Water Street, the Church, Poverty and Homelessness

Question: What’s our role as Water Street Ministries in partnering to meet needs of poor folks caught in a cycle of homelessness and poverty? And how does our role mesh with the role of the local church in working together to meet this need?

We are discussing this question on campus right now! Our goal of course is that our residential men and women become essential members of local congregations in the community. As our men and women emerge from this cycle of addiction and homelessness it is absolutely vital they connect with people in the church in a healthy and mutual fashion!

So we are speaking internally about how we can better coordinate our efforts at every point with the local church. And we are inviting discussion with local pastors about how we can serve them as they work to heighten awareness about issues of poverty and homelessness in their congregations.

If you’d be interested in dialoguing more about how Water Street Ministries might connect more intentionally and effectively with the local church, give Steve a call at 393-7709, X250 or e-mail him at Steve.Brubaker@WaterStreetMinistries.org

Sharing from a Volunteer

Below, a volunteer reflects about a first time experience serving at the Mission. We appreciate the sacrificial giving of time and energy that each volunteers invests into the ministry. Thank you for sharing this story too...

My son and I served in the kitchen last night and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We would like to do it on a monthly basis. The staff was very kind and the folks we were serving surprised me. I didn't realize how much the Mission does in a holistic approach to helping people heal and the tools that are available to foster them into a healthy and fruitful life. I don't think I mentioned to you that I have 17 years in recovery (AA) so I have spent plenty of time around those that are malnourished and in constant relapse. Your residents look so healthy - it's fabulous. Tom (I think that was his name) explained that a lot of it is the 3 nutritious meals per day.

I believe God has a role for me at Water Street. I'm learning to listen and be patient - I don't know what He has in store, but I'm suspecting it's not in the kitchen although I look forward to serving much more often. I'm one of those volunteer types that'll do anything and then ask what else needs to be done. Just put me to work :)

Children Seeking Truth

In one of the Pre-K classes of Wonder Club, the children were learning about the days of creation and the teacher was telling the class that on the seventh day God rested. One child got a very puzzled and concerned look on his face and wanted to know why God got arrested. “No, God didn’t get arrested; he rested.” A little extra clarification was needed for understanding.

3 John 1:4
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

Isn't it humbling to hear the words of these children as they learn new truths about their Heavenly Father? Perhaps the true message from this story isn't simply that God has a sense of humor, but also that He wants us to follow the example of these precious little ones and keep seeking His truth and wisdom daily as we walk with Him.

Lorraine Brandt • Wonder Club Administrator

Robert's story

For a class project at Millersville University, Sam was asked to create a form of art that exists online. Wanting to incorporate his passion for people, Sam chose to tell the stories of several clients at the Water Street Mission. Through his project, he said he hopes individuals will be “reminded of how fortunate they are to have what they have, and that they easily could have ended up like any of the people at the Water Street Mission.”

I walked into the library, a small space the size of a bedroom. Books on practical living, motivation and inspiration sat on the tables and lined the walls. Robert, 55, was comfortably seated on one of the couch chairs, legs crossed. His gaze on the book between his weathered hands was peaceful and meditative. His eyes lifted, meeting mine and we shook hands, introducing ourselves. There was something very honest about him that I could feel right away and knew I was going to love. The notebook I was using to record his story didn’t survive the meeting very long. It was pulling me away from being engaged in the conversation him and I were getting lost in.

Robert was raised in Baltimore and moved to South Carolina when he was in seventh grade. He graduated from a rough high school where fights and race riots were nothing out of the ordinary. “If you could survive, they passed you. I graduated high school and hadn’t learned a thing,” he told me. Robert was a big drummer, playing in both school bands and rock bands including Archie Belle and the Drells. He moved back to Baltimore and eventually to Pennsylvania where he started a drywall company.

