Christmas 2008 - Thank you ladies!

Thanks to very generous donations from the ladies that attended the CrossRoads Church Women's Christmas Brunch, we have been able to purchase supplies to put together Christmas gift bags to give to those in shelters today. The bags have new socks, cookies, candies and candy canes, and breakfast bars. We are also handing out Christmas cards that a local Girl Scout troop wrote, some baked goods donated by Rainbow, stuffed animals some friends donated, and handwarmers.

Thanks all for your generosity and compassion for people in the shelters and on the streets this cold and snowy Christmas. Blessings to you all!

Memories of warm weather

Gang,

With the weather turning cold, I'm posting pictures of when it used to be warm...

The first picture is from Rice Park (we did a goofy thing, and had a sign for free smiles along with our usual food and water), and on the other is from when we helped with Hearts on Fire for God homeless outreach in Minneapolis (we arranged the clothing give away, and then several bands performed and a couple of pastors spoke in the Musicbox Theatre).

God bless,

Matt

Updates

Gang,

We still head downtown St. Paul most Saturday afternoons. Lately we've learned that warm dark socks are very appreciated (white socks are ok, but dark socks are a treat!). Hygiene items (and especially hygiene packs that meal groups at CrossRoads have put together) are really appreciated. Now that the weather is turning cold, it's also hats and gloves time. We had a great group of ladies that made lined fleece mitts for us last year (the people LOVED the mitts!), and some other ladies that make scarves. Let me know if you would like to join these ladies in serving the homeless in these ways.

What we hear over and over is that people like to be treated with dignity. That's why we always approach someone saying "Excuse sir" or "Excuse me ma'am", or "Good afternoon...". The hats and water and snack bars and hygiene items are a bonus.

Let me know if you have questions. You can usually find me every service at CrossRoads Church (Woodbury campus) at the CrossWalk Kids check-in desk. Or you can send me a note through this blog and I'll contact you.

God bless,
Matt Atkinson

A sad day

It's a sad day .... one of our cohort, JoynJesus, is heading to another state as result of a job relocation. She was our key person working with Family Life Services (on the pregnancy crisis line, and coordinating donations), and always a truly joyous person. I'm happy for her family's new opportunities, and glad that I can call her a sister, and sad that she won't be around.
JnJ, I pray for God's blessing on you and your family, and I pray that you will be led to a place you can serve with as much joy as you served with us.

Ideas for the Whole Community: Should we give money to street people?

I found this post on another blog... interesting thoughts....
Matt


Ideas for the Whole Community: Should we give money to street people?

More sewing

Can you sew? If not, can you cut fabric? We are also going to be getting together to sew mitts and hats for our homeless friends. Interested in helping? Let me know... Matt

A little Help

Do you know how to sew? We have a winter coat thats in good condition but needs a zipper. Would you be willing to supply what's needed and fix it?

If yes, please leave your name and phone number with someone in the office.

Thanks
Praxis

Socks and underwear

Over the past while, we've learned that our friends living on the street, living in shelters or camping along the Mississippi really appreciate new clean underwear and socks. Our desire is to be able to give a couple of changes of socks and underwear to every person we find on the street over the summer.
If you or your meal group would like to help, we would like:
-New, clean underwear (both men's and women's)
-New, clean socks (white athletic socks are great), either ankle socks for women, or full length socks for men and women.

You can drop the socks and underwear off in either the office during the week, or at the Welcome Table/Info Booth on the weekend. It would be best if you could put them in a grocery back labeled "PRAXIS"

As well, we can always use hygiene items.

If you would like to join us some Saturday, leave a message for me at the church office, and I'll give you a call.

Blessings all!

Matt

Some of what I've learned while walking

I've been walking downtown now for 6 months helping the homeless and those who just seem to be in need. When I first started I thought it might be interesting to check it out and see what happens. I didn't know that God had much more in store for me.

Some day's can be tough. So many people are hurting and lonely. For a long time I didn't know how to handle it. I would pray to God and ask him WHY WHY WHY! and then I'd feel like giving up and not going out. But then, Saturday would come and I couldn't help but go out again. This kept happening to me, I'd get depressed and angry and Saturday would come and I'd go out. One of the people on the streets that we meet sometimes is Freda. One particular Saturday I found out that she had been on the Streets for 16 years. The sadness she had in her eyes was just to much for me to bear. I went home that day from my walk and cried for at least an hour. I prayed constantly to God asking why he would let this happen to this elderly woman. I also prayed to find a way to help if not cure homelessness. I was so distraught about it. After about two continuous weeks of praying God gave me my answer. He told me that it wasn't my job to cure homelessness and I can' t help everyone. My job is to bring joy to those I come in contact with. He also let me know that there is no cure for homelessness and that there will always be "haves and have nots". He also let me know that it's OK for me to go home to my family and be thankful for my blessings. Not only did he give me answers but he lifted the burden I was carrying. I'm no longer depressed or sad but am grateful to be able to help those I meet and am now able to enjoy the time I share with them.

