chapel service, then come through the public dining room for a hot meal. As we serve 2 meals a day to the public (not including breakfast to our guests), 365 days a year, staff has the routine down to a near science. Not that there aren't the occassional interruptions. Like yesterday.

The little guy was crying because, as he told a staff person while his family was signing in, he was hungry. How do you help a little, three year old boy, understand that food is coming? Bryan bustled the whole family into the dining room, so they could get some food into those hungry little bellies.

It's tragic that a mother with three small children has to look for a free meal...but it's good to know that those in need do have a place where they can go to get help. Whether they are three or eighty three. The generous donations of our faithful supporters make meals and our other services available to those in need. So that the thousands of people who come to the Mission find the lights on, the buildings warm, and the food delicious :) Thank you for helping us help others!

Sometimes you just have to sit there...

When the call came in I wasn't sure what he was asking. The man on the other end of the line began his story about how he was traveling to Lansing for a funeral. Without my saying a word, my mind immediately jumped to wondering if he was calling because he needed funeral clothes and would like to access our clothing distribution center. His story continued that he was traveling by bus, so I next wondered if he was calling because he needed bus fare to return home (not one of our regular services) or overnight shelter tonight (which we could accommodate in our men's shelter).

"I saw your sign," he finally said, "on the front of your building, as I was sitting on the bus, and I wanted to know what the verse was so I could use it in my eulogy. I didn't have anything to write with," he said with apology in his voice, "you're not really expecting to see something to write down while you're riding on a bus."

I admit, I did have to leave my chair long enough to open the door and peer up at the reference (just to be sure), but he thanked me for my help and that was all. No request for food, shelter, clothing, money, or anything. Just a reference for a Bible verse.

And I was struck again by the importance of being completely honest about our mission. We, as a Mission and as a united staff, are a Christian organization. We are not, as our executive director likes to reiterate, to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is not always popular or well received to have a Bible verse on a sign. Or for that matter to have "Jesus Saves" spelled out in big red letters. But just having them there makes a difference. And as long as our actions "match" the words, we make a difference. Sometimes just by being there.

It's never that simple...

I thought it'd be fairly simple. Go to the agrm home page or just google to find a sheet explaining the best way for compassionate individuals to react when encountered by someone who is homeless. What I found at first surprised and then concerned me. Most of the google responses had to do with questions that individuals posted regarding what to do when approached by a person who said he/she was homeless or by someone requesting money. The responses to these posted questions, again from anonymous individuals, ranged from unwisely compassionate to dangerously hostile.

We're all taught by our parents not to talk to strangers. Don't tell strangers your name or give them personal information. It's a safety issue that really doesn't end when you become an adult, especially in this age of identity theft. Just because you have a compassionate heart and see someone in need does not mean that you suddenly forget this valuable lesson. It is better to be helpful but remain anonymous.

One should also always be cautious about handing out money. Though it may seem to be the quickest answer to a problem, money rarely is the "easy solution" everyone touts it to be. The few dollars you give to a stranger on the street could go to supporting a self destructive habit, rather than providing a local service agency with the means to combat the man or woman's addiction or situation. If you feel a desire to give monetarily, call your local homeless shelter or visit their website to make a donation. Keep a list of service agency numbers to offer if someone comes to you for help.

In our area (Michigan's capital), 211 is an excellent resource for those looking for help. Not only is it easy to remember, it's also a free call from any landline phone. The person looking for assistance calls 211 and reaches a friendly operator, who searches their database and provides the caller with the names and numbers of agencies who can help meet their specific need.

To return to our google postings, the responses varied on either extreme. The unwisely compassionate were those willing to go to any extreme to help someone in need. Discretion is always the best practice, even in matters of compassion. You want to be sure that your "good deeds" are actually doing good, not enabling self destructive habits or merely "patching" a bad situation.

