Birthday Success!

http://limecolony.com/2009/05/15/happy-birthday-website/

Our Birthday Party was a HUGE success! 

As you know from our previous post, we celebrated our second year of serving the homeless and hungry in Yakima. 

We fed 365 people.


Love, INC. joined us and provided services to many.


Dave Brown, a representative from the Veteran's Administration, was present to assist 8 veterans in obtaining services.

Neighborhood Health joined us as well, giving out blankets, hats and gloves as well as checking blood pressures, blood sugar and assisting with prescription issues. 


We had two hair stylists, Shelly Rose & Karen Garcia from Hair Razors, were present to cut hair. Forty people were served!


And we gave away clothes, vegetables, fruit and snack foods!



Our HEARTFELT APPRECIATION to those who made such a difference in so many lives!


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Most of us have homes we go to at the end of the day. Most of us have closets where we store our coats, gloves and hats. For most of us our concern about dinner only involves what will we prepare or where we will eat out.

http://www.streetgangs.com/news/040710_skid_row

People with homes, warm clothing and the food to eat shouldn't feel guilty for what they have and I certainly don't want this post to be guilt-inducing. But I would like to ask you to take a moment and consider what you might do if you found yourself in a situation where you had no home and no money for provisions.   

What would you do if you had to walk the cold streets during the day and hope for a hot meal at the mission and perhaps a place to lay your head for the night?


It's hard for us to imagine. We don't want to think about it. But, the reality is there are many, many people out there in dire straights. They have little or no resources. They are truly desperate.

http://www.caboodle.hu/nc/news/news_archive/single_page/article/11/winter_chill/

The nights are getting colder. The rains are coming. A blanket will no longer suffice to keep Sam warm at night. Lena doesn't have a coat or gloves. Evan only has holey tennis shoes to walk the streets of winter.  




It's easy to judge the guy begging at the intersection. Go get a job, we think to ourselves. Find a relative to live with, we may add. You're just going to use this money to buy alcohol or drugs, we conclude, justifying our averted eyes and our closed pockets. 


The economy is putting the squeeze on many Americans. We can reduce the plight of the homeless to an annoying reality as we face our own budget deficits. We want to blink them off the streets and out of our thoughts.


So, what do we do?  Do we ignore them? Do we throw money at them? Do we invite them home with us? (Now there's a scary thought.)

http://bernard-greentea.blogspot.com/2009/01/gong-xi-fa-cai-with-tea-lattes.html

For the price of a latte, we can feed a homeless person one hot and nutritious meal with dessert and beverage!

For the price of a movie ticket we can feed THREE people.



If you'd like to help us give a hot meal to a homeless person, please make your contribution by clicking this  LINK or by using the Paypal button in the upper right column of this blog.

We are also collecting small tents, coats, hats and gloves. If you would like to help, please call us to make arrangements for pick up. (See our contact information.)

If we each make a small sacrifice now and then, we can make a difference. 

We can give hope.

SHAME

Image used by permission and courtesy of  Josh Rokman

SHAME:

the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, disgraceful, regrettable, etc., done by oneself or another: 

Image used by permission. All rights reserved by DownTown Pictures

Shame.  Homelessness.

The two are often synonymous.  

Shame's eyes are averted. 

Shame's head is downcast.

Shame walks among but not with.

Shame is that dullness that beats like a heart. 

A rhythm. 

A pulse.

An ever-present reminder that you are less than...

and others are watching. Judging.

Shame eclipses what you once were and denies what you could become.

It separates you from dignity and lies about your worth.

What is the antidote for shame?

LOVE:

"For God so loved the world that He gave..."

One of our goals at FNL is to take each opportunity we are given to break through the barriers of shame in the lives of people who forgot, or never knew, the dignity of being loved. By God and by mankind.

As we mark our SECOND anniversary of serving the homeless and hungry we are asking that you would help us through the coming year.  

Help us feed empty bellies and bring dignity to shame-filled lives. 

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This Friday, October 15th, we are celebrating our second year with a little birthday party!

Join us at The Park on Naches Ave between Walnut and Chestnut!

John Doe

Image is courtesy of pedrosimoes7 (a Flickr user)

For the sake of anonymity, we'll call him John.

He's almost a fixture in the community--part of the scenery--as familiar as the statue in the park. I first noticed him almost twenty years ago. He was a handsome young man and looked like he could have been successful before his life unraveled. Before drugs and alcohol took over.

His walk was brisk and his conversation was animated. He spoke to someone my eyes could not see.  I immediately thought of his worried mother. Did she know where he was? Or worse, what shape he was in?

Like dozens of others, I began earnestly praying for John.

File Photo Courtesy of InfiniteUnknown.net

Over the years his hair grew longer and became matted, his skin darkened and his eyes more averted.  He carried very little with him and was usually inappropriately dressed: shirt sleeves in rain, sweatshirt in snow and never a hat in the sun. He walked from one place to another--always walking as if he had some place important to go. 

