CBF Homeless Ministry in North Carolina

[Bruce Gourley]

Here's the . The homeless ministry is very holistic in nature.

[Neil Heath]

A good book making the rounds and causing a stir in my area is called "Same Kind of Different As Me". I've read it and recommend it highly. It's told in alternating chapters by a wealthy international art dealer and a homeless man as their lives intersect and they become lifelong friends. There are some quotes that make the price of the book worthwhile all by themselves. You'll understand how the homeless think and feel a lot better after hearing it from one of them. You may even glimpse the hand of God at work in ways that will change your life for the better.

[Big Daddy Weaver]

The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce (where my wife works) organizes/sponsors an area-wide event called One Book, One Waco. Basically, all of the Waco middle schoolers, high schoolers, Baylor freshmen, students from the local community college and many individuals from the community read the same book and then there are several events, essay contests, etc. for discussion of the book. Back in the Spring 2008, the One Waco book was Same Kind of Different As Me. The authors came to Waco and spoke as well.

Waco has a large homeless population and well-known homeless advocate (and Baptist minister) Jimmy Dorrell operates his ministry out of Waco. It's called Mission Waco. His church - Church Under the Bridge - meets on Sunday mornings under the I-35 bridge that separates the Baylor campus from downtown Waco. I've been once - a mixture of Waco's homeless and Baylor students attend. It was profiled in PEOPLE magazine a couple of months ago. Dorrell (who I think spoke at a New Baptist Covenant workshop in Atlanta) is a pretty influential guy in Waco and likes to exert his influence when possible for sure. His big fundraising gala every year is attended by most business leaders and Baylor leaders. Jim Wallis spoke a couple years back.

Alexis through her job at the Chamber of Commerce works with the Homeless Coalition. Her parents who live in Waco also work with the homeless. When they moved to Waco for Alexis' mom to attend Truett seminary, they bought an old house in need of repair in a rough neighborhood. Dorrell also lives in their neighborhood. They got VERY active in the community and helped improve the neighborhood. It's a much safer place now than a couple of years ago. Alexis' parents have befriended many homeless Wacoans and paid them to help do construction and yard work. Her dad is a lawyer so he provides free legal services for folks who really need the help.

So, in the last couple of years, I've had homelessness on the brain and it's been the topic of many discussions and I've had a number of experiences with Waco's homeless as well. My experiences have been both positive and negative. Sometimes, late at night, the homeless that hang around the cluster of fast-food restaurants near Baylor get really aggressive. I've seen these aggressive requests for spare change almost erupt into violent confrontations when Baylor students are involved. I really do admire those who minister to homeless. It's not an easy task and not everyone is cut out for that type of ministry. It's an especially difficult task for folks like Dorrell to convince your average citizens, business and community leaders that they should help the homeless. So many people have had negative experiences with the homeless at one time or another, it's a tough sell, in my opinion. Sometimes people have to be shamed into doing the right thing...

[Ed Pettibone]

[Big Daddy Weaver]

By the "right thing" (in a context where homelessness is on the rise), I mean getting those in the community, specifically leaders, to give a hoot about the homeless and confront rather than ignore a real problem.

Beyond just "giving a hoot," I realize that determining what is the "right thing" to do might be difficult as you noted.

[Haruo]

[Haruo]

Mrs Haruo says, if anybody has any questions they'd like to address to a woman who's had some experience living in several different shelters over the years, feel free to PM her...