Greetings
from the people who are Good Works, Inc. A COMMUNITY OF HOPE
A WORD ABOUT JOHN
WESLEY In 1738, at
the age of 31, John Wesley, father of the Methodist Church,
marked his ministry by an experience at Aldersgate in England
with the phrase, "My heart was strangely warmed."
Though not a doctor, over the years, Wesley invented many cures
for diseases. He had started clinics for the poor and organized
outreaches to orphans and those in prisons. In short, Wesley had
a social conscience and powerful social component to his
ministry. The greatest success of Methodism was NOT among the
rich and "successful" in England but among the poor.
The strength of early Methodism was its burning desire to seek
out and minister to the forgotten people of Britain. This, too, is
our vision! Wesley saw ministry beyond the local church as
normative and necessary. Never intending to start another church
or denomination, Wesley was loyal to the Anglican church. The
separation as we know it today, occurred only after his death.
His purpose in ministry was to awaken and cultivate the faith of
the masses in the Church of England. Wesley was culturally
sensitive and provided a church for the unchurched. The world and
time in which Wesley lived was one of rapid change:
overpopulation, disease, unemployment, poverty, alcoholism (gin
was the drug of choice back then), oppression (particularly in
child labor), and high illiteracy. There was a cultural lag. The
needs of society ran ahead of society's ability to meet them.
Wesley's message to the people was what someone once called
"a gospel for the gaps." His ministry strung out a net
for those who were falling through the cracks of society. This
was one of the keys to the impact of his revival! Wesley had a
ministry to "displaced persons." But Wesley's
greatest impact was on the lower classes of people. He was a man
motivated by Matthew 25:31-46. He knew the heart of Jesus for the
poor and oppressed. His theology was not too heavenly-minded that
it was no earthly good; rather, it was a religious framework
through which anyone could find God's love. Wesley supported the
movement to abolish slavery. John Wesley was pro-life and fought
for the rights of the oppressed. Wesley and his
followers went to prisons, hospitals, and work-houses to bring
the message of salvation. The Methodists went to where the needy
were. They DID NOT WAIT FOR THE NEEDY TO COME TO THEM! The reform
they worked for was that of turning a hopeless situation to
Christ. And this was not easy. The people in prison in those days
were condemned to ruin. Even after they were released there was
little hope for them. The sick were taught that illness was a
form of God's judgment and this compounded their despondency.
People who were debt-ridden and women offenders had little hope
and little prospect for release. This was the world that John
Wesley broke into with the message of the gospel. And broke into
it he did! God used him to create a movement called Methodism
that, at the time of his death, numbered 79,000 in England and
40,000 in America and which, 200 years later, numbers more then
40 million. Our vision, like Wesley, is to develop a ministry
which will awaken and cultivate faith in the same innovative way.
May the Lord give us His grace and the heart of John Wesley!
THE
WOMAN WITH AN ISSUE Do you
remember the woman who touched Jesus clothes and was healed? Such
a woman came to be with us recently. Like the women in the story
in Mark 6:25-34, Janet has suffered a great deal under the care
of many doctors and has spent all she had, yet instead of getting
better, she grew worse. And during Janet's stay with us this
year, she seemed much worse than the woman I remember staying
with me almost twelve years ago. Janet, like many women who are
mentally and emotionally ill and homeless, had lost custody of
her children and had come to live each day in the terror of her
own thoughts and emotions. She was afraid of things that wouldn't
have troubled most people. Yet she found joy in simply being needed
around the house. Janet was intelligent and attractive. One
evening, several days before she abruptly left us, I witnessed
her calling out to Jesus from her bedside, crying out of her
pain. She was so tired of living in fear and anxiety each day.
'If only she could touch the hem of HIS garment,' I thought, 'she
could be well.' For Janet, I suspect our role was simply one of
"being with" her in her suffering. "I was sick and you came to me"
(Matthew 25:36). For our part, we still have the vision to help
Janet and many women like her who cry out for help. We want them
to hear Jesus say, "Daughter, your
faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your
suffering."
THE MECHANICS OF BEING
LOVED AM I LOVED? DO
I HAVE A PURPOSE? These seem to be the most consistent questions
shouting at us through the lives of the homeless. I suspect that
much of the behavior of those who stay with us is goal-directed
at these two fundamental questions. People who feel loved feel
secure and are less likely to project their problems onto others.
They are more likely to take responsibility and to welcome
accountability. They are simply less threatened by others who are
concerned for them. They can receive constructive criticism.
People who don't believe they are loved are continually searching
to fill their insecurity. They often turn to temporary pleasures
such as sex, drugs, food or materialism to relieve or distract
them, or try to find the answer in an unhealthy relationship
where they end up being co-dependent. How do we come to believe
we are loved? What is the role of our parents, our theology and
our own choices? We continue to wrestle with these questions in
an effort to help our residents. "See how great a love the
Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of
God." Will you pray that God would grant us wisdom and
guidance?
THE OLD AND THE YOUNG Janice was 74
and had been to Good Works three times. Her most recent stay came
because she feared living with the rats at her "low
rent" apartment on the West side. Janice, who attends church
regularly, is unable to read and suffers from a lifestyle which
revolves around coping with and covering up this deficiency. She
has family in the immediate area but is unable to stay there
because she has "burned her bridges." Janice is
homeless and has a monthly pension and some food stamps. Sarah, Joshua
and Robbie all came to us with their parents; all three were
under 10 weeks old. These little vulnerable people are precious
and there is a lot of care and attention going around for these
kids. I fear I will see them again as I have so many of our kids.
I fear they will grow up in poverty.
MY POEM FOR THE "LEAST
OF THESE"
I was hungry and
you sent me to the soup kitchen. You were afraid to take me to
your home.
Afraid of me? OR afraid of the image in your mind of me?
I was thirsty and you offered me something to drink. Thank you.
But I was hoping you would see that there is much more to me than
physical thirst. You didn't.
I was a stranger and you didn't invite me in. You were wary of me
because of what you had read in the paper and had seen on TV
about "those homeless people."
But I am different. All I want is a chance to show you.
I was naked and you sent me to the thrift store. I am grateful
but long for some new clothes. I long for work that produces
dignity. I don't like myself because of what this dependence has
done to me.
I was sick and felt so alone. I began to degrade myself. I don't
like myself this way.
I don't like what I have become.
I was in prison and I felt like I had paid enough for my crime.
The loneliness was punishment enough.
I feel like no one understands. No one cares.
