Me? Work with the homeless?

If someone had told me when I was younger that I would be working at a homeless shelter, I would have laughed at them. My dream was to be a history teacher. I never knew much about homeless people. I grew up in a middle class family. I remember helping our church when they went to the York Rescue Mission to serve meals and doing a chapel service. I remember thinking “those poor people.” However, I never really got to know them or talk to them. When I was 25 years old, I joined Brethren Volunteer Service, a volunteer organization in the Church of the Brethren. My first year assignment was at a homeless shelter in Fremont, CA as a case manager. What an eye opening experience for me!!!!

While there, I learned a lot about homelessness but more importantly I developed relationships with the men and women who stayed there. One woman, who was a resident, said to me one day, “you can become homeless!” That comment struck me in such a way that it made me think! She was right! I could lose it all because of choices or circumstances in my life. The homeless are people just like you or I. They have families. They have children. They have hopes and dreams. They go through problems. God knows how many hairs on their head like he does ours. God loves them like he loves me even when all of us make mistakes. God sent his Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for anyone who believes in him (it doesn’t matter if your homeless or not!)

That year working in Fremont taught me a lot about homelessness but the people who were homeless taught me so much about life! Since I came back from that year, I have continued working with the homeless. I have tried to use that experience and my current experience to educate people whenever I can about people who are homeless. We aren’t different!

Matthew 25:40 “ …I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

- Mary Minnich, women’s counselor