Shelter News 9
It’s been an interesting and somewhat trying week at the Phinney Ridge Men’s Shelter. A week that I would not have wanted to go through if not for a few good people to serve along side of. Thanks. And then, God was there. He’s always there, here, everywhere. If I didn’t believe God loves His children and is able to take care of them, I’d do something else.
The hardest thing about serving in a shelter is seeing a people “find the bottom”. By that I mean finding that low point in life when you think like the prodigal son (Luke 15) and say something like. “This is killing me. I better stop.” Each of us has our own low point. With men living in an emergency winter shelter that low point is seen in their physical as well as the mental/spiritual lives. With some age plays a major role. Younger men may still have the resilience to overcome severe drug abuse and not die. They sober up for a time, but the problems that caused the abuse are not healed and they go down again to find that even lower bottom. Men pushing 50 or more often find that their bodies are changing and they simply can’t do the drinking they got away with in their youth.
All of us have and will be finding those low points in our lives when we get a chance to change, a chance to repent. It always involves pain. I hope we don’t experience the pain that only leads to sadness, but that we see and understand the loving discipline of the Father. It’s hard to watch in others. I think I shall give some thought to “bearing one another’s burdens” and what Jesus said about His yoke being easy, and His burden is light. One was not made to “go it alone”. I think it is in the exchange of burdens that the burden becomes light. Of course, one must be willing to give up the burden.
If you want to be part of what God is doing in the old Fellowship Hall (the Shelter) of Emmanuel, please start by praying.
Ben Paul 2-2-2015