I don't want to end this post with it sounding like we are out there not having any fun. We have some really great days. Like when me met Boomer. Boomer is a parrot. His owner has him trained to do tricks to a ringing bell. That was a fun day! We also get to meet lots of interesting people who like to share where they've been and where they are going. Some people are just passing through on the way to new jobs and it's fun to hear about their travels on the road. We have a few friends that we see often and it's just nice to chit chat. Not only is it fun to see our friends on the streets but it's fun just hanging out with our group talking and laughing. When we are walking, I sometimes envision if that's what Jesus and the disciples where doing. Walking, talking and laughing.

God Bless
Little Dawn

Scraps and loose ends...

"The only constant is change..."
When I started this blog, I was hoping that people would use it to share their experiences helping others. Through the spring and summer it worked that way. We had a fairly regular stream of comments. It was good.
We had a bit of a end-of-summer blogging slump, and we lost our readership.
While we currently have a link from the Sanctuary website, soon we may be posting announcements directly on the Sanctuary blog. Keep your eyes open there also.
We'll be handing out lists of items that can be donated for the homeless after the Sanctuary service this Sunday. We collect these items before and after the Sanctuary service. Alternately you can drop things off in the church office.
We are still going downtown most every Saturday, and if you want to join our expanding group give me a call. If you want to learn more about helping New Life Family Services, given Reagen a call. If you want to help with Bill's Pantry, give Mary B. or Jim L. a call (call the church office for numbers).
If you want to know about Care Kits for community nurses in Swaziland, send me a note.
Blessings as you get out into the community and care for the forgotten...
Matt

As Long as God Has Me Here, I'm Going to Do What I Can.

A friend of mine from high school works at an amazing ministry in Tegucigalpa, Honduras called Project Manuelito. This ministry helps get children off the streets of Tegucigalpa. He recently wrote me a letter, and I wanted to share part of it because what he does is definitely 'praxis'.

"...When I first came to Honduras back in 1993, I never imagined that it would lead me to where I am today!

Just a day or so ago, I was out walking when some kids asked me for some money. I smelled the glue they were sniffing...so potent! I told them I wouldn't give them money, but that if they were hungry, I'd get them something to eat. I went into the closest restaurant and bought them a little something. The deal had been that I give them the food and they give me the glue...well...didn't quite work out. They never handed over the glue... but I always give the food anyway. It's sad just how many and how young street kids are. Used to be 15,000 in Honduras. They now estimate 18,000! This country needs help. And as long as God has me here, I am going to do what I can."

"As long as God has me here, I'm going to do what I can." That is my new motto. There is so much to be done, and so few workers. I thank God for my friend's servent heart, for his willingness to go to the ends of the earth to feed hungry children, both physically and spiritually. My prayer is that God will use me where I am too. For whatever His will may be.

Here are some links to more information about project manuelito.

http://www.projectmanuelito.org/

Here is a link to a video of another ministry my friend works with. My friend refers to it as the "Micah Project". It is a fairly new ministry in Teguc, and it helps the 1200 people or so who call the city dump, their home.

http://www.hondurasfield.org/jumbaugh/. Then click on the Micah Project.wmv file. It's just over nine minutes long.

So, whatcha up to?

We want to connect people to ministries outside our doors. I am a bit hesitant to simply give a list of ministries that I don't know much about. We've been checking some out individually, but that's been taking time. That's were this request comes from: if you are connected with a ministry outside our doors, and you are excited about it and wished more people served with you there, let us know, so we can direct people to it (and let them talk to you to get more details). You can respond here, put it on a communication card during service, or catch Bill or me after service.
Blessings all...

One year later

So, we started doing this praxis thing just over a year ago. There is something about an anniversary that makes me reflect back. So, what where have we been?

