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

Archive for July, 2010

Special Medical Equipment for a Special Girl in Need

Gerardo, a single Dad in the Community comes to the Mission every month to pick up a food box for himself and his 3 daughters. Last week he came to pick up his regular food box, but this time he came with an extra need.

Gerardo needed a wheelchair and a walker for his 10 year old daughter Teresa. Teresa has cerebral damage which affects her motor skills and speech. Gerardo had been struggling to find this equipment and wasn’t in a position to purchase them. His last recourse was coming to Community Ministries at Gospel Rescue Mission .

According to GRM Community Ministries Director, Suzanne Williams, “We don’t regularly receive these types of medical equipment donations to meet these “specials needs. We almost had to tell him that we don’t have it” (a phrase we hate to say at Community Ministries).

But, once again God made a “Miracle” to provide.

One of our Staff members remembered the medical equipment that was used by a former Women and Children’s Center volunteer, Cindy Clark. Cindy had recently passed on to be with our Lord. The Mission contacted Cindy’s family and found out that the family was wanting to bless “someone with a special need” to give them the equipment.

After explaining Teresa’s need to the family, they were more than willing to donate it to GRM to pass along to Teresa. Thanks to this donation we were able to provide the equipment Teresa needed to better her quality of life. 

Everyday we see how God blesses a community member, other ministries, social sercive agencies, and churches using our GRM Community Ministries. We are a pass through, “connecting people who care to help with people who need care and help”. What a Blessing all around. 

A little more to go to re-stock the emergency food box shelves

The Mission is holding a “Christmas in July” food drive to restock the canned goods and non-perishable food itmes for food boxes to working poor families. The goal is at least 3,000 pounds of food that would equate to 100 food boxes. With 10 days to go, the Mission has collected 2,816 pounds!

Much thanks goes to KFLT radio that sponsored a week long food drive at Basha’s stores that totaled 879 pounds of food. Thank YOU to all who dropped off food at the Basha’s stores and to those who are dropping off food at our Mission. We will have over 2 months of food boxes through this drive. Many needy families will be helped in a time of emergency need.

Food needed includes: canned goods (vegetables, fruit, soups, and meat/fish), pasta, rice, beans, cereal, mac & cheese any other non-perishable items. You may drop off your items to either Shelter Women and Children’s 1130 W. Miracle Mile or the Men’s Center 318 W. 28th St. or Community Ministries 328 W. 28th St. Thank you.

Food Boxes go to needy families

The pantry shelves are half full

Canned foods are critically low at the Mission. In conjunction with Family Life Radio, Gospel Rescue Mission is conducting a non-perishable food drive at various Basha’s Grocery Store locations around Tucson the week of July 12th. The food will be utlized in food boxes to working poor families.

Daily Basha locations for food drop off are:                                                                                                                                                                                                Monday July 12th – Catalina AZ (Oracle & Golder Ranch) 6:30 AM – 9:00 AM                                                                                                                Tuesday  July 13th - River & La Cholla 6:30 AM – 9:00 AM                                                                                                                                                   Wednesday NO LOCATION                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Thursday July 15th – Swan & Camp Lowell  6:30 AM – 9:00 AM                                                                                                                                                           Friday July 16th – Thornydale & Cortero 6:30 AM – 9:00 AM                                                                                                      

Food needed includes: canned goods (vegetables, fruit, soups, and meat/fish), pasta, rice, beans, cereal, mac & cheese any other non-perishable items. Collection boxes will remain in each location inside of the store throughout the week to drop off food. The above list of locations and times are when KFLT is with us on location for a remote broadcast.

According to GRM Community Ministry Director, Suzanne Williams, “People may only receive one box a month from the Food Bank. Although this helps, the box only lasts a few days. People often need more than the one box. So, the Mission food box supplements the Food Bank box with a GRM food box.”

The food pantry at  the Mission’s Community Ministries Department is extremely low. Layoffs, work furloughs, and difficult economic hardships are bringing about 500 families a month to the Mission for help with food. The Mission distributes about 450 emergency food boxes from the Community Food Bank and monthly distributes another 50 plus GRM emergency boxes. 

Each GRM food box contains about 30 pounds of food. The goal of the drive is to generate at least 3,000 pounds of food, which would translate to 100 food boxes or about a 2 month supply of food.

People are encouraged to drop off food on the way to work or stop in at the Basha’s location and purchase some food items. A booth will be located outside each store and there will flyers with list of the needed items. Look for the GRM truck and the Family Life Van and you will find our booth near the front door.

Homeless Women & Children's Center Porch

Work has begun on the porch and overhang that surrounds the new building at the Women & Children’s Center. Progress on the building is being made daily and it is exciting. Our goal is to have the homeless center open by year’s end. We have an urgent need for about $650,000 to keep the construction moving along to completion on this one building alone. Please pray that God will raise up the donors and a “major” donor so we won’t have to slow down or halt construction.

If you are in the neighborhood, stop by and see the new center. It is beautiful to see and to know how many more women and children will receive much needed assistance out of homelessness and addiction for many years to come . Much thanks to our community for being an instrument of God to serve the least, the last, and the lost through financial gifts and volunteer labor.

There is  no doubt that the ministry of Gospel Rescue Mission is to “rescue” homeless men and women and addicts who are living at the “gates of Hell“. Some have already crossed over and we go there to get them back.

Praise God He uses us as His tools to reach the least, the last, and the lost…with their lives destroyed and all hope spent. People that society and even their family have often given up on. But God hasn’t given up. He created each person, loves each one and wants a personal relationship with them…the simple and true message of John 3:16.

We also know that Satan doesn’t like what God does in His rescue ministry at the Mission. Attacks come…spiritual, emotional, physical, financial, as Satan tries to thwart God’s work. It’s amazing the crazy things that can happen each day at the Mission. So, we need to keep our perspective and realize that it is not the person or problem that is our issue. It is the wiles of the evil one. Too often we can get upset or frustrated with the circumstance or person and miss the underlying cause.

We must then remind ourselves of the spiritual battle and putting on our armor of God, as found in Ephesians 6:10-18. Our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the powers of darkness.

So, I guess it’s a good “thermometer” of sorts that we seem to regularly face some very difficult issues at the Mission, as it may indicate that Satan is not pleased with what God is doing at the Mission bringing men, women, and children to salvation, changing lives, making disciples and “rescuing” people from the gates of Hell. If nothing were happening for the “kingdom’s sake” then Satan wouldn’t care to attack. Praise God!