A Few Comments

Going back over newspaper articles to make appropriate selections in support of a grant proposal, I came across an editorial in the Modesto Bee "Of This Paper" that begins, "This community has done itself proud in raising money to help the homeless….." I began reminiscing about the events that have taken place over the last few years. I can truly say, with a full heart, that I was privileged to be part of a miracle. And the real miracle will never end because we are in the business of seeing lives changed.

Gospel Missions, instituted more than a century ago in Glasgow, Scotland, have become major forces for change in communities all across America. The physical comfort they give to men, women and children in the form of meals, clothing, and shelter does not compare with the message that they have to share: God created us, Jesus saves us, and the Holy Spirit enables us to live victorious lives.

A former director of the Sacramento Union Gospel Mission, Ed Carnell, tells the story of visiting UC Davis students. "After the tour was completed, I pointed to several men seated on the curbing around the parking lot. I asked, 'What is the answer to those men's needs?' One replied, 'They need families.' I said, 'But they have walked out on their families. Now, what do they need?' Another said, 'They need an education.' I replied, 'Some of them have a better education than you or I will ever receive. Now, what is their need?' Still another said, 'They need employment.' Once again, I replied, 'But they have all had employment at one time. Now, what is their need?' Finally, they looked at each other and in unison said, 'We don't know! That is what our professors have been telling us!'"

Probably the biggest challenge facing Gospel Missions today is the mistaken belief of most people that "the homeless are just a bunch of no-goods that want and deserve to be homeless." The real truth is that the homeless are just like you and me, only more defeated than we could ever imagine in our wildest dreams. And their needs are the same as yours and mine. Finding the solutions, however, is a bit more complicated.

Get them an education, get them a job, get them a family. For a few of them, these additional physical "benefits" will solve their immediate problem. But, for the vast majority of homeless, spiritual help will be the only first step that will make a difference in their miserable existence.

Spiritual help to solve a physical problem? I realize that this is not the type of news that is given much coverage. And so many negative messages have been sent that the "Good News" of Jesus Christ has somehow been made to seem bigoted, judgmental, old-fashioned, superstitious nonsense. But for those of us who know, it is life, and breath, and freedom. And we want to share this news with everyone that comes to us for help.

To deny that social and economic issues are often spiritual issues is to deny reality. And to offer only spiritual help is to deny complete help. The absence of either of these resources is an invitation for failure in the rehabilitation of wrecked lives. Because of both of these realities, modern Gospel Missions have expanded the number and types of programs they offer.

*Spiritual - giving hope to the hopeless
*Physical Basics - food, clothing and shelter
*New Life Programs - helping the undisciplined learn to live life
*Substance Abuse Intervention - for the symptoms of defeated lives *Education - structured for the unstructured
*Employment - for the unemployable

As a final word, the homeless are not middle-aged, alcoholic men on skid-row. They are men, women, and children in our community, non-members of society, but fellow citizens of the greatest country in the world. Let's try to make it great for them too.

Barbara Deatherage
June 1997

You may contact Barbara at barbara@homelessmission.org