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A message from Chaplain James…
Last week was all about recognition, honor, and restoration for our friends. It started out with the Welcome House honoring three of our gym members and continued on to our friendship connection event at our local church:
Nick is a long-time gym member and Urban Outreach volunteer. On the autism spectrum, he puts his unique talents to good use by organizing the food pantry shelves in the gym and helping John Biery with the furniture ministry. Nick was recognized for keeping his apartment for a year.
Joey is a gym member and Urban Outreach contractor. He was the second ‘patient’ we had in the medical respite shelter we staff, graduated the program, and now has his own apartment. Joey has an LVAD device implanted in his heart that keeps it pumping. He was recognized for graduating the program and maintaining his apartment. He has worked the veterans shelter for us, and now is contracted to run shifts for us in the very medical shelter he graduated from.
Jason was homeless and addicted to alcohol and marijuana for the better part of the last two decades. After finally surrendering his heart to the Lord in October of last year – he got an apartment shortly after. Jason was recognized for maintaining it for almost a year and always being willing to help. Jason volunteers in the gym approximately 60 hours/week and has recently started leading some of our devotionals.
Correy has been a gym member/volunteer for years. In spite of Down syndrome and autism, he always makes sure to wipe down our gym tables and prays for us during our Bible studies. After 11 months of being homeless, we were able to assist him and his family with furniture for their new apartment last week. Correy even got to ride a horse at our church friendship event!
Brother Kai has been coming to the gym and church with us for months now. He truly has a heart for the Lord in spite of losing his sight as a result of diabetes three years ago. Lady, the horse he is riding, only has one eye. Amazingly – she crossed the field at our church specifically to get to Kai.
God is good!