The other side of the suggestions came from those whose anonymity gave strength to their voice of hostility. Opinions ranged from "punching the bums" in the face or threatening them with weapons. In fact, these suggestions only underline a growing trend of violence again the homeless. The National Coalition for the Homeless reports that 106 homeless individuals were violently assaulted in 2008; 27 of those assaults resulted in death. In 2002, two young men made a business out of taping homeless men fighting each other for the promise of a few dollars.

At the City Rescue Mission, our desire is always to meet the physical and spiritual needs of men, women, and children in Michigan's capital area. We seek to nurture an attitude of compassion to our guests and to encourage those who truly desire to help to become as educated as possible, not only about homelessness but also about our ministry (visit our website at www.lcrm.org).

Some good resources for information include the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (agrm.org), the National Coalition for the Homeless, and the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness.

Hot off the presses...

Progress continues, slowly but surely, on the Mission's Maplewood Center. We are also excited as possibilities and opportunities change in the coming days. Every day, staff at the women and children's shelter are busy planning and getting things together for the upcoming move to Maplewood. Enough bedding, pillows, and quilts have come in to cover the beds twice over. The elevator has been approved, and the warming kitchen is also ready to go. There's even a holder for trays waiting by the cafeteria door. Very soon, we will be able to announce an "open house" to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 renovations, and we look forward to celebrating this first step with the many supporters who help us help others!

That's Why...

We just had a young woman leave the Mission. She stopped by the office, trembling, bruised, looking for help. She needed some place to stay until she could go to work because she was afraid to go home. Then a place to stay tonight for the same reason.

Fortunately, the timing worked out so that she could spend an hour filling out an intake form at the women and children's shelter. But it makes you think of those other women where the timing isn't so fortunate. Sitting in the cars. Waiting in fast food restaurants. Hiding out in the library. Thinking. Frightened. Wondering.

That's why Maplewood can't be finished soon enough. A place of safety and shelter for women and children during the day. Please continue to pray for this project and the new opportunities it will bring to meet physical and spiritual needs to the most vulnerable.

Men at Work

So, today our guys (i.e. Mission staff and program men) are cleaning out the overloaded basements at the houses on Clear Street. This inspired me to go ahead and show some views of men at work through the ages, at least the Mission ages. Most of these pics took place during the 70s, when the Mission underwent heavy renovation under Superintendent Mal Hoyt. Captions are below their corresponding pictures. (If you should happen to recognize any of the following people, please let us know.)

I'm pretty sure that this happy fellow is standing on the roof the current kitchen (behind 609). Notice that he's wearing slacks and a button up shirt to clean wood shards off a, probably somewhat questionable, rooftop.

He sure is hard at work. I remember my brother doing much the same when he was knocking out a wall. I hope that's what he is doing, because otherwise he's probably knocking down plaster to make way for the "faux" wood paneling that dominated Mission interior decorating for the next three decades. I'm not sure if this is Michigan Avenue or Larch Street, and the same can be said for most every renovation picture taken inside a building.

My first guess would have been that this was Larch Street, since I think they were converting an old storefront/warehouse. However, I know that the 600 block buildings have very high ceilings, hidden above the drop ceiling we have now. This picture does make me wonder just how concerned they were with safety. Did OSHA exist back then?

I love this picture. I perfectly understand that feeling of starting a project and looking down in dismay at the mess you'll have to take care of before you can move on to the final step. Either that or he just realized that he laid his lunchbox down somewhere...

So That's What I Smelt...

Dining at the Mission can be an educational experience. Through the years, we've served an astonishing array of interesting dishes, besides the normal "Mission fare." Because at least 90% of what our cooks serve comes from whatever arrives in the form of donations, anyone serving in the Mission kitchen has to learn how to be a little creative with their recipes. It wasn't until I began to work at the Mission, for example, that I learned that such a thing as smelt even existed, let alone that people ate the little things. I've had many culinary firsts here, swordfish, collard greens, asparagus (what can I say, I had a sheltered childhood), and even buffalo (not that I tried that dish. Does anyone remember Elvis from Fenner?).

It is actually pretty amazing when you think that in 2008 alone, we served enough meals to feed a family of four, 3 meals a day, for over 19 years. Much of that food comes from regular families, like the one pictured here! Do those few extra sale items you pick up and donate make a difference? Just ask the hundreds of men, women, and children who will get a hot meal tonight because of your compassion!

