The Gospel Rescuer | Blog-site for Gospel Rescue Mission Tucson AZ

Archive for the ‘homelessness’ Category

Serving on the National Board of Gospel Rescue Mission, I recently had the opportunity to attend our annual fall Board meeting. This one was held in Jamaica. Sure it sounds exotic, but for the most part the days were spent in meetings, including the first day of 7 AM to 9 PM.  The reason the meeting was held in Jamaica is that several years ago our national office, along with the support of several US Missions, helped open 2 shelters in Jamaica, one in Montego Bay and the other in Kingston.

The most enjoyable part of the meeting was a tour of the medical & food/meal drop in center and the shelter in Montego Bay. The drop in center is located in an impovereshed area of downtown. The shelter (Refuge of Hope) is located a mile away up a hill.

Of a 3 million population, an estimated 100,000 Jamaicans are homeless. In addition, many of their citizens live in homes of tin, cardboard or crumbling mortar. The shelter was actually started by the government about 5 years ago in a very run down shack of a building. However, the government soon realized that they did not have the expertise to operate homeless shelters. That’s when the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions stepped up to the plate to assist.

Unlike the United States, the Jamaican government supports the Mission, including financially. And they do so with no restrictions placed on the Mission as to sharing faith, praying, preaching, and teaching Bible studies.  In fact, the government donated the properties to the Mission and continues to assist with utilities and providing funds for several staff positions. 

Over the past 2 years, Rescue Missions from the US helped to remodel the buildings and purchased furniture. The shelter is actually several railroad type box car metal buildings (like we have for storage units in the US).  Screened in windows are all they have for ventilation and with the hot and humid weather, the units seem more like saunas. Several board members from various Missions at the board meeting pledged support to purchase fans and air conditioning for the buildings. Our Tucson Mission Board of Directors also voted to send $1,000 to help them purchase ceiling fans for the dorm areas.

The Mission in Kingston (which I wasn’t able to visit) is located in the most dangerous area of Kingston. Unlike Montego Bay, Kingston is the big urban city frought with crime, drugs and violence. People actually drive around in this area of Kingston in pick up trucks with men with rifles and guns standing in the bed of the truck. Maybe it’s good I didn’t go…certainly safer.

Gospel Rescue Missions are located throughout the United States and in Canada. So these Missions in Jamaica are our first ones outside of the North American Continent.

Needless to say, the need for homeless services and drug recovery programs in Jamaica is substantial. Although these Missions are only able to work with hundreds of men, women and children each month out of the 100,000 homeless, at least it is a start. The Gospel is given out every day along with tangible help, hope and love. That is what Rescue Missions are all about and these Missions in Jamaica certainly encapsulate that calling.

Please pray for these Missions and if you’d like to help in some way, you can contact our national office at www.agrm.org

Medical Drop in Center and cafeteria for homeless in Montego Bay

Men and women's shelter in Montego Bay, Jamaica

Progress continues at our Men’s shelter on the remodel of the kitchen. A new hood has been installed and the new stove is supposed to arrive this week. We are cleaning, scraping, and painting the walls and ceiling and also installing new sinks and prep tables. The kitchen, although small, will be as nice as it can possibly be to serve the guests the Lord brings our way. We prepare over 140,000 meals a year in this kitchen…unbelievable!! Praise God.

Men's Shelter Kitchen Remodel Update

Not only are we remodeling and building a new facility for our women and children’s shelter, but work is underway to remodel the kitchen at the Men’s Center.

We needed to get a larger hood for the stove and a more effective fire suppression system installed. Those items served as the catalyst for a total remodel, including a new and larger stove to keep up with the increased number of meals we are providing , moving sinks, opening up the center of the kitchen for prep tables, cleaning and painting the walls, etc.

The total cost will run about $20,000, but will make the  kitchen

Wes (L) is teaching recovery principles to a student

Wes Shepherd is a tremendous example of God’s grace and His transforming powers. When Wes came to the Mission for help, he had been using drugs for 20 years. Marijuana, Meth, and cocaine took Wes in and out of homelessness and jail. Camping down by the railroad tracks at night, running the streets by day, his life had become a walking death from addiction.

Everyone wrote Wes off, except his mother who faithfully prayed for him. The prayers paid off, as Wes eventually found his way to Gospel Rescue Mission in Tucson. According to Wes, “The love I received at the Mission did not depend on anything I did and it never changed. They cared for me and loved on me in ways I’d never known. I learned that if you are willing to admit that you made a wreck of your life, then it was possible to let God do something to change it. And He did. God has transformed every area of my life, especially my relationships with my family. Today I am clean and sober and I am married for just over 2 years.”