Pastor Brad asked us to do something with "social justice", and to "run with it". We first found a multimedia course that our denomination put together. This course was written specifically to help churches launch appropriate social justice ministries. It was a combination of finding the needs in the neighborhood and region, finding the passions and giftings of the people in the congregation, and slowly building a self-sustaining structure to move forward. Sounded great. I was told however that we weren't going to run this course (for a variety of reasons). Oh well.

Bill and I first tried mapping out a complete organization, and then tried finding people to fill the various roles. Well, since Sanctuary was just starting and we didn't know very many people and how they could plug in, we didn't succeed. After that we advertised a couple of meetings and asked interested people to come and suggest ministries.

Out of this came the support for New Life Family Services.

The AIDS task force was launched with strong support from the pulpit, which drew a strong leadership team. Armed with their passion and materials on launching AIDS minsitries (from a Saddleback Church conference), this group found and built connections with a couple of established HIV/AIDS ministries in the Twin Cities, and are active. That's great.

Bill and I and some others have been going downtown most Saturdays to spend time with the homeless and give them water and hygeine supplies in the summer, and hats, gloves, handwarmers and blankets in the winter. Many people have generously donated blankets and winter gear. (Thank you very much: your generosity touched many people!)One small group asked us to come and talk to them about it, which was beneficial.

Now to some of the challenges we faced: we are not an conventional-style org-chartable ministry. We don't have a voice "at the table". We are not a budget line anywhere (and having been on the church council several years ago, I've seen the benefits of appearing on the budget...). For a while we set up a table in the lobby each Sunday night, but that has become difficult with the numbers of people now attending (oh, the problems of a growing church (smile) ) I've tried to get space at the different info tables, but even when I got the space, I didn't really get the space (long story...)
What could be done? I've thought about setting up the donation bins by the wall. However, I've noticed that the food shelf barrels that have been set up in the lobby seem to collect empty coffee cups...probably not going to work for our stuff either. We tried leaving our bins in the cloak room, but everyone was asked to clean their stuff out of the cloak room (a reasonable request...)

I've just received a request to provide 400 pairs of socks to give out at an event for the homeless...faced with this request (and knowing that we don't have announcements at Sanctuary or a way of advertising this except through what you are reading right now), what would you do?

Also, dear reader, I'd also like to know what you would change as of today concerning Praxis (it might help to review the first couple of posts to get a sense of the mission)?

Oh, and one more thing...if you read this, just send a comment saying "I read this", or "I read this and you're whining..." or something to let me know...
That's it.
Blessings all,
Matt

HIV drugs for children in Africa

I came across this news item on the BBC website. It refers to a report from a coalition of groups, including World Vision. I'm posting this as there has been interest in the topic in previous posts on this blog. The news item says in part that:

The Global Movement for Children said that, in June 2005, around four million children were in need of cotrimoxazole, an antibiotic costing 3 US cents per day per child, which prevents life-threatening infections in HIV infected children and infants born to HIV-positive mothers.

It can also delay the onset of Aids and the need for anti-retroviral therapy.

It adds that 90% of HIV-positive children are infected by a failure to prevent mother-to-child transmission.

The report says providing a mother with comprehensive care can reduce the risk of transmission to less than 2%.

But under 10% of HIV-positive pregnant women currently receive the necessary drugs.

The report makes a series of recommendations including the development of simple and affordable diagnostic tests, more research and development for child specific treatment and improvements to health-care systems in developing countries to make it easier to get medication to children.

The rest of the news item can be found here

The part that struck me is again the low cost of doing the right thing! Thoughts?

Message about trip to Swaziland

As you know, we were in Swaziland with pastors from 2 other churches. Here is a link to a message by one of the pastors, Pastor Reed Mueller from Columbia Ridge Community Church (in the beautiful Columbia River gorge). Listed on this page is the first message he gave after he returned from Swaziland (2006-05-06). Reed and his wife Erin visited some of the same places we did, and also visited some different ones.
I enjoyed his message very much, and he makes some great points.
Listen when you get a chance, and let me know what you think.
Blessings...

Link to messages here

Swaziland-Part 1

It's been awhile since I've posted. I've been in Swaziland with Pastors Phil & Brad, Jim, and a couple of newly-met brothers and sisters (from Portland OR, St. Louis, Pennsylvania...). We were there an a "Vision Trip" (we were told to roll down our sleeves and be receptive and learn...) as opposed to a Mission Trip. We've been back a week, and I'll still processing what I saw. Perhaps giving snapshots will help both you and I see what is happening to our brothers and sisters in southern Africa.