The consequences of a few bad choices changed the route of Robert’s life in a dark way. When he began experimenting with hard drugs it was very occasional. Before he had the chance to take a step back and realize what he was getting into, his life had spun out of control. Life was no longer in his hands, but in the hands of the heroin that swiftly pulled him under. Heroin and crack dictated Robert’s life for years. When snorting no longer sufficed, the syringe came into play, and shooting up became a daily dependence simply to function. This threw into play another corkscrew; in 1981 Robert learned that he was HIV positive. The will to live was gone. “I figured ‘hey, I’ll be dead soon anyways, why stop now?’” he told me. After a long ten years passed and Robert was still alive, a light was starting to shine within him. He managed to quit using I.V. drugs, but was still tired of living life hanging by a thread. Three years ago, he fell upon the Water Street Mission, and they took him in with open arms. “I just wasn’t yet ready,” Robert said. He found himself back on the streets after relapsing. Then the result of one solid choice finally put his life back on a road to freedom from the sick cycle carousel of drugs and the emptiness that consumed him.

Robert was in the area and swung by the Water Street Mission to talk to Chuck Albright, shelter manager/intake worker. Chuck was a man Robert became close to through his first experience at the Mission. He just needed someone to talk to and confide in. Chuck of course asked him to come back and give freedom from his emptiness another try. Robert agreed to come back in about a week. “I remember that moment like it was yesterday” he said with a smile. “I had already planned where I was gonna get high that day.” And Chuck knew it. “No,” Chuck said. “If you’re doing this, you’re gonna do it right now.” That bit of persistence on Chuck’s part might have saved Robert’s life.

God can inevitably do some purely beautiful things and Robert’s life is a testament to just that. “Ninety-five percent of the people I used to do drugs with are all dead. They just couldn’t give it up,” Robert said. Almost thirty years have passed since he was diagnosed with AIDS, yet his medical condition is currently better than it has been in any of those years. Among his six children Victor, Tony, Kim, Ronetta, Targus, and Tina, not a single one of them have inherited the virus. “I had so much of the virus in me, I was taking twenty-two pills twice a day. Now I’m down to just two and better than I ever was with the virus.” Doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital are contacting him constantly trying to figure out how he is still alive. The virus in his body is currently ‘non detectable’.

It has been four months in the program, and things are going well. Normally there is heavy bigotry towards those suffering from AIDS, but the Mission didn’t hesitate to support him. He explained the Water Street Mission’s ministry as very open. There is a strong love here that is inevitably rooted in Christ. He went on to tell me how much he loves the Biblical Life Management class. “Nothing religious is forced, but is always available,” he told me. They want those in need to see the love of Jesus through the love the Mission gives. Robert has found a place to stay as he continues his journey, and he has found his home in Christ. I heard Robert’s whole life story, and in his 55 years, he has never had so much peace. The love of Jesus emanates from him.

You won’t get what you want but you will get me!

Sometimes we can drift as an organization and as individuals to think we don’t need God. The building of the Tower of Babel as described in Genesis 11 pictures a people eager to demonstrate the power of their collective unity rather than in God. So God chose to confuse the people’s language so they couldn’t understand each other forcing them to disperse into different people groups! God knew their heart was bent toward trusting in themselves; so He scattered them showing the need to rely on Him and Him alone. What they wanted – power from their collective wisdom apart from God – wasn’t what God wanted.

Isn’t it interesting that God doesn’t always give us what we want – but we can be confident that we will ‘get Him.’ And we can be certain that His agenda will go forward – with or without us!

Steve Brubaker – Chief Vision Officer

A Gift of tickets to The Fulton

Last week, Wonder Club Early Learning Centers were given 25 tickets through PNC Bank and the Fulton Theater to see a performance of “Annie” at the Fulton Theater. These tickets were made available to the parents of Wonder Club students so that they would be able to attend the show together as a family.

One Mom told us this story: She was looking online for tickets to Annie for a special Christmas present for herself and her daughter and her sister and niece. After browsing the website and seeing the cost, she knew this was unaffordable and called her sister to say she would not be able to do this. The next morning when she brought her daughter to school at Wonder Club Early Learning Centers, she was given the flyer stating that these tickets were available on a first come, first serve basis. She was ecstatic that she was now able to do this with her daughter, sister, and niece!

Praise God for the provision of these tickets! May God's extravagant love reveal opportunities to give generously just as PNC and The Fulton did for the families of Wonder Club Early Learning Centers!

If you are interested in more details for the Annie show, check out the website at:
http://www.thefulton.org/annie/

Randl's Story

For a class project at Millersville University, Sam was asked to create a form of art that exists online. Wanting to incorporate his passion for people, Sam chose to tell the stories of several clients at the Water Street Mission. Through his project, he said he hopes individuals will be “reminded of how fortunate they are to have what they have, and that they easily could have ended up like any of the people at the Water Street Mission.”

