Give Thanks

For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee!

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Many Things To Many People

As about 25 people gathered in little McCormick park a few weeks ago for memorial service for one of our beloved firends called "Hillbilly", it struck us what a wide scope of services rescue missions truly supply. Many of our homeless firends have no family, or have been estranged from them for many years. This is not the first memorial service that we have provided. I am sure it won't be the last.

We have known "HillBilly" for several years and we all will miss him. he always spoke to us in a kind, respectful southern way. He was willing to help in any way he could, whether it meant taking out the garbage , doing dishes after lunch or mopping the floor - he was a servant at the day center.

We thank God for every one of you who help Missoula 3:16 Rescue Mission to be so many things to so many people!

Homelessness

Definition of homeless

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines the term "homeless" or "homeless individual or homeless person" as -- (1) an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; and (2) an individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is: A) supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill); B) an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or C) a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodations for human beings.

Other names for homelessness

In different languages, the term for homelessness reveals the cultural and societal perception and classification of a homeless person:

Britain: "rough sleeper" (person who sleeps "in the rough" i.e. outdoors)
Spanish: "persona sin hogar", (person without a home) , "sin techo" o "sintecho" (person without roof above)
French: "sans domicile fixe" (SDF, without a fixed domicile)
German: "obdachlos" (without a shelter)
Italian: "senzatetto" (without a roof)
Portuguese: "sem-abrigo" (without a shelter) or "sem-teto" (without a roof)
Polish, Russian, Slovene: "bezdomny", "бездомный", or in more frequent use, "бомж", standing for without fixed place of living (без опрделенного место жительства), "brezdomec" respectively (without a house)

Source: Wikipedia

The Simple Path

The fruit of silence is PRAYER

The fruit of prayer is FAITH

The fruit of faith is LOVE

The fruit of love is SERVICE

The fruit of service is PEACE