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.

Cleaning up the streets of Lansing...

Today, the City of Lansing held its annual "Clean Sweep" event. The Mission helped sponsor the effort, as well as sending out a group to help sweep the streets of trash and litter. The guys worked hard, and we appreciate their efforts on behalf of our city and its citizens. The photo shows the men gathering at the corner, at the "end of their labours," before they head for home and some much deserved relaxation. Or back to class for some of our program men, who also generously donated their time and worked shoulder to shoulder with staff.

A Day at the Ballpark

Last Saturday, staff and some of our program men were able to attend "Home Plate" and see the Detroit Tigers play. Home Plate is a special time of fellowship and renewal, where some of the players share their testimonies. It was a great "field" trip for our guys, a chance for them to see staff in a different light, an opportunity to hear from others who have committed their lives to the will of Christ, and some time to relax away from the strict 24/7 routine they experience during their year at the Mission.

Beware of Men Selling Flowers to "Raise Funds for the Mission"

A vigilant Mission supporter just called to say she and some friends were approached by a man selling flowers "to raise funds for the City Rescue Mission." When she asked him for some documentation, he said he had to "get it from his car," at which point he left and never returned.

The City Rescue Mission of Lansing does not solicit funds in this manner. This man was not authorized by us and it is very doubtful that any of the money, which he managed to collect from the unsuspecting compassion of capital area citizens, will ever reach the Mission or those we serve.

This occurred on the southside of Lansing just this afternoon (04.03.09). If you are approached by anyone soliciting funds for the Mission, it is best to either ignore the person or to call your local authorities.

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).

Guests vs Clients

Last week, members of the City Rescue Mission staff went on a field trip to visit Mel Trotter Mission in Grand Rapids. They were very welcoming, and it was interesting to tour the facility and see the impact that ministry is making in Grand Rapids. It was also interesting to see how two ministries with so much in common can also be very different.

One of the things I found most confusing was the different "language" they spoke. They referred to men and women on their addiction/rehabilitation programs as residents. At CRM, we tend to call them program men ("men" because we don't currently have a women's program); sometimes, we just refer to them as program guys. We call anyone who uses our services, our "guests." To our neighboring Mission, they are referred to as "clients." Neither is more "right" than the other. It was just humorous how we could be talking about the same thing and not really understanding each other.

But, then again, isn't that more common than maybe we realize? Miscommunication based, not on a purposeful desire to deceive, but due simply to differing vocabularies. I don't know how many times I talk to people, and it's almost like we're speaking a foreign language because of how they are "interpreting" what I say rather than just listening. What a different place the world would be if we would try to learn our neighbors vocabulary and interpret from that, rather than judging his words against our own assumptions and world views.

"...For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

What do you say?

So, today's blog is more of a question... What do you say to a mother who calls about donating her son's belongings because he has passed away?

We get a lot of unusual and interesting calls at the Mission and donations come in a variety of ways, but there's always that hardship of being grateful for the "benefits" of a tragedy. A husband dies, and his wife requests that donations be sent to the Mission in lieu of flowers. A young man just starting his life is killed in a terrible accident, and his father calls to ask if we'll take the extra food from his son's funeral dinner.

Compassion wrapped in a blanket of pain and loss... And what do you say?