At 27, Randl had had enough. “I was in a whirlpool of crap,” he told me bluntly. Financially his life was spiraling downward. Though he tried to make ends meet, supporting himself and his eight-year-old daughter, Hayley, was becoming next to impossible.

Randl is a laid back guy with a quiet demeanor. It took a little bit of time to get into his past. During our first meeting we conversed for over a half hour but I didn’t realize until after I had left for the day that I had learned nothing about Randl’s life prior to the now. When we finally got into it, I understood why. A deep pain rides closely next to the memories of his history.

Randl grew up in a broken family, mainly residing in Quarryville, but moved around a lot as a kid. As a kid he suffered from bipolar disorder, anxiety and extreme depression. As he got older it worsened. He was in a tough financial standing as it was, so he had no medical or health insurance to visit a doctor. “I had no guidance and was pretty much left to fend for myself,” he told me. He couldn’t continue the way he was, and began to self medicate with alcohol and drugs. It was his only escape. He paused, as his gaze started to zone out. “I still hate even talking about this.” There was a pain that swept over his face as he continued. “Before I came here I didn’t know what else to do. To calm myself down, I was drinking and smoking so much.” It was his only release from the emotional and mental torture he endured daily. “I was at the point where I was on a melt down; completely self-destructing.” He was through with it. “I didn’t know where to go, but I wasn’t about to go back to the whirlpool.” He cried out to God for help, to follow His way, because he realized that his own strength just wasn’t working.

There are a lot of pretentious assumptions made about rescue missions and homeless shelters. “To be honest, I really didn’t want to go live with what I assumed were just a bunch of bums. I just needed somewhere to stay for a few days till I could get back on my feet for a bit.” He had no idea of what was in store for him. He knew nothing about the recovery program that was available, and that there were volunteers at the Mission specifically engaged in their client’s lives, to develop relationships with and help the struggling to find peace. Here he was able to receive proper medical help and find direction as he sought God’s guidance, giving up his pain and putting his trust in Christ. “I had to be completely taken apart and reassembled,” he told me. And that’s just what he did through the help of the Water Street Mission. The need for drugs to escape from his pain is no longer necessary. Love has taken over and saved him from the destruction he was quickly moving towards.

Randl is now twenty-eight years old, and has been in the program for eighteen months. He is working towards going to Thaddeus Steven’s School of Technology where he plans on getting his degree in architecture. Randl is solid and steadfast on moving forward in his life, and is happy to have had the help of the Mission. He tells me, “This is a great place to be if you’re ready to change.”

Dennis's Story

For a class project at Millersville University, Sam was asked to create a form of art that exists online. Wanting to incorporate his passion for people, Sam chose to tell the stories of several clients at the Water Street Mission. Through his project, he said he hopes individuals will be “reminded of how fortunate they are to have what they have, and that they easily could have ended up like any of the people at the Water Street Mission.”

Dennis walked into the room, a middle aged man with a grizzled light beard. He moved with a subtle caution in his step but a smile on his face. As soon as we began to chat I could feel that I was talking to someone with a lot of insight on the value and beauty of human life. As we spoke, it quickly became clear to me as to where this wisdom was coming from.

Dennis grew up in Pittsburgh in a family of alcoholism and abuse, both verbal and physical. For as long as he can remember, his parents were constantly putting him down for not being good enough or not meeting their standards. All the negativity that constantly bombarded him took a toll on his sense of self-worth. He told me that when he was young he would hide away from people and just daydream about a better life, one free from all the cynicism. Instead of encouraging Dennis, his parents would hammer him down. As he got older he began to find refuge in drugs and alcohol. “Those little daydreams I had as a kid were so enhanced when I was doing drugs. I was able to completely escape reality for a little, and I loved that.” Years continued to pass and he began to be convinced that he must be different, that he was a step below the rest of the world. He told me that while substance abuse “numbs the pain,” he also described how it “robs joy from the soul.” Dennis was hollow.