One of my big take-aways was again that God never fails to surprise me. We went over prepared (as much as we could) to be heart-broken by what we were going to see. That happened. But I was really surprised by the hope and joy we saw in the rural area of Swaziland we were in. Here there is a 42% HIV/AIDS prevalance level, and it's really taking its toll on the communities. And yet people are hopeful and joyful because they have a bigger and more real and intimate vision of God. They really believe that with their service to their community in Jesus' name that the tide can be turned and that they will be able to raise the children aged 5-15 to adulthood free of HIV. At that point the corner will have been turned.
Such faith!
We went expecting to have our hearts broken, and they were. But not only were they broken so that we could feel their pain, but also that we could feel their joy. Without being able to feel their pain, I don't think I'd be able to fully understand their joy.
More rambling thoughts to come...

Face to Face

So, how does one cope with the overwhelming needs, and the worries of "bringing it home" with you...I think that sometimes we need to be overwhelmed. Sometimes we need to "bring it home" with us. I have read about activists who live in boxes or tents to call attention to the problem of poverty and to get a feel for what it is like to be homeless. I applaud these efforts. But no matter how long we choose to "sleep in a box" or how many times we walk the streets on cold days looking for someone to minister to, the one thing we can never feel is their true despairation. However long we choose to put ourselves in the "homeless condition," we know in the back of our minds that we can escape back to our own comfortabe lives at the time of our choosing. We do not, because we can not know this kind of despairation. We can only catch a glimse when we allow ourselves to to get close to someone in this circumstance. This is exactly the point at which government and private organizations fail these people. An organization can not, by definition, get to know someone on a personal level. As Matt said, these kinds of organizations are wonderful and necessary, and we support their efforts woleheartedly. But this personal kind of ministry kind of needs to be spontaneous and unscripted. It is messy, and scary. We are vulnerable because we are allowing God to use us completely at His will. We are without org charts, mission statements, and all of the other familiar organizational structures we are used to relying on. Sometimes, we admit to ourseves that we have no idea what we're doing. We are not the ones running this show!
The bottom line is, we are not "changing " the people we meet. They are what they are...God's crowning achievement, His most beloved. Though they find themselves in dire circumstances, they are priceless in the eyes of God who created them. No, we take it home with us because we are the ones being changed. If we are not overwhelmed; if we can get through a night without worring about one of our new friends, then I fear God has much more work to do in our hearts.
I think Jesus affirmed this kind of personal ministry in the story told in Matt 26:6-13. The problem of poverty is always going to be there, and giving to the needy through charities is clearly something we are called to do. But we can't forget the importance of the personal relationship...it is why He came.

Face-to-face vs writing a check

Recently I received comments that what we are doing lacks focus and isn't the right way of approaching the homeless. Further, the person indicated that it was better to send money to the established service organizations that are already in place. Oh, of course I was going to reply... This is what I said in response (some parts edited for clarity)....

I think I should clarify what the focus of what we're doing with Praxis is:
We are actually meeting face to face with the homeless and learning their stories. It is infinitely easier for me to simply write a check and send it to Union Gospel Mission, and our family and many others do that. However, it changes a person when they stand and talk to a homeless person, for either 5 minutes or for an hour (like we had the opportunity to do last weekend). Sure, Jesus ministered to thousands at a time (Sermon on the Mount, feeding the 5000, etc...), but He also took the time to talk to individuals. The focus for Praxis isn't efficiency, it's faithfulness. And in talking to the homeless, I've learned more about what they like about these organized service groups, and what really offends their sense of self-worth. That's something I would not learn any other way. That's another aspect of it: learning. And when we listen to their stories, we give them a dignity they say they don't get from certain organizations.

At the beginning of each day, we put our time in God's hands to bring people to us to talk to. Does that seem unfocused? In one way, yes. In another way, to acknowledge God's sovereignty can't be a bad thing, can it? Obviously we're not transitioning people to high-paying jobs overnight, but when we see someone without a hat or gloves and it's -5 degrees out, then I'd say that the organized charities missed this person, and that we are exactly where we need to be.

Now, we have dropped items off and Union Gospel Mission and Naomi House, and will continue to do so. (Soon I'll post about what the kids in CrossWalk @ CrossRoads have done: it's awesome!).

