Ken pastors "church for those who live outside" in the Portland area called HOME PDX. They meet outside. He and his crew distribute little necessities like socks and sweatshirts. They acknowledge these 'invisibles' and befriend them, encourage them and help them (however they can) to change their lives.
This is a recent financial report from Ken sent out to supporters of HOME PDX:
You gave more than twenty five hundred dollars and I went on a spending spree..Here's our operational plan: get money and then spend it as fast as we can on our friends without houses. We're really (I mean really) good at the spending part; the getting is a little more problematic, but you folks came through this time with flying colors.
A partial rundown:
$700 for our friends who were burned out of their squat. Backpacks,shoes, pants, gear
$1,300 (and counting) for our young friend in a tight spot with lung cancer. Transportation, medical supplies, chewing tobacco (come on, it's better than having him smoke), food, living expenses, etc.
$180 for a young man new in town. Sleeping bag, back pack, cell phone. (He's indoors and has a job now.)
$280 for tools and cell phone for a carpenter with hepatitus B. He's indoors, is healing up. He's also connected with the carpenter's union now.
$89 for a bus ticket to Boise for a young friend who had a job waiting there for him.
$60 to a friend in prison for toiletries (you have to buy your own soap,washcloths, shaving stuff, etc. in there)
$350 for other cell phones. It is nearly impossible to get a job or housing without one.
Somebody recently asked me, "How do you make sure that the "homeless people" you give to are worthy to be trusted? Or are you just a cowboy who shoots from the hip?" I'm a cowboy, I guess. I give to friends in need and in some kind of magical way my trust in them makes them trustworthy. We help our friends without houses move up and out at about 10 percent of the cost of the government and other non-profits. Why/how?
{Because we believe in them.}
HT: Pam Hogeweide
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
An Inspiring Financial Report/Budget
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4 comments:
How stinking cool is that?! Wow. I guess that's why you posted it huh? Ha! Thanks for sharing the 411.
Cheers.
I would so love to be a part of something like that. I got a taste back on Thanksgiving when we did deliver dinner to a homeless camp. we also brought some clothing & toiletries but haven't done anything in quite a while . Plus we were sort of on our own in this. that we were attending brought it up to do a similar thing on Christmas but the board voted it down because they were afraid they might be trespassing. That was the reason it it was just my wife, me and four of our children.
But it is a recurring burden that I have for the homeless. I usually don't know how to help them. My little bit of cash or feeding of one meal seems like just a drop in the ocean.
I would so love to be able to be a part of helping them actually change their lives and come up and out. I know it looks to a lot of them like too tall of a mountain. I have to believe that if we are just going out and being Jesus to people , things will change.
Oh God, I hope so....
Peace Be With You
Nathan, ya - cool huh?!
Shaun, I think it's great that you went ahead and did what was in your heart to do, with or without others. Sometimes that's what it takes. I pray that the Lord would continue to lead you and give you creative direction in how to proceed.
Tag :-)
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