Good morning. 😀
It was nice sleeping at home last night – in my own bed. When I serve for our week with the homeless we stay overnight in a church. The Sunday school rooms are converted to bedrooms for the families, and for the host overnighters. On Tuesday night I was the host overnighter. Usually there are always two of us that stay overnight as hosts, which is fun as that becomes catch up times with friends while we hang out before we sleep. This time however, there is one lady in the program with her 4 month old baby girl and I stayed alone.
I would have never dreamed that I would sleep in a church and now it has become this inside joke as that is the taboo thing to do, fall asleep in church. I can tell people proudly – I have never slept in my own church( due to our buildings layout we are not able to host there) …. however there are four others in our area that I can say that I have. 😛
We sleep on cots that travel in a trailer from church to church. It isn’t that bad other than the fact they are super narrow and when guys stay over night I can imagine they must be really uncomfortable. One couple that serves brings their own air mattress when they stay overnight. Probably not a bad idea…
Anyway…
that is where I was on Tuesday and then in the morning I drove the guests to the day center where they go seven days a week from 8 am – 4:30 to do laundry, shower, and work on finding affordable housing and jobs if they are not currently working. It really is an amazing program and has a 92% success rate in our community that once people are back on their feet and in homes with jobs that they remain that way and do not fall back into homelessness.
Our group serves once a quarter and after this week I think our next time is in July.
Today will be nice, I have work and then a workout and then HOME. Yes…. that’s it… no meetings tonight… and that feels good 😀
I will leave you this morning with this discovery I found at Barnes and Noble on-line… Rachel Ray reading Green Eggs and Ham:
Book Journey 
Very catchy title…you certainly grabbed me with that “sleeping in churches.” LOL
Great program, though, and it’s amazing that you can do more than just provide an occasional bed and food. It ‘s always a good plan to move people through the process of becoming self-sufficient.
I love being a part of this Laurel… I have met some amazing people and it is scary what can make you “homeless”…. I have met people who lost homes due to layoffs, a sudden illness of a spouse…
Hate to break it to you, but I think it’ll be your turn again before July, if it’s really once per quarter.
The schedule is really goofy this year Hannah, they have a bit gap and then we serve in July, October and December this year….
Huh. If that’s what works, I guess. :p
I think it has to do with church availability as we use the Sunday school rooms to sleep in… they have to work the schedule around their programming. Its not the best – but my volunteer group I work with are pretty awesome at filling the shifts. 😀
I think that is a wonderful program! I’m glad to hear it has helped so many.
I hope you have a great day. Enjoy your free evening!
Thanks Christina 😀
That sounds like a fabulous program and I applaud you for participating in it.
I like this program Kathy as it helps people help themselves…. 😀
That sounds like such an amazing thing to do – so nice of you. 😀
It is a great community push and I love that. 13 groups take the people one week at a time. They are in t the program until they can get on their feet, rarely do I see the same people come through the next time we serve,,,
You do so many wonderful things for others, Sheila. Truly an inspiration!
Lisa I have always enjoyed helping others 🙂 Its just me.
What a wonderful thing you do Sheila. I miss my time doing such things when I was involved in Youth Groups in high school. We keep moving around and my husband isn’t a fan of attending church so I haven’t branched out and found one in quite a few years. I do miss it so.
I enjoy it Kristen and I love giving back to my community. 🙂