If I had to guess, today he's in his early forties. He makes his home on the river bank. He's disoriented. He's dirty. His mind is gone and conversation with him is choppy at best. He's been showing up at the park on Friday's to get a meal. At first he stood off, distrustful. 

Sandie befriended him, earned his trust and began looking for him on the streets to give him food. A few times a week she finds him at their usual spot and unloads a bag of tacos or burgers. She's trying to get him off the streets before winter but he's afraid of the residents at the mission. 

One look at John and you are moved to tears. You want to wrap your arms around him because you're pretty sure he hasn't had a hug in forever. But you can't. He's infested with lice and besides, he'd likely not let you get close enough to touch him. 

John doesn't know how old he is or remember when his birthday is. John doesn't know if he has any other family. John just lives day to day in search of food and a safe place to be.

How did he end up like this? 

Grief. 

Raging, inconsolable grief.

John had a brother he dearly loved. They were in business together. One night a robber shot and killed his brother while John stepped out. His grief was intolerable and he turned to drugs. Drugs led him to the street and it's almost certain that the street will take his life. 

One day someone will say, "I haven't seen John in a few days." And then we will say, "Remember John?"

For now, we just love John where he's at. We don't have any unrealistic ideas about rehabilitation. We just feed him. We'll give him a tent and a sleeping bag for the cold months. We'll try to keep him warm with coats and gloves and hats. And mostly, we'll search for the opportunities to look in his eyes and tell him that we love him and that Jesus loves him and that his life matters.  And we'll pray for him.

And that will have to be enough. That's what we do. That's what Jesus asked us to do. 

Will you help us love the Johns...and Sams...and Tonys of Yakima?

WHEN YOU'RE HOMELESS...

When you're homeless all you have is what you can carry with you. 

When you're homeless you may walk a mile just to get a clean drink of water or find a trash can with food in it.

And when you're homeless you know hunger.

When you're homeless you can't go to the fridge for a snack. You can't go to the sink for a drink of water; or the coffee pot for another cup.

You have to find a public place that will allow you to relieve yourself.

When you are homeless, you rely on the kindness of strangers. 

It's getting cold at night and there is a stirring among the homeless. 

It's time to gear up for winter and try to snag an extra coat or sleeping bag and another blanket. Perhaps a piece of plastic. 
And then there's the search for where to spend the cold nights.

Each week our FNL team comes together so that homeless people can have a warm and nutritious meal.  

We collect food and sort it. 

We bake desserts. 

We make sack lunches.

We clean vegetables and cook meals.

We scrub pots and pans.

We set up tables in the park.

We hand out clothing, water and toiletries.

We greet and hug and make people feel like they matter...

...because they do.  

They matter to us and they matter to God.

FNL handed out 519 meals last week.  A donor contributed so we could serve them a fried chicken dinner, complete with mashed potatoes, gravy, buttered corn and biscuits with honey. And of course, they got our home baked desserts too.  

We handed out fresh fruit for them to take. 

We handed out toilet paper. 

We handed out snacks for the road. 

We handed out clothes. 

We handed out hugs and smiles and Love. 

Dig deep. 

We need your support. 

We too rely on the kindness of strangers.

WHO KNEW?

Friday Night Live is coming up on our 2nd birthday. As we sat in a meeting this week we marveled at all the Lord has done in these two years. 


We rejoiced that in August we were able to feed 1,539 meals. 
We rejoiced that our committed volunteers gave 425 hours of their time. If we paid minimum wage to these it would have cost us $3,782.50



SPEAKING OF VOLUNTEERS...

One of those volunteers is our director, Sandie Kay Graves. For over two years she has poured herself out to fulfill the heart of Jesus by getting this outreach from the idea state to where we are today.  As she herself has repeatedly said, "Who knew?"

Who knew God would take her from an idea to a two-year reality that has made such a difference in the lives of the hungry and homeless of Yakima.

Who knew that in 2003 Sandie would be diagnosed with Alport Syndrome, a disease usually found only in men; a disease that damages the tiny blood vessels in the kidney that filter waste. The disease runs a progression of symptoms which lead to kidney failure. Women are not supposed to get this disease but because Sandie is a twin, the gene bypassed her twin brother and was given to her.


In June 2010 Sandie became very ill with toxicity in her body. In July she began dialysis three times a week for three hours a day. Sandy has begun the process of getting on the donor list for a kidney transplant, which can take an average of two years. 


One of Sandie's brothers and four of her uncles died of Alport's Syndrom. She has a brother with a successful 27 year transplant. 




Dialysis is the stark reality of Sandie's life. She has approached this as she does everything, with a let's just do it attitude and the grit of a fighter. As she said to me this week, "There are no options. It's dialysis or die." Sandie gives her life back to God everyday as she continues to carry the love of God to those we serve through  Friday Night Live.


