"Them"

The Homeless.

Others call the people living in the woods off of West Market Street (and many other locations around Bloomington-Normal, but shhh, we don't want publicity to "help" them any more than it already has) "the homeless" as if it is a group of 14 people who have been living there for years. In reality, the people who inhabit these locations are a constantly changing. When we return, I will be shocked if I know any of “our friends” after being gone for this past year. Instead, it will be a handful of new friends to meet and weave into our lives for the time that they want that.

Others assume that they are all sex offenders, all mentally ill, all alcoholics, all lazy, all sloppy and all a threat to us law abiding tax payers. Others would be wrong.

Some people in our town who have found themselves without a home for a time have been some of these things. So have some "homed" people. So have some of my family members, and I bet, so have some of yours. 

I will never make an excuse for anyone's bad choices or bad behavior. In every aspect of my life, from myself to my children to strangers, I have high accountability standards.

I will, however, ALWAYS meet someone where they are and love them there. I will love them until they refuse to be loved any more. I believe it is the only way to live. I believe that when I pray for peace and a better world, that this is the way I can be a part of creating that on earth. I am thankful that there is a group who lives this same way and that we have all been able to work together with relationship as our common goal.

We cannot wait for people to clean up their acts and THEN love them.

The problem with doing ministry this way is that people look at those of us who love our friends and say, “You are STILL working with the homeless? Why haven’t they cleaned up their acts yet?”

The truth is that they have, and they have moved on, and others have come. We have been blessed to be able to continue being a community to all who end up in our paths.

Some other truths that I want Bloomington-Normal to know.

We are told that our town is very well suited for transient people. The way that the interstates all converge on Market St makes it very easy to arrive here and then leave when the time is right. That area is also full of public restrooms and truck stops, so the woods are not full of feces as many seem to imagine.

Simple gestures such as a shower, a haircut, typing a resume, offering an internet connection to apply on-line for a job, or helping someone with less than a 3^rd grade education sign up for GED classes at Heartland Community College have gone a long way in improving our friends’ lives.

Have we given propane and blankets and tarps…Yes.

In the same way that I would feed a child who comes to school hungry before I can expect him to learn anything, our group meets the basic needs of people who we are already in relationship with in order to continue their progress in other areas. The newspaper doesn’t see any of that. The community has no way of knowing that.

It is true that many who we meet have reasons that they are prohibited from staying in local shelters. It is also true that we have met some who choose to live outdoors. Again, the group of people that I work with would be silly to think that we could change any of that. So we don’t. We share meals and we offer friendship. Often that has led to us being in a position to offer advice and point a friend to better options. Sometimes, we have to believe that we have planted a seed. We have been a voice of love and encouragement. We will never know the effects.  

Does someone who has been deemed a sex-offender get less cold in the winter? Does someone who has served time in prison not get hungry? Should we only help them once they have gotten their lives together? No. Often times, we can be the ones who offer the small gesture that sets them on their way to a better life. Even if all we offer them is hope.

Hope is not a small thing.

Snow

For the past few days, they said that snow was going to come. We knew this was coming. I had my doubts due to the multiple times that storms are imminent, and then the winds change and it snows everywhere EXCEPT Bloomington-Normal, but this time, the winds didn't change. By 3pm yesterday, it was technically, a blizzard, big, wet snowflakes and high winds. 

Everything for the afternoon and evening began to be cancelled. Officials were calling everyone to stay off of the roads.

Our Christmas dinner was scheduled for 5:30. 

 I was so excited for the first snow, I really was. I was smiling and giddy as the first flakes fell. I had a problem though. In that giddiness, there was a nagging in my heart. They were out there. 

Back in August, I met some people who live in tents. These aren't just "homeless people", they are Russ, Will, Michigan, DD, Faith, Chris, Julie...the list goes on. They were out there. My friends were outside in the snow. 

I considered rescheduling the dinner for a moment, but as I thought about how that conversation would go...

Hey DD, we aren't going to be able to have the dinner tonight. You know, the one where we planned to bless you with a warm meal, new gloves, hand warmers, coats, heaters, blankets, etc. Yeah, well, it's too cold and the roads are dangerous, so...

...I quickly realized that wasn't going to happen.

Instead, I called Dave and said, "We can't wait until 5:30. Go over there and pick up everyone you can find." 

Within an hour, Dave had a van-full. I had to borrow my friend's van to get the kids and I to the church.

We had a wonderful warm dinner. There was plenty for everyone.

We gave gifts.

There were tears as we handed them personalized stockings. Beautiful.

There was laughter as the guy with no teeth pulled a toothbrush out of said stocking.

There were tears when they opened “just what they needed”.

There was amazement when they opened “how did you know I needed that?”

God is so good.

He has brought us to this place, to these relationships. We will continue to walk with Him and honor Him.

As if that dinner weren't enough, we ended the night with a giant slumber party at our house. I slept so well knowing that everyone I love was warm and safe. 

