Volunteer Opportunities

With the holidays just on the horizon, our need for volunteers increases. Our Family Center is in need of volunteers to help schedule appointments for the Christmas Store, as well as doing some follow-up data entry. These volunteers will need to be available Mon-Fri, 9am - 4pm and beginning November 28th.

Each year we have a Live Nativity that runs the week before Christmas, however, this year the animals are not available. We are in need of individuals to put together the nativity set, as well as volunteers who can donate plywood that will be cut and painted as the animal shapes.

 

We receive donations of many vacuum cleaners through our thrift stores, however often times they are not in good working order.  We are in need of a volunteer who can look these over and make repairs as required.

 

If you can assist with any of these important volunteer opportunities, please contact Tammy at 816-329-1487. Thank you for your care and concern of those we serve!

Community Assistance - Holiday assistance will be available soon!

The Mission's Community Assistance group continues to be busy helping families with clothing, household needs, food, and furniture.  Beginning in  November, Women and families may apply for Thanksgiving food baskets. 

In addition, women and families who are seeking Christmas assistance may pick up an inquiry form for Christmas Store assistance NOW! 

The inquiry forms are available at Community Assistance at the Family Center at 1310 Wabash, during the Community Assistance hours of 1pm to 3pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons.

Christian Life Program News

A few weeks ago, 13 men from our city-side Christian Life Program (CLP) traveled to the Opportunity Farm CLP program near Warsaw, Missouri for a 2-1/2 day retreat with staff and clients from both programs.

The retreat was an opportunity for the men to take a break from their normal routines and to enjoy the beauty of the country setting. There was time for hiking, fishing, games and recreation, team building activities, spiritual encouragement and fellowship.

Program staff led discussions on the topic of God's standards for sexuality, explaining what God expects of a man who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Many of the men expressed appreciation for the chance to talk about this topic in a godly and safe context. Biblical sexuality should always be understood in the context of God's unselfish and unconditional love, a lifestyle that rises far above the portrayal of sexuality by society and the media.

Stories from Family Shelter Staff

There was a young lady who came into our Family Shelter because of a unique situation.  She attends college in Chicago, but was in town visiting family.  While she was here the family member she had come to visit had a death in the family. She came to the our shelter because she had run out of family members she could stay with while waiting to go back to school. She stayed for two weeks then went back to school to finish her education to become a doctor.  Each situation is different and not always what most people expect of those we serve.

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I was reminded this month how important it is to catch a client when they relapse. When a pattern of failure, dysfunction, or addiction has been the rule, it generally is not reversed in just 30 days, so it seems best to not be surprised by failure. Providing the opportunity to feel the weight of the sin is important. However, being willing to not let the client completely shipwreck also is important. "K" is feeling the consequences of heavy sin, but is being offered grace by her parole officer and her mission family as she is paying the price for her behavior. God calls His rescuers to live like the Great Rescuer.
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At times, we ourselves need encouragement. One day I came into work, and I was pretty down. I was struggling with something in my own life that was discouraging me. Later that day I was speaking with one of the clients, and she reminded me of the same verses I had shared with her when she was struggling with a similar problem. I'm glad to see some things I have told to clients is sticking. Not only was she able to recall the encouragement I gave her, but she encouraged me when I was not doing well myself.