The years continued to pass and Dennis was going through life with a mindset of emptiness and aloneness. The people he thought were his friends took advantage of his vulnerability. He would try to be nice to everyone in hopes that he would be accepted, but instead he would end up being walked on. He grew more and more submissive and was losing respect for himself. It left him even more alone and deeply bitter. Through bad choices and adverse circumstances Dennis was given an ultimatum that landed him at the rescue mission.

When Dennis came to the Water Street Mission, he was taken aback. He wasn’t used to anyone showing him genuine love. It was something he had to adjust to and even now, at forty-nine, is still learning to embrace. To recover from spending the majority of life being trampled on requires a lot of healing. As we spoke, I could sense that between his words he was still subtly putting himself down. I was deeply burdened to hear such an honest and insightful person feel that he is falling short of some mark. Christ’s love is reflected in the love that the Water Street Mission shows Dennis, and he is learning to find genuine truth and self worth in Christ. He is developing a truer self-image of the man of God he is. He has been in the program for 20 months, and works at the Mission.

Dennis loves to read and write. He is also an artist. I had the privilege of looking at some of his computer-based artwork and was impressed with his solid understanding of basic design elements. He also shared with me a few pages of his journaling; his writing style is very honest and aesthetic. Dennis is continuing to grow in his relationship with both the people around him and with Christ.

Shoes for the Kingdom

Isn't it interesting how God desires to constantly use US, wherever we are, and with whatever we have? Yet, too often we aren't willing to lay down the things that God wants us to surrender to Him most. In the midst of the "busyness" of this Christmas season, may we all remember the sacrificial love that Christ demonstrated for us. Are we willing to give of ourselves, as he gave of Himself for us? Are we willing to surrender our possessions and our desires to give him glory? Wouldn't that be the best gift we could ever share with someone else?

The following story reflects the beauty that is seen in sacrificial giving...
A pastor of a local church was sharing with his congregation on the need to be generous. He challenged them to give to those in need - to reach out to their neighbor. Through this message, he went on to talk about the Bible mentioning we are to give the clothes off our own backs to the poor. The depth of this message resonated within the church members hearts in such a powerful way that they didn't want to leave without responding. In fact, someone actually decided to remove their shoes and leave them in the church. Before the morning had ended, the idea spread and 50 people walked out the door with NO shoes.

Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

The sacrificial love and surrender of these 50 bare-footed believers truly reflects the good news of our Savior! Praise God for the humble obedience of each person who gave of themselves for someone here at Water Street Mission. Each of these 50 pairs of shoes was delivered to Outreach Ministries where many will be impacted through the generosity of each person.

Matthew 25:34:40
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Keith Shetter • Director of Donor Relations

Talent Show at Teen Haven Camp

It was our first girl’s weekend camp of the school year. Our group had just arrived to the camp ground and headed straight for the dining hall. As I walked in I saw a girl shoot a shy smile my way. It was Tiana*. Tiana was a camper I had this past summer. The cabin she was part of was one of the most challenging cabins I’ve ever lead. In just a split second the memories of frustration and “fed-up-ness” hit me like a Mack truck, but when we hugged I felt so overwhelmed with love and affection for her that the memories of that week of camp immediately disappeared. We hugged and her countenance changed. It was almost like she was relieved that I remembered her and still hugged her…yea, that’s how bad it was.

Anyway, this weekend’s theme was talent show. Sign up was Saturday morning right after chapel and as the girls were getting in line Tiana comes up to me and with frustration in her tone says that she wants to do a talent but she doesn’t know what. I made some suggestions that she wasn’t excited about then she asked me to do a skit with her. Of course I wasn’t going to say no, so we started practicing for a skit based on friendship and how Jesus is the best best friend to have. She was so excited about it, until it was time for the actual show. She came up to me looking like a scared little girl…mostly because she was a scared little girl, saying that she didn’t want to do it. She was afraid everyone would laugh at her and she didn’t want people laughing at her. I told her if they laugh they’d be laughing at me and we practiced too much to give up and we’re going to do it cause everyone should know how to make Jesus their best friend. So when they called our names I took my place, she took hers and we did it! I was so proud of her. She did great!

