New Direction, New Start

[christian_soldier]

My wife, Patricia, happened to catch a short TV news story about the New Start Rescue Mission, in Quincy, IL founded by a fellow named Chuck Smith and his wife.

They have used over $30,000 of their own money (and my sense of it is they are NOT spending out of an excess) to bring a building up to code to house up to 10 or 11 homeless men, providing God's Word and practical training to help get these folks' lives back together.

Sadly, they have only gotten the first floor done and the city fathers don't seem to be making things easy for them...they don't even allow them to have a stove, only hot plates. The good citizens in the area don't seem to be interested in helping out.

Patricia had noticed from the film shots that they had plastic containers of food there and she felt moved to try and do something to help.

She brought an idea to me and we decided to contact Chuck to see if we might lend a hand.

As a result, Patricia will be providing an Easter dinner at the mission for about 15 - 20 folks!

I am delighted to now have the opportunity to spend Easter Sunday with them, delivering a brief sermon and music ministry via guitar and voice (may the Good Lord help me!)

There is a short news story here:

http://www.khqa.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=58599

New Start Rescue Mission may be reached at (217) 223-2100 if you would care to arrange for a donation or through our web site at http://christiansoldiersonline.org

Glory be to God!

 

[christian_soldier]

Re: New Direction, New Start - Update

WOW!

What a blessing today was.

We had about 20 people in attendance at the mission, between residents, family and assorted.

I have little idea yet who is who, but, intend to drop in as much as possible to lend a hand.

Patricia's dinner was awesome - turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, carrots, corn, broccoli, skewered fruit (fruit kabobs?), lemon poppy seed bread, corn bread, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, mandarin orange pie, German chocolate cake. I think I've missed some stuff, but, she out did herself cooking and organizing everything. What a blessing her improved health is, allowing her to do this at just the right time to be of service. Its been months and months since she has been able to do anything, let alone pull this together.

After dinner I was blessed to be able to preach a sermon - with God's help I did OK for a layman. I utilized a sermon I found online and filled in as I went, as inspired.

Afterwards, I played guitar and sang some songs - kind of scary as I'm no virtuoso. Back in the day, I was a sax player - Blues, R & B, and Swing, but this was a bit different.

Hopefully it was pleasing to the Lord!

I hope y'all will visit the New Start web site and help spread the word that they need and deserve help.

http://newstartrescuemission.org/

Chuck Smith (nope, not the well-known one) is a man after God's own heart - a genuine and compassionate man who has used his own resources (and not out of abundance, but sacrificing) to provide a place for homeless men to rebuild their lives through Christ.

The local Salvation Army was turning folks away in the freezing winter cold, but not New Start!

They get no love from the city and little from the locals. I pray that will change over time. Our personal Christian Soldier mission is to encourage them, and try to raise awareness of their mission and their needs.

I'm hoping that among the crew is some musical talent and that, perhaps, we can get a music ministry going to raise some funding.

If you can toss some aid their way, it will be accepted with good stewardship.

At the least, drop them a line of encouragement and travel cyberspace and help get their cause known in the Christian forums (and the bleeding heart secular forums, too, if you dare tread there. :wink: )

Blessings,

Bruce