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?

It's different when you know his name...

I've always been fascinated with names. The meanings of names... Why people choose to be called by a middle name or nickname rather than their given name... The old hymn tells us that, when we're saved, there's a "new name written down in glory" for each of us, and I think this just emphasizes the natural feeling that a name has more meaning than just a word. A name infers knowledge. The more intimate you are with a person, the more "names" you know. As in, "Why, there's my old college roommate Sally Smith. I called her Snatch," said with a smile of remembrance.

The same is true even in the lowest levels of society. Maybe it's even more true. We all "know" enough of the inner details of the lives of a "Beyonce" or "Brittany," to call these strangers by their first names. But for the men and women living on the street it's "the guy with the bushy hair," or "the lady who always waves when she walks by the window."

If we take the time to ask their name, it shows that we see them as more than just faces waiting in line. They are individuals, with stories and lives separate and unique from our own.

Your attitude changes too, when you know a person's name. They do become less of a "face" and more of a person.

"Oh, there goes Joey!" We say, as we see him on the street. And we care when he's not there and wonder if he's okay.

I think back to around the new year, when a woman stopped at our door. She was angry and agitated, insisting that we were encouraging men not to work by giving them clothing and shelter without making them do something to earn our services. But she wasn't around when, a few weeks later, several of those same men walked across the street to help a driver whose car was stuck in the snow. They weren't asked; they saw the need and went to help. I doubt they asked for anything in return either. Just gave the driver a wave and watched the car on its way.

I wonder if the driver asked their names to thank them. I doubt very much that the angry woman had asked their names. Praise God that, in spite of the flaws and failings of our compassion, there is Someone who will never forget...their names.

Ed's Shoes

I was going through pictures in our files, in an attempt to put things in order, when I noticed a picture of Ed's shoe. Ed was in our men's Transformation Program. The Mission has a one year, biblically based program which attempts to help men overcome their addictions. Men join the program, many of whom are desperate to change their lives. Sometimes before it's too late.

Ed was one of these men. He seemed to be making great progress. Though he'd been in a few other rehabilitation programs, he believed that ours would be the one he finally finished. The path from which he'd never stray. But, as with too many of these men, after a few months had passed, he began to feel so good and see things so clearly, that he believed he was ready to "go it alone."

Staff members tried to discourage this feeling, tried to encourage him to "stay the course," but Ed packed up his belongings and went home. He promised that he'd be all right. He left behind very few things. Among these was a stray, black dress shoe.

Only a few weeks later, his girlfriend called to ask if she could come pick up the shoe. She needed it for Ed's funeral.

We don't know what went through Ed's mind. If, when he left, he truly believed he was "cured," or if he was only so desperate for a drink that he had little thought of anything else. All we know is that, in the dark of night, Ed, being too drunk to stand, stumbled into oncoming traffic and was killed.

It's a dramatic story, and I wish I could say it was the only story like it I had heard. The tragedy is that Ed's story is not as unique or unheard of as we would wish it to be, and the real victims of this story include Ed's girlfriend and his mother. These two women held onto hope until it was too late.

The men on our program are fighting and struggling for a new life. Donations from our supporters enable us to continually hold out a hand of help to them and their families. Prayers from our supporters encourage them, and us, as they continue their fight. Thank you for helping us help others!

Love does have a lot to do with it

It's all part of that feeling you get when you've helped someone. The euphoria that comes from knowing you really have made a difference. You've positively impacted the life of a loved one, or even a stranger. I think that's why we get calls from people every day who want to donate their time and energy to helping us help others. People who maybe can't give a lot but want to do something to "fix the problems" of those in need. It's a feeling and a spirit that the government can't force upon people. You can reward someone for compassion, but you can't generate it by simply telling him or her to be "nicer" to others.

We've heard a lot about "change" and "hope" lately. Beautiful words being repeated like a mantra that will make us forget all the ugly things that seem to be happening in the world around us. Things like war and crime. Robbery and selfishness. Foreclosures. Bank failures. Unemployment. The list goes on, and it all adds up to loss.

Some things never change, which is why we can never stop doing our best to overcome the gathering darkness. And the things we should put our hope in--things like truth and justice--don't really come by the creation or the will of men in power. They come through the simple act of an everyday person saying, "I may not be able to change the world, but I can do my best to make a difference in my little corner of it."

This is what we see every day, ordinary people making a difference. And we also see it "rubbing off" on the men, women, and children whose lives are affected. These actions of compassion remind us all that, though the darkness should cover us, God is still there (Psalms 139). He will and does provide.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning (James 1:17).