On Sunday afternoon, after lunch, Miss Elizabeth began to make the announcements for who won the talent show. She began with 3rd place, then 2nd. Unassumingly I waited for the announcement of 1st place when I heard “Tianina!” (Tiana and Nina put together, which was our groups name) Tiana looked at me with eyes so big I thought they’d drop out of their sockets! She was shocked and not knowing what to do she just stayed in her seat with her jaw almost hitting the floor. She snapped out of it when I got up, we hugged (more like I hugged her) and we went forward and got our prizes. After sitting back down she shot me a shy smile again and whispered, “Thank you”.

As we all got dismissed to go home, God gave me the opportunity to share this message from Him with her. “You followed through with it for Me, and I rewarded you more than you could have ever imaged. Always remember that that’s who I am, a rewarder.” She smiled and shook her head in agreement and acknowledgement of what she’d just heard, then we hugged, again, and she said she’d see me next time. I know she’ll remember that moment for a long time.

I pray that we would also know that Jesus is a rewarder. He’s not looking for our falling short, His heart is to reward us for our faith even above and beyond what we could ever ask or imagine.

Nina Maldonado • Teen Haven, Lancaster Girls Program Coordinator

*Names of youth have been changed

Prayer Is the Key

The little phrase, “prayer is the key” is one we hear often. In working with children I am reminded again and again how true that little phrase is. I get excited about the stories that the teachers share during our prayer times regarding the impact that prayer has and is having on our students. We recently held our first parent teacher conferences of the year. These conferences usually either begin or end with prayer. Often during the conference we ask the parents how we can pray for them. While sharing these requests, parents help us see a clearer picture of the child and his needs. Not only can we pray more effectively for the children and their families but we are given insight into why they react in different ways as well.

One parent mentioned how her son is now praying at night. “God is great. God is good. He takes care of me everyday.” She also shared that they were talking about the child’s grandfather who is in heaven where God is. The son added that God is everywhere and not just in heaven. In another instance we had just prayed during our morning staff prayer time for two little boys in one of the classes who were not getting along. As they came in to school one of the boys said, “Jose is my friend…you’re my friend, right Jose?” and gave him a hug.

One of the teachers shared how impressed she was with the way in which her coworker prayed with the children. “She will pray with them when they are having a hard time coming into class in the morning, when a child is hurt, when there is a conflict between two children, when a child is having a hard time with discipline consequences, and on Fridays she will pray for the requests that are mentioned by the children during Bible time.”
The children are learning to pray and it’s exciting to hear from parents that the children are praying at home!

Lorraine Brandt • Wonder Club Administrator

Poetry Classes begin at the Lydia Center

Poetry. It’s an ancient craft that has wooed us and confused us for centuries. From the Song of Solomon to Shakespeare to modern free verse, poetry is at once moving to some and illusive to others. So what is poetry? How do we define it? Is it an outpouring of emotion? A way to express oneself? A portal to the truth of life? Yes, yes, and yes - all of this and more according to the women participating in the Lydia Center’s premiere poetry class. We called out our ideas and wrote them on the white board. We were a class of eager beginners – me, a first time poetry instructor, and five Lydia Center women, having chosen this class as an elective, new to studying poetry.

Several weeks ago, we opened this poetry class with a reading and discussion of Walt Whitman’s “I Heard the Learned Astronomer.” We addressed questions about the meaning and significance of this poem, why the poet chose to write in a certain style, what he might have been feeling in order to write this piece. We came to understand that often poets draw relations between unrelated things making their words resonate with the audience.

Whenever creative writing, especially poetry, is brought to a classroom, it seems there is the expectation that raw emotion accompany it, the nitty-gritty, the dark stuff. When the time came for each of us to try our hand at writing, I was astounded by the candor these women were willing to place palms-up at our table of sharing. One woman wrote of her difficult and exhausting inner journey, ending with words of hope. Another wrote the beginnings of an ode to her deceased father. Still another wrote of the loss of her mother. Each piece of writing included phrases that drew murmurs of emotion from the audience. Each piece held within it shards of truth gradually forming into a reflection of the writer’s heart. All of this on the first night! Not only was this the mark of strength and bravery on the part of the writers (some of them had never written poetry before), but also an indication of WSM’s successful efforts to create an environment of safety and honesty. I’m so excited to discover the creativity lying within these women in our meetings to come! It was a good first class indeed.

By Jennifer Chunko, volunteer