Sometimes, when bad things happen to me or to anyone else, I don't know how to deal with it. I just want to check out. I just can't pretend that these things aren't happening though. I don't really want to pretend that they don't happen. I just want to understand. Since October, Matt, Kin, Donna, and I have been feeding the homeless. When we started, they were living under the overpass. They were a little community. It was getting cold. Very cold. For Baton Rouge anyway, and way too cold to be living outside. They were there with wind and rain as well as days with sun.
A few days before Christmas, the owner of a warehouse opened his place up to them. Before he opened this up to them, there was talk of them being forcefully moved away from the bridge. I was so excited for them when they were moved to the Sacred Hope shelter the warehouse). Good things were happening there. People were getting to know God. People seemed happier. It truly seemed that some of these lives were improving.
In March we showed up on Tuesday, as usual to bring supper for our friends. We were told that they lady who had been serving as a manager of the facility got drunk and came and started cussing at everyone. She was immediately kicked out because there is a no drinking or drug policy.
A few days later, the fire marshal came and forced the people to leave because there us no sprinkler system in case of fire. Fortunately, a church opened up their new building to these people. This seemed to be going well, though some of the people had left, and no one knew anything of their whereabouts. The group was dwindling, and I don't think it was because they suddenly got jobs and found homes. Though that would be great if that was the case.
There seemed to be more and more tension among the group...
Today, we were at the Ellis' getting things ready to go when Kin came and told us that the fire marshal kicked them out of the church too. No one really knows why. I don't really think he had a reason. I almost cried right then and there. My heart is still very heavy tonight for them. We had decided we were just going to drive around the area with hopes to find some of them. God guided us to see George walking on the street. George showed us where about 10 were staying. We walked in and heard several people yell, "YOU FOUND US!! HOW DID YOU KNOW WHERE WE WERE?" It was a God thing that is how.
I wish I knew where the rest were. I want to help them too.
I can't help but feel that it was just out of meanness that these people keep getting displaced. It feels to me like someone is uncomfortable with the idea of homelessness so they are pushing them out of their sight so they don't have to be around it and they can pretend it doesn't exist. I'm uncomfortable with the idea of homelessness too, because I hate to see anyone in such a unfortuneate situation. However, I think God calls us to reach out to people who are not as blessed as we are. These are people, but their humanity is being taken from them by people who are uncomfortable with their situation.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Plans for Dump Day May 5
FROM TREY MORGAN'S BLOG
Monday, April 12, 2010
7 QUESTIONS ABOUT DUMP DAY
Can you imagine being so poor and so hungry that you'd take up residence at your local dump and dig through the disgusting trash to find yourself something to eat? Can you imagine feeding your children scraps of molded rotting garbage, just so they can live? Can you imagine your children picking the little bites of chicken off a chicken bone they found in the garbage? All these are regular occurrences at the dump in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The Tegucigalpa dump is a dark and horrible place to live, yet many people do. Last year, on May 5th, you began to help make a difference in these forgotten people's lives, with the first ever Dump Day.
Twice this past year I had the privilege of being in Honduras and feeding hungry dump people with food you helped provide. This year I plan to go back to Honduras a couple of times and help feed the people at the dump. I'm praying this ministry is able to continue. Here are a few questions you may have that I hope I can help answer...
1. What is "Dump Day?"
Dump Day started last May 5th when we all raised over $12,500 for the Dump Fund. Everyone came together and pledged money and hungry people were fed. Here's the post if you want to look back. Now that a year has passed we want to have another "Dump Day" fundraiser to make sure we're able to continue to feed the hungry people of the Tegucigalpa, Honduras dump.
2. How did Dump Day start?
In November of 2008 I got a newsletter from a group of kids who were doing some mission work down in Honduras. They mentioned in their newsletter about going out to the dump and feeding people who lived there. When I first read it I thought to myself, "No way is there really people who live at a dump and eat out of the trash." I emailed them and found out more about their work. They were making and taking sandwiches to them when the funds to do so were available. About six months later we decided to have a fund raiser for them on this blog. My dream was to raise about $2500 for this work. I dreamed much too small.
3. Why May 5th?
May 5th is my cancer anniversary. This year I will have been cancer free for 7 years. What better way to celebrate surviving cancer and being cancer free than doing something like this. :)
4. How can you help?
By doing two things: 1) help pass the word about what we're doing here on May 5th. You can use your blog, your church bulletin, your email, send letters or any other way of getting the word out. The more people that know, the more people that can help. And 2) make a donation. Stop by on May 5th and leave a comment with what you're pledging to give. That helps us keep up with where we are on the fund-raiser.
5. How do I give/pledge?
Once you leave a pledge ("I'll give $50, etc."), you make out a check, money order or use the Paypal button on the side-bar of this blog. We're trying to make it as easy as possible to give. On May 5th I'll include the address where you can mail your money, if you pay by check or money order.
6. Where will my money go?
This is simple ... your money will go to help feed the people at the dump. Period.
7. How do I participate in this year's Dump Day fast?
This year I'm challenging you to a Dump Day fast. A 30 hour fast that will coincide with the Dump Day marathon. It will be a reminder to us that there are hungry people in this world, and they can't be overlooked. I'm not sure there's ever been a day in the Tegucigalpa dump when the people have actually had more to eat than me ... but on May 5th they will. I will be fasting and on that day (Dump Day, May 5th), and my friend Marc Tindall will be feeding rice, beans, tortillas, bananas and water to the people at the dump.