Others have come alongside to take on some of Sandie's responsibilities while she focuses her efforts on raising funds.

You won't hear Sandie complain or look for sympathy. You'll find her at the park making sure people get fed and shown the love of God. 

You'll find her laying down her life.



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Pray for Sandie.

Pray for our other volunteers, many of who are dealing with illnesses and injuries.

Pray for Friday Night Live as we grow.

Pray about a making a contribution!

  

Friday Night Live,  

Feeding the hungry and homeless in the love of Jesus.

WHY?   

Why feed people once a week? 

• We know there are people who haven't had a good meal in days;
• We want to extend the love of Jesus by being His hands reaching out to people He loves;
• We want to provide a family-style atmosphere for folks to gather together;
• We want to be a non-judgmental love force in a world that forgets the dignity of all mankind;
• We want to share the love of God without preaching.

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We don't just FEED people!

(Not our family.)

Let us tell you a story about a little family we served dinner to last week. They were a young family who moved to Yakima from Tennessee with the plan of moving in with a family member. The family member turned out to be a crack addict so the family was on the streets. 

They happened upon our meal at the park and after getting to know them and learning about their circumstances, we knew we needed to help. We pulled our resources together. But, we didn't have any resources!!! Or did we?

We put them up in a hotel until we could make better, more permanent arrangements. We fed them all weekend and saw to it that their baby was supplied with diapers and wipes. We loaded their cell phones with minutes and then got their laundry done. We then located an apartment for them and paid for the remainder of the month.

Others stepped in and provided household items, furniture and baby supplies.

The neat thing about this little story is that we didn't have the funds to do this. But God knew that our yard sale coincided with their need. We were able to use the proceeds of our sale on Saturday, nearly $1,500, to help this appreciative family. 

We don't just hand people a plate of food, we enter into relationship with them. We meet people at their point of need and do whatever we can to let them know that they are not alone, that people care, and more importantly, that Jesus loves them--just where they're at.

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412! FOUR HUNDRED TWELVE! 

 

That's how many meals we served last week! 

Our numbers are growing and so are our needs. Plates, napkins and flatware continue to eat up (pardon the pun) a good share of our funds. If you'd like to help defray these costs, please consider a donation.

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THE MENU THIS WEEK:

• Coney Island Dogs
• Potato Salad
• Fruit
• Dessert

YARD SALE

FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE

ANNUAL  FUNDRAISER

SATURDAY August 21st 

7:00 - 3:00

2812 Terrace Heights Drive

(See left side bar for directions)

Coffee & Donuts will be sold in the morning

Hot Dogs & Drinks sold at noon

If you'd like to contribute salable items, please bring your goods to the office of: 

New Hope Community Church

2812 Terrace Heights Drive

Make arrangements for someone to pick up your contributions. Call
Sandie Graves @ 509-833-6731

Drop-Off Times: 

Monday - Thursday 12:00 to 4:00 

Friday 9:00 to 12:00

 WE'RE HAPPY TO REPORT...

This past week FNL was joined by the DSHS Mobile Community Services Office and Love INC. The afternoon was a huge success and benefit to our clients. DSHS plans to visit FNL on a regular basis to facilitate program assistance to those in need. We want to thank Love INC for their generous and practical gifts.  

The Stats:

• FNL served 345 meals
• DSHS processed 16 applications

• Love INC distributed 4 boxes of toiletries 

ON THE MENU: Shepherd's Pie, Rolls, Dessert

FRIDAY, AUGUST 13th

We have a BIG afternoon planned this week. 

DSHS Mobile Community Services Office will be on site to offer assistance and services from 2:00 - 5:30 p.m.

(At the park on Naches Avenue between Walnut and Chestnut!)

LOVE INC. will also be joining us to provide our clients with information and assistance in how they can obtain free goods and services. Please click on the link to learn more about Love Inc.

 

THIS WEEK'S MENU: Southwest Beef Salad



UPCOMING EVENTS: Don't forget our Annual yard sale on August, 21st. We are collecting donations of clothing and household items. Please contact us to arrange collection if you have items you'd like to donate. At the sale we'll also be selling coffee and donuts in the morning and a hot dog meal for lunch.  Come out and show your support--it takes the whole community to keep us going!

Spread the word,

and

Thank you for your help!

UPCOMING EVENT:

YARD SALE

August 21, 2010 

7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

FNL wants your castoffs! We are soliciting your unwanted household items to support our fund raising efforts. Items can be dropped off at NEW HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH or we can arrange for transportation.

2807 Terrace Heights Drive

Yakima, WA.

Donuts and coffee will be sold in the morning as well as a hot dog meal at noon. Tell your friends...come on out and find new treasures!