October 2016 Newsletter – President’s Corner: Preparing for our busiest time of the year

We are entering our busiest season of the year here at the Mission. Over the next few months, we will see a big increase in the number of men, women, and children who need food, shelter, and clothing. Consequently, all our available beds are occupied, our kitchens are feeding as many of the desperately poor as possible, and our Bargain Store is providing clothes and home furnishings to more needy families than ever. Between now and the new year, we will serve approximately 91,000 meals and provide 21,000 nights of shelter for the homeless. And we will do all that for free because of the generosity of our supporters.

The first meal we give a homeless man at the Men’s Home, or the first night we house a homeless woman and her children at the Family Home, is often the first step in a remarkable transformation in the lives of the people we serve. We strive to show all our guests the love of Christ from the moment they cross our threshold, and we know from experience that God begins to work in their lives from that instant. Gifts from friends like you ensure our guests receive the education, training, counseling, and spiritual guidance that help them become independent and self-sufficient for the rest of their lives.

The Mission team has the extraordinary privilege and almost unimaginable blessing of watching the progress of our guests. We see them spend their first night with us, we expose all of them to the Word and love of Christ
(for many guests, it’s their first time), and we watch them grow in learning, skills, and wisdom so they can achieve
lives of independence and dignity. We want them not only to know about God, but also to know God Himself.
Having the chance, as a member of the Mission team, to be a vessel of that knowledge and love is both inspiring
and humbling. Thank you for making all that possible.

Love in Christ

-Fred B. Clayton

President/CEO