I challenge you to fast from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday evening. Then you can take the money you'd have spent on meals and give that money to hungry people. What better way to spend the money you saved on meals? :)
I also challenge you to some accountability on this by signing up. Simply leave a comment that says, "I'm in on the fast." You in? Here are the people that have committed so far: Marc Tindall, James Jones, Sherry Hubright, Greg England, Tami Scott, Nick Gill, Janice Garrison, Gary Mabry, Brian Vaughan, Denson Ligon, John Dobbs, Amber Henderson, Nicole Fitzgerald, Kim Robinson, Monica Abayta, Donna Gossett, James E Hampton III ... who did I miss?
So, what question did I miss?
Monday, April 12, 2010
7 QUESTIONS ABOUT DUMP DAY
Can you imagine being so poor and so hungry that you'd take up residence at your local dump and dig through the disgusting trash to find yourself something to eat? Can you imagine feeding your children scraps of molded rotting garbage, just so they can live? Can you imagine your children picking the little bites of chicken off a chicken bone they found in the garbage? All these are regular occurrences at the dump in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The Tegucigalpa dump is a dark and horrible place to live, yet many people do. Last year, on May 5th, you began to help make a difference in these forgotten people's lives, with the first ever Dump Day.
Twice this past year I had the privilege of being in Honduras and feeding hungry dump people with food you helped provide. This year I plan to go back to Honduras a couple of times and help feed the people at the dump. I'm praying this ministry is able to continue. Here are a few questions you may have that I hope I can help answer...
1. What is "Dump Day?"
Dump Day started last May 5th when we all raised over $12,500 for the Dump Fund. Everyone came together and pledged money and hungry people were fed. Here's the post if you want to look back. Now that a year has passed we want to have another "Dump Day" fundraiser to make sure we're able to continue to feed the hungry people of the Tegucigalpa, Honduras dump.
2. How did Dump Day start?
In November of 2008 I got a newsletter from a group of kids who were doing some mission work down in Honduras. They mentioned in their newsletter about going out to the dump and feeding people who lived there. When I first read it I thought to myself, "No way is there really people who live at a dump and eat out of the trash." I emailed them and found out more about their work. They were making and taking sandwiches to them when the funds to do so were available. About six months later we decided to have a fund raiser for them on this blog. My dream was to raise about $2500 for this work. I dreamed much too small.
3. Why May 5th?
May 5th is my cancer anniversary. This year I will have been cancer free for 7 years. What better way to celebrate surviving cancer and being cancer free than doing something like this. :)
4. How can you help?
By doing two things: 1) help pass the word about what we're doing here on May 5th. You can use your blog, your church bulletin, your email, send letters or any other way of getting the word out. The more people that know, the more people that can help. And 2) make a donation. Stop by on May 5th and leave a comment with what you're pledging to give. That helps us keep up with where we are on the fund-raiser.
5. How do I give/pledge?
Once you leave a pledge ("I'll give $50, etc."), you make out a check, money order or use the Paypal button on the side-bar of this blog. We're trying to make it as easy as possible to give. On May 5th I'll include the address where you can mail your money, if you pay by check or money order.
6. Where will my money go?
This is simple ... your money will go to help feed the people at the dump. Period.
7. How do I participate in this year's Dump Day fast?
This year I'm challenging you to a Dump Day fast. A 30 hour fast that will coincide with the Dump Day marathon. It will be a reminder to us that there are hungry people in this world, and they can't be overlooked. I'm not sure there's ever been a day in the Tegucigalpa dump when the people have actually had more to eat than me ... but on May 5th they will. I will be fasting and on that day (Dump Day, May 5th), and my friend Marc Tindall will be feeding rice, beans, tortillas, bananas and water to the people at the dump.
I challenge you to fast from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday evening. Then you can take the money you'd have spent on meals and give that money to hungry people. What better way to spend the money you saved on meals? :)
I also challenge you to some accountability on this by signing up. Simply leave a comment that says, "I'm in on the fast." You in? Here are the people that have committed so far: Marc Tindall, James Jones, Sherry Hubright, Greg England, Tami Scott, Nick Gill, Janice Garrison, Gary Mabry, Brian Vaughan, Denson Ligon, John Dobbs, Amber Henderson, Nicole Fitzgerald, Kim Robinson, Monica Abayta, Donna Gossett, James E Hampton III ... who did I miss?
So, what question did I miss?
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Tuesday Night.
Today is Tuesday. Tuesday is the day we feed our homeless friends. Some of these are the same friends that used to live under the overpass. Right at Christmas, they were moved to a warehouse. Two or three weeks ago, they were displaced from their warehouse shelter. Fortuneately, a church across the street opened their doors to this group and offered them a place to stay. At the warehouse, people had arranged support groups and counseling. I do not know that they are getting that. It seems that less and less people are there each week since they were moved to the church. I would love to think that is a good thing, but I fear they are turning back to their old ways and living back on the street.
I did not mention the reason the homeless were displaced from their shelter. Through a series of events, this group was reported to the fire marshal. He came and said that too many people were living in this building for it not to have a sprinkler system. Therefore, they were kicked out.
I am trying to find out how much it cost to buy and install a sprinkler system. I am praying for a means to do this. That is all that is needed for my friends to go back to the place where they felt some sense of security.
It hurts my heart that anyone would be put out of their shelter. Doesn't the marshal know that if homeless people don't have a place to stay they will live in places such as abandoned buildings, behind bushes, and under bridges.
Tonight pray for those who are displaced.
I did not mention the reason the homeless were displaced from their shelter. Through a series of events, this group was reported to the fire marshal. He came and said that too many people were living in this building for it not to have a sprinkler system. Therefore, they were kicked out.
I am trying to find out how much it cost to buy and install a sprinkler system. I am praying for a means to do this. That is all that is needed for my friends to go back to the place where they felt some sense of security.
It hurts my heart that anyone would be put out of their shelter. Doesn't the marshal know that if homeless people don't have a place to stay they will live in places such as abandoned buildings, behind bushes, and under bridges.
Tonight pray for those who are displaced.
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