Kelley's Heart

A post today from Kelley Becker...

Lately, I have been reflecting on what God is doing in my heart and life and in the hearts and lives of my partners in ministry. You see, this is not what I had planned.

My plan was to provide meals, warm clothes and other necessities to a group of people that are living in tents within our city. My plan was to be a friend, to stand with them and to show them that they are not alone or forgotten. My plan was to remind them daily of how very much God loves them. Honestly, I was hoping that I would do these things and their lives would be transformed by God's love and grace.

God's plan, though, was so much better! Instead of changing their lives, God changed mine. I don't want to be the friend who drives across town, visits for a little while and then drives back to my neighborhood. I want our neighborhoods to be the same. I want us to borrow sugar from each other, help each other bring in groceries, borrow tools and get together late at night to watch scary movies. I want to be able to walk next door with cold medicine or Kleenex or the tweezers to remove a splinter. I want to do these things because I know that they would do them for me. They have told me so.

In the last week, these things have happened:

I sat around a campfire and exchanged travel stories with these friends. The places they have been! The stories they have! When I told them where I am taking teens from our church to do mission work, they had a list of things that I have to be sure and do and see with the teens when I get there.

One of the guys, who doesn't believe in all this "God stuff" said, "Bless you" to me this week.

One of the gals that we are friends with got a job this week. She couldn't wait to tell us all about it. They have a plan to get an apartment and they can't wait to have us over!

And now, I look forward to Thanksgiving and full bellies and stories and laughter and pictures and memories. Mostly, I look forward to the day that I believe is coming. The day of our first neighborhood "block party" and all of you will be invited.

Holy One, You created us and You know each of us by name.

You care about everything in our lives.

There is no place that we can go where you are not.

We belong to You.

Rescue Your children who live in tents, hidden in trees.

Provide for them warmth, shelter and full bellies.

Hold these precious people in your arms so that they will know that they are not alone. Give us the courage to stand with them and to give of our selves and our resources so that Your love and Your grace will be revealed through us.

Grow and strengthen our friendships so that as we live together, we will see Your image reflected in one another's eyes.

In Your Holy Name we pray, Amen.

.....Times, they are-a-changin'.....by dave :)

So life is so different for my family and me right now....I honestly don't remember who I was before this journey began a mere three months ago.  The combination of reading 7 by Jen Hatmaker & beginning this friendship with a wonderful group of men (and a few women!) who happen to live in tents still gives me goosebumps.  So many amazing stories filled w/ laughter and tears.  What I find very amusing is the fact that I used to joke with Cara that I never heard God talking to me...I always talked to him.....just never heard anything back.....Cara was the one with the batphone to God....I just got my messages from God via Cara.  I have had more "God moments" in the past three months than I have had in my first 47 years on this earth.....I actually have learned how to REALLY listen to God and stop calling the shots....O.K., I still try to call some shots...but I'm getting better!!  Quick "God moment" (one of 20+ moments in three months...pretty impressive!!) as an example of God's sense of humor....So Cara reads these insprational books by these amazing people who are actually "living like Jesus" and shares them w/ me, and I struggle to find time to read these authors' incredible stories.  So we have been talking about Shane Claiborne's book The Irresistable Revolution, which I am absolutely loving!  Anyway, a couple weeks ago, we were talking to one of our new friends who was "passing through" which turned into a few weeks....and out of the blue, he asks us if we've ever heard of Shane Claiborne?!?!?  He says that the way we are doing what we are doing reminds him of his FRIEND, SHANE CLAIBORNE....WHO HE WENT TO SCHOOL WITH!!!!!  I almost fell over!!!...well, of course, Tim knew Shane.  We asked him if he had read any of his books which he replied,"No"....but he had all of these astounding stories of the their time together.....WHICH WAS IN THE BOOK I AM READING!!!!!....talk about your God moments!  So anyway....everything that I think about and do has changed in perspective.....nothing is the same.....I know that sounds so cliche'....in the next few days, I am looking at getting rid of a lot of my clothes....I really don't have a lot to begin with....but after wearing only 7 items of clothing during September....and doing 4-5 loads of laundry for the guys every week.....clothes are really not that important!!  I really have not watched much TV at all since school started...but this whole media month for 7 has really given me more quiet time w/ God....TV is not that important to me......I think I see about 2-3 movies in the theater per year.....those of you who knew me for many years are probably checking who is actually blogging here....it COULDN'T POSSIBLY BE DAVE MCMORRIS......he used to see EVERY movie!!  As I've said.....life is SO different for me....and my heart is so filled up every day!!  And our kids are seeing this and living life so differently as well....I've said it before and I'll say it again....my kids are pretty awesome...and learning to live more like Jesus every day.  And while I'm talking about amazing people...it must be said that Cara is the most amazing person I know.....here is my chance to say that I have never had an original thought in my head....all ideas that people think that I came up with....are Cara's ideas...I just take them and run with some of them!!  We actually make a very good team!!

