Every time I drive up to my house, press the garage door opener (I love those things), park my car and go inside and look around I cannot help but think how blessed my family and I are. I am one of those people that have been given the best of earthly gifts. By the grace of God I have a family and some friends that love me and I have a place to call home. The furnace works, and there is almost always plenty of food in the cupboards. Every night of my life these days I can say that I’ve been fed (that is plain for everyone to see) and that I have a warm and comfy place to lie down and rest after a day’s work.
Sadly, not everyone in our area enjoys the same advantages. Many are without jobs and in need of daily necessities. On the upside, we are all blessed to reside in a community with a heart. Many of our neighbors have responded to the nudging of the giver of all good gifts (God, e.g. see James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”) in a variety of ways to help the hurting among us.
One example is found in the Interfaith Hospitality Network, a coalition of local churches that opens their doors to homeless families every night and who cooperate, under the direction of New Pathways in ways that are intended to provide meaningful, holistic interventions resulting in real turnarounds including job opportunities and permanent housing solutions for those in need.
Daniel Tupy of New Pathways tells me that “Since our year has started in July 09 we have worked with 90 individuals experiencing homelessness. 52 of which were children. We work with families in the immediate 6 county area and there are stringent criteria to qualify for New Pathways. What that means in simple terms is all other personal and community resources must be exhausted first. As a result the families we work with are often in a fragile state and their needs extend far beyond needing a job and a place to stay. We recently had a family arrive with only the clothes they were wearing. In this case thanks to our community’s generosity this family will now be better equipped when they leave the program.”
This is an awesome program getting wonderful results and they deserve our support. Tonight at the Franklin Crossing Arts Center Auditorium in Brainerd a Benefit Concert for IHN is being held at 7 pm. Musicians from several churches are coming together under the direction of Key Lane, Worship Arts Pastor at the Journey North Community Church (the girl, as is widely known, can ROCK) and the program will also include a real story from a family helped dramatically through this ministry. Come on out tonight and enjoy some quality music and be inspired to help according to your ability.
Please call Daniel Tupy at New Pathways, Inc. (218-454-0460) with questions about other ways you can lend a hand.
