Rescue Mission

For the past few months I've been taking the family down to the Rescue Mission on the 3rd Friday to serve. For awhile, I wondered if this was really worth it- it was far from the Mission scene in Dr. Horrible- you know, kindly indigents quietly eating their soup with thankful, beatific looks on their faces. This was more like a bunch of people who knew how to work the system (many were coming from one meal a few blocks over and many more were preparing to go just a block down for yet another meal after- with it possible to get free breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the week now in PDX, no one needs to go hungry here).

But, slowly, I've come to appreciate, and even look forward to being there. 

I think it's impacting me in a very good way. 

1st, there's the compassion thing. I recognize that there ARE a lot of folks on the street who for one reason or another choose to be there. Yeah- it's a hard life, but being a "normal" to them is probably harder, so this is what they prefer. But in spite of those folks, every time I'm there, my heart is captured by someone's face, someone's story- someone who clearly would rather be elsewhere- who's either been beaten down by life, is suffering mental illness, or has just gotten old and finds that it's a hard life to make your way in. I love those folks, and more and more as I'm around them I am learning what it means to just sit and talk, listen, pray for and with them. 

2nd, there's the family thing. They LOVE our kids. We bring all three, with Jack and Jane serving on the line in aprons and Josie usually riding on my back in the pack. They smile to see a baby, have a small child serve them. And, our kids love going- they are learning to serve. They are learning that not everyone lives the kind of life we do. 

I think a lot of people come down to the Mission and see the line of guests come through, realize they will be served and eat whether we come and volunteer or not and so wonder if it's really worth it. 

It is.

It's worth it to them to be served by someone who cares, who smiles, who offers them kindness when what they normally get on the street is contempt, who will pray for them, look them in the eye and treat them like a person...

And it's worth it to us- but not immediately. I think the "magic" of serving in a place like the Rescue Mission is what happens over months and maybe years of regularly showing up- learning names, hearing stories, offering kindness and prayer- having your views change and your heart moved. That won't necessarily happen the first time you come or even the 4th or 5th time... but like our friends in the recovery community say- "Keep coming back- It works if you work it." 

And it does work...

Comments

[Mark Silvers]

Bob, thanks for encouraging me via this entry. Have a blessed day. Pray for my family that we will find a place to serve together. Mark Silvers, a fan of Dustin Bagby. :)

[Pam Hogeweide]

My bro-in-law just entered the mens residential recovery program. It was quite an eye opener to come along side him and help him in the process of getting in. I had to take him down to 111 W. Burnside at 1pm to see if there was a space for him. This is their requirement, anyone interested in recovery has to make that effort to show up at 1pm each day until space opens for them. For some people the door will open quickly; for others, like my bro-n-law, it took persistence, but on the 12th try, he got in.

So I suddenly found myself down at the PRM a lot, going inside and seeing how they do things, at least in the front office area. I have so much respect and admiration...I had no idea how much they offer. And yes, of course there are many people who "work the system," which if I was hopelessly addicted or alcoholic or mental or whatever, totally I would learn to work it too.

But now my bro-in-law is there. Over six years of homelessness due to severe alcoholism. Many, many nights sleeping outside on concrete, up in Seattle. Last winter, remember the snowstorms? He did not always make it indoors on those nights. He's 56.

I don't think he'd survive another winter in the grip of his alcoholism. But some things happened that led him on his journey and now he's been sober for almost three months. Significant for him. And I am full of hope that this time...maybe this time, he will stay on track with recovery and never again become hostage to the mind-boggling addiction to alcohol. Those who are not alcoholic struggle to understand how strong men, who are husbands and fathers and hard workers can lose it all. It's insane.

So thank you Bob, and Amy, and your two kids, who are loving on the broken brothers and fathers and husbands and sons that walk into the mission for a meal. If you see a small man with a nametag that says Allen, introduce yourself. Tell him you know me. He is on some kind of dinner duty helping sanitize the place during the meal.

Bless you guys!