Absolutely, there has to be people plugged into the service organizations, and I applaud those people and the passion that God has given them. However, I have an informal rule that if people don't get my particular passion, then it's likely they aren't meant to serve there. I am called to talk face to face with the homeless and to give them dignity. That's it. Others are called elsewhere, and should serve elsewhere. I'm not big on convincing people that they should serve the way I'm called to serve. That's not God's way. All I can do is tell my story, and something will stir in someones heart, or it won't. That's it.

This is becoming a spiritual discipline, in the sense that Richard Foster means (see note on his books below). We are putting ourselves in front of God and asking God to both work in us and work through us.
I can't stress enough: until you stand in the cold, in a park or on a street corner, and create a space for a homeless person to unpack their emotional & spiritual baggage, you won't really understand them. And after all, Jesus died for that individual also, so how can our giving them a bit of dignity by listening to their stories be a bad thing?
Comments?

Silence (Molchanie) and Unity (Sobernost)

I've come across this passage in Molchanie (The Silence of God) by Catherine de Hueck Doherty. Doherty worked with the poor in Harlem and Toronto, then set up a servant community in mid-Ontario. Thomas Merton (The Seven Story Mountain), monk and contemplative writer, heard Doherty lecture, and was facinated and challenged by her intimate faith in God, which turned her to service to the poor. Now the passage...

You wish to experience this kind of silence? Go into the alleyways of the world. Look at the garbage pails and see the old ladies rummaging through them, and the children collecting what you have thrown away. The poor go about this task in silence, a despairing silence, crying silently to God. People have closed their hearts to these poor. So some day, when you have nothing to do, walk through the garbage alleys of the world. Then you will know the silence of the Devil. And in that silence two thoughts will emerge: “Will I share more with the poor?” and “To hell with the poor!” What effect will this silence have on you?
Silence can lead us to God, and that is why the Evil One constantly tries to interfere with it. Take, for instance, the silence of indifference.

I appreciate that she is honest enough to say that we don't always have pure responses, and sometimes we're tempted to walk away from the things the bother us. It's important how we respond at this decision point.

Another quote, this time from Sobernost (Unity):

The only way to show the reality of Christ is to become an icon of Christ, a reflection of his face. And the reflection of his face will make us not only pray but serve. The two go together. For those who follow Christ, there is no service without prayer, and no prayer without service. They pray always, and they serve always.
So we have to enter the world – not the world that God condemned as evil – but the world he created … the beautiful world. And we have to restore it.
...
To serve mankind, to restore mankind to what was in the mind of God when he created it: this is our task! For this have we been baptized. Remember! We have died with Christ and have been resurrected with him. And if we listen carefully, the Gospel will shout at us clearly and simply, and we will have to do what it says.

Note her devotion to God, which leads her to serve Him by serving those He created and loves.
We've had several people mention that it would be a real stretch to walk downtown with us. I understand that. One alternative would be take some time and walk downtown, and simply pray for the people you see. God is sovereign, and will work in your heart uniquely. Go with someone, and take some time afterwards to talk about it. Let us know what you learn.
Blessings

Speaking of prayer...

In the post below, I answered the question "How do you cope with what you see?", by saying "prayer, and lots of it", and also by talking through it each day. Following along that theme, I'm currently reading Richard Foster's book, Prayer: Finding the Hearts True Home. I've read Fosters other books, and really enjoyed and was challenged by them. This one is just as good. One of his strengths is that he draws upon the whole of Christian history, not just the past 30 years (like some other contemporary authors). Reading this book will excite you and draw you into a deeper prayer life. Not bad for $24!

This book might also prompt you to read his other books. I also recommend Spiritual Classics and Devotional Classics. Those two explore extended passages from some of the older Christian writers. Following each section are personal reflection and group questions. They certainly stretched me out of my comfortable little way of seeing our faith. I regularly go back to these books, and also search out the original books that the passages come from. Let me know what you think of them.

Finally, Streams of Living Water will challenge you to learn about other Christian traditions, not denominations mind you, but traditions. Quoting from a summary "The six streams Foster presents are: the Contemplative, or prayer-filled life; the life of Holiness, or the virtuous life; the Charismatic, or Spirit-empowered life; the life of Social Justice, or the compassionate life; the Evangelical, or Word-centered life; and finally, the Incarnational, or sacramental life." His book looks at strengths and possible weaknesses of each tradition. He is even so bold as to suggest how merging a couple of streams could strengthen each. The section on the Incarnational Life is one of my all-time favorite chapters in any book. This one will also stretch you.

OK, enough Foster for now. Let me know what you decide to pick up.