Auld Lang Syne

It's always a blessing to spend time with friends, especially friends we haven't seen in a while. Wednesday, Jim, our former volunteer coordinator, had some time to spend with us during a trip to Lansing. Jim "wore a variety of hats" at CRM (serving with our ministry for over a decade) before accepting a new position with the Lenawee County Mission near Adrian. We are pleased to hear that things seem to be going well, and Jim is enjoying his new responsibilities as Assistant Director. Wednesday was a good opportunity to catch up with Jim, as well as to hear how the Lord is working in the hearts of men who have come to the Mission for help with their addictions. Those of you who remember Jim from his many long years of service, please remember to say a prayer for him and his new work in Adrian.

Just Another Friday...

Papers are sitting unattended. They clutter my desk, but I'm too interested in the slow ticks of the clock to notice. Summer is finally here. Warmth, or what passes for warmth on a May day in Michigan, is beckoning from the front office picture window. That large light in the sky, that it seems I haven't seen in months, is smiling benignly on the world below. A sunny Friday afternoon. Is there anything sweeter? Anything with more promise? All the weekend potential for relaxation and fellowship with family and friends is building with every slow tick of the clock. Any minute that tick will be the last tick, and I'll gather my things and head for home.

But all the weekend happiness is always bittersweet, when you know that even when you lock your office door and get into you beat-up old car, the realization remains that life at the Mission continues day-in and day-out. For too many the days melt together into one long stretch of growing frustration and despair. They don't have all their paperwork. The landlord couldn't wait any longer and rented the apartment to somebody else. Grandma can't put up you and the kids because she doesn't have room, or she can't put up anyone because she stays in an assisted-living facility. The first check you'd planned on doesn't come until next week.

And what would I do if it were I? If I were the one staring at another denial letter. Or facing the fact that the groceries are almost gone and the paycheck just can't stretch to cover another week of breakfast, lunches, and dinners. I guess I would go the Mission and hope to see a friendly face. So we do what we can with what the Lord provides through the donations of compassionate groups and individuals.

And we take care of the paperwork and come back on Monday and do it all over again. We can't do everything, but we do what we can with the best that is in us. After all, that's all we're asked to do.

Movers for Moms

Two Men and a Truck, in collaboration with Windemere Park Charter Academy, recently helped collect clothing, personal need (hygiene) items, and non-perishable food for City Rescue Mission of Lansing. The items, specifically to help homeless and/or low income mothers, were collected and brought to the Mission, in time for mother's day.

In an article for the Lansing State Journal (written by Kathryn Prater), Wayne Lake, general manager of Lansing's Two Men and a Truck, was quoted as saying, "A lot of these mothers, they probably don't get anything for Mother's Day. They're just barely getting by." He rightly stated that young people, like the students at Windemere Park, are the future.

It is a great blessing to see the management and employees of Two Men and a Truck, as well as parents and teachers, living an example for the students at Windemere Park. The Mission, and the moms who need our services, are very grateful for their compassion.

The difference a little love makes...

"Greg" came with his mother and younger brother to stay in our women and children's shelter in 2008. Even for young children, who don't understand all the implications of being homeless, having to leave your home and move into a house full of strangers must be intimidating. Children desperately need security and stability; the world is so much bigger than they are.

In the fall of 2008, our Executive Director began bringing his labradoodle, Azan, to visit the women and children in the shelter. In Hebrew, Azan roughly translates as "listen." The implication being the importance of "listening" to the message of the gospel which we present.

At first, "Greg" would only stare at Azan from a distance, but Azan is basically love wrapped in a fur coat. It didn't take long, and the dog's patience won over even "Greg's" fear and skepticism. Our hope and prayer is that all children, like "Greg," who come to our shelter are shown enough love and patience to make their time with us more of a stepping stone and less of a stumbling block to their, and their mother's, future.

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe (1 Thessalonians 2:13).