God reached deep into Wes’ life, helping him come to grips with the hurts and scars from his past and the disappointments he created through his choices, actions, and addictions. Wes realized that despite the level to which his life had deteriorated, it wasn’t too late to turn his life over to God. He realized that God, the potter, could remold his life into something useful that could bless others.

When Wes graduated from the Mission residential recovery program about 5 years ago, he was hired as a life skills instructor and Bible teacher. He began sharing lessons and Scripture that helped change his life with the other men in the recovery program. Having lived life on the streets, he was able to relate to the men in ways that others were unable. They listened intently to what he shared. Changes began to take place in their lives as well.

In addition to teaching classes, Wes facilitates a Genesis Process recovery group with about 6-8 men. The Genesis Process recovery materials are used internationally in Christian faith based recovery programs. The materials combine principles and processes of healing from addictions with scripture.

Working at the Mission gave Wes a desire to do even more to help others who are homeless or in recovery. So, Wes purchased a large home and opened a transitional home for men in December 2006. Not only is it an affordable housing opportunity for the men, but Wes offers classes to teach the men how to live wise, responsible, moral, and lawful lives. After the success of the first home, Wes bought and opened a 2^nd transitional home. He hopes to open 2 more in the near future. Over 70 men have already benefitted from his transitional houses.

If all of this isn’t enough to help others and to keep Wes busy, Wes also serves on the Board of Advisors of the Turn Your Life Around recovery agency. The agency assists men and women to sustain recovery from drug and alcohol addiction through outpatient counseling and services including, individual and group counseling, recovery support groups, life skills training, SMART Recovery, 12 Step meetings, employment services, and peer mentoring.

One of the programs that Wes oversees at the Mission is the Community Service Program. On a weekly basis, Wes takes the men from the recovery program out into the community to perform volunteer service projects. These projects have included helping landscape homes of the elderly, cleaning a neighborhood in Marana that doesn’t have waste management services, assisting a physically handicapped elderly woman pack and move from an upstairs apartment to the first floor, to name a few.

Wes believes that many benefits are derived from doing community service projects. He stated “It helps build character, it moves focus from self to others, and it elevates personal esteem through accomplishment. It ultimately puts faith to practical application by serving others”. The men learn from and enjoy their experiences.

From homelessness and drugs…to recovery and sobriety…to working at the Mission leading and teaching others in their journey of recovery…to providing affordable sober housing…Wes has not only transformed his life but helped hundreds of others to do the same.

Air conditioners and exterior foam now completed

Seven air conditioners were installed last week on the building being constructed at the new Gospel Rescue Mission Women & Children’s center.

Just today, the foam was added to the exterior walls around the entire building. It was unreal, how in just one day, this part of the project was completed. The next step is to stucco the foam on the exterior walls. The building will look much closer to completed once the stucco is added.

However, more work remains to complete the interior, such as flooring, kitchen equipment, sheet rock, etc. But each day we get closer to moving in.

Just 2 weeks ago we were contemplating having to slow down constrution, as our funds had diminished to about zero. We prayed for God to provide the funds, or to show us what we needed to do to slow down or pause the construction. In faith, we looked to God, for our answer. The very next day we received a gift of $10,000, which was followed the next day by another of $50,000, which was followed 2 days later by another of $204,000. So, just when we were contemplating US needing “to do something“, God once again came through with a jaw dropping answer to the immediate need. That’s been the case for the entire project!!!

We still need about $350,000-400,000 to complete the building, but we know that God will somehow provide that, as we get closer to again needing the funds to continue. For now, construction is going full force, with no slow down. Praise God.

Volunteers are also making regular progress completing the rooms that will be used for housing the women and children. Several are complete, including furniture and equipment. Our goal is to have the center open by year end, but God knows the day and time and we trust Him for that as well.

The expansion project has been an amazing journey of faith and just being obedient to God’s asking us to move forward trusting Him for all of the provisions. It’s been one amazing testimony after another of seeing God’s hand in the whole project. Nothing contrived or manipulated by us. Just walking step by step in faith.

Thank you to those who have supported the Mission and this project with your prayers, time, resources, and finances. It is truly God’s Mission and He has used all of our community to provide for the homeless women and children. God bless you.