Some people have asked me how long we are going to keep feeding our friends.  I said, "Forever....I think."  I mean, the people may change over the years...but the need is still there....and the relationships are what the real thing is anyway....giving food and essential needs is easy....giving our love and relationship is what really matters to these guys.....God has seen to changing our hearts for that! 
Last interesting tidbit......the other night, I got a message from some friends of ours who saw a homeless man outside of Schnucks but were not comfortable talking to him....so they called me to ask if I could go talk to him.  Of course, I was humbled and honored that they thought of me....but slightly amused because I am not a "homeless whisperer".  I have quickly forgotten at times how uncomfortable people are with the homeless......they are God's children....same as us.....half of my own children want to BE homeless when they grow up....so they can live in tents in the woods!!  I am blessed to have them in my life....I am excited that we are staying here for Thanksgiving this year...as we have invited all of our new friends to our house for Thanksgiving.....I am looking forward to a wonderful day filled with many memories for years to come!....until next time.....  :)

How it all began

August 13, 2012
Kelley and I had a conversation at the end of VBS about the fact that none of the sack lunches that were made for the Boys and Girls Club were taken. She and her son, Andrew, ended up driving around town looking for people to hand them out to. In their driving around, someone told them about the existence of a tent village somewhere in town. Andrew's immediate response was, "Why are we not out there? Why don't we know about this?" Some friends and I agreed with this sentiment, so we made plans to go find the tent village the following day with Kelley.
We first pulled up to the wooded area where we thought the tent village may have been located. We came upon a gentleman with a bike, sitting at the entrance to what appeared to be a trail into the woods. As we approached with our big naive smiles, he says, "Is there a problem? Am I doing something wrong?" Our first bit of education about the homeless. People don't approach them to do or say nice things. When someone approaches them, they are typically in trouble.
We told him our little story and gave him a lunch for himself as well as a few extras in case he saw anyone who needed one. In our minds, he was sitting at the entrance to this big tent village full of people who needed to eat. Since then we have found out that in reality, the tent village no longer exists because the city had it bulldozed in the spring, and this was not the location of it in the first place.  When the city decided to bulldoze the tent city, they did offer bus tickets to the homeless..."Probably to get them back to their summer homes in the Hamptons," said someone snarkier than me.
We asked that wonderful gentleman, who we have not seen again since that day, if he knew where others might be. He told us of a few locations to look, and sure enough, we found small group of men gathered.
I will never forget walking up to the guys that very first time and meeting Big Dennis, Double D, Russ and 'Bama. They were so happy about the lunches and when I asked what else they needed, DD joked about needing a job and the others mentioned socks and underwear. I was instantly humbled. Sock and underwear were the greatest needs.
The next day, Dave really wanted to serve the lunches after he heard how wonderful our experiences were. Then, it rained, and when Dave showed up, no one was out.
Another thing we have learned. When we get wet, we go home, change clothes and are dry again. When they get wet, they are wet and cold for days. To avoid this, when it rains, they don't leave their tents. They get to somewhere dry, and they don't come out, even for food. Minor let down for Dave.
Luckily, he had better luck the next day. It was a great experience for him and that very day he declared, "I am going to do this every day on my lunch break!" I thought he was crazy to make a commitment like this the week before school started, you know, the time of year when he is already weeks behind before he even begins, but he made it all work. Scratch that....God made it all work. God continues to make it all work day after day.
We are far from perfect at this ministry thing, but as I research other organizations that work with the homeless population, I am also learning that we are farther from doing it wrong. We are learning from our experiences as well as from others who have embarked on this journey before us.

Likewise

Luke 10, Cara's version
One day a religious expert asked Jesus what it took to live a heavenly life.
Easy. Love God and love your neighbor, right. Right.
Oh, but one more thing, because some of my neighbors are smelly or mean or not like me. And others really should just get their lives together if they really want to be loved, so just to clarify...
Who exactly are my neighbors?
Then, Jesus told the familiar story of the Good Samaritan, the man who did what was unexpected, the man who didn't let rules or cultural norms decide what was the right thing to do. He simply did what he knew was right.
The religious leader agreed that the Good Samaritan indeed was a "good guy". Agreeing that what someone else does is noble or right is easy.
Jesus never lets us off with what is easy though. His next line is this:
Now YOU, go and do likewise.

What was begun by God on August 13th, 2012 and has been a daily part of our lives since, is now an official not-for-profit ministry.

Welcome to Likewise, a organization committed to following Christ's command to to serve our neighbors with mercy, love and grace. We will continue to serve the homeless in Bloomington, IL by being in daily fellowship with our friends, serving lunches 7 days per week, and serving dinner at least once every week. We will meet the basic needs of this marginal community the very best we can when it comes to food, health, shelter, warmth, and clothing, as funding allows.