It would probably be a lot easier for me if God just sent me a note and said “Hey Todd, you need to work on this in your life”. Maybe He has and I was too busy to see it, or maybe it got lost in my other emails. Being a paramedic for 24 years has not helped me become anymore compassionate toward the homeless; in fact it has allowed me to build defense mechanisms. For many homeless, they use the emergency medical system to avoid the weather and get a shower and comfortable bed for a few days. Show any amount of compassion and they will be sitting in the Fire Station watching TV while you are out on a call, it’s happened to us! The guys at Station One had befriended a local homeless man only to come back from a call and found him sleeping in one of the chairs at the fire station.

My family and I were eating lunch at the mall when a woman approached our table with a child on her hip and another in tow. She was carrying a small sign that explained her plight and a request for money. I asked her if she had checked with the local shelter and social services, she needed to get off the streets. She shook her head and scurried away. I was irritated as I watched her move through the food court collecting money. I felt she was using her children as props to collect money.

The next day I was in the parking lot of Home Depot and another woman approached me, child on her hip, a small sign explaining her need and asking for money. I wanted information from this woman, and felt I had something that I needed to learn. “Do you have an I.D?” I asked. She replied in a heavy accented voice “No, immigration has it, no I.D.” With that reply I realized that I am not equipped to show compassion at this point. I have a lot to learn about what we can do in our community.

I was icing my shoulder, thumbing through You Tube, when I stumbled upon http://www.youtube.com/user/invisiblepeopletv . Mark Horvath makes a cross country documentary interviewing the homeless and their plight. I watched a segment of a woman with 5 children and the first thing that came to my mind was “What were you thinking when you had 5 children”? I continued to thumb through the numerous videos always looking for a “Cause” to their homelessness. Drugs, alcohol, abuse, failed marriages, unemployment all the reasons are there, so I am still questioning God “What do you want me to learn?”

Compassion not Judgment
That night I made my way to men’s group and I saw myself in the lesson.

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14.



I got it God, I am the Pharisee, and I was surprised by that revelation. For me it was that I had made the “Right Choices” in life. It’s amazing how “Right Choices” sounds like Righteousness. “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable”. I was looking at others who had made the wrong choices and judged them as less. When I look to Jesus to study compassion, He didn’t hand out $20 bills to show compassion, He sacrificed His life for mine. When the world expected riches of a worldly kingdom, He gave them a Heavenly Kingdom. He gave us Love and direction, dignity not welfare. He adopted us as children of the most High God and most of all He accepted us as we were sinners and brought us to understand His Grace. We became “Family”.

I am still on that journey to understand what it means to be compassionate, I am sure I still have a lot to learn.

The latest on the Corona Norco Rescue Mission.

Thanks for all of the response and questions concerning the progress of the Harrison Ave facility. The meetings with the city have been very productive. We are about to finalize drawings, file for permits and then we are looking at about 2 weeks to start construction. Funding is all lining up. I will keep you posted on our progress. Please continue to keep the project in prayer.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.” I Corinthians 15:58

I took a much needed vacation last week with the family; it was a nice break, after the Pancake Breakfast. I remember before we left that I just felt tired. I prayed countless times to the Lord saying “I am just tired!”. Because of the surgery on my shoulder I wasn’t sleeping well. I was only getting 4-5 hours of sleep per night. I am also not much of one to just “Sit”. I am used to being active and that seemed to be wearing on me also.

We have all become “weary” from the day to day grind of life. There are times that we all look to the Heavens and cry out “I’m tired of this Lord! Why am I doing this?. For me the answer always comes back that I am a servant of the Most High God. I understand His Grace and Love for me and that keeps me going. God does honor my prayers, eventually I do find rest. But, when we give up doing good because of our fatigue, we short change God’s ability to bless our lives.

I was sitting at breakfast with Bill Riemer and we were discussing the time schedules for the remodel on the Harrison facility. I just simply said “If this works, it will be a God thing, not a Todd thing.”. Sometimes we are so busy trying to accomplish things (And I am one of the worst offenders) that we don’t allow God’s power to come through. We work ourselves to exhaustion and then look to the Heavens asking “Why aren’t you helping Lord?. For me the answer is generally I have been standing in the way of God’s working. I am reminded of the 23rd Psalm

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.”

Did you catch that? “He makes me lies down in green pastures …” Like a little child, who is cranky and needs a nap. God makes us rest, and in doing so restores our souls.

Don’t neglect God’s desire to maintain our souls to good works.



Progress report.

In the past few weeks we have been meeting with the city discussing various issues. Most of the biggest issues have been resolved and everyone is excited about the project. Kirk is working on finalizing the drawings and requesting permits. All of the funding needs are coming along. As soon as we get a few more things confirmed you will hear me publishing construction dates. I’ll keep you posted. Please continue to pray.

“Open to me the gates of righteousness;

I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the LORD.

This is the gate of the LORD;

The righteous will enter through it.

I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me,

And You have become my salvation.

The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief corner stone.” Psalm 118:19-22.

The verse on Psalms is a messianic prophecy that is repeated by Jesus in Mark the 12th chapter, but can you see the application to the Corona shelter? We are opening the gates of righteousness to those who have been lost in our society. The little brown building nestled in that commercial area, rejected by some, neglected by others, will become the corner stone of salvation for many through Jesus Christ. It will be there that many will regain their dignity and freedom from sin and affliction, stepping back into society as a whole person.

Some have asked if we abandoned the vision of building a new facility from the ground up, the answer is a resounding “No”! We knew that serving the homeless in Corona would start with what we already have, which is the shelter on Harrison Street. Vision and prayer is already being lifted up to expand our service, the Harrison St. Mission is just the gate opening to greater things.

The Pancake Breakfast was an amazing event! We had 109 people in attendance. Everyone was so excited about the vision and the work to be accomplished at the Harrison St. Mission. Thanks to my wife Jolene, Patrice Maturkanich, and Beth Hassman for helping to organize the event. Doug Husen, Kirk Lansea and the Men of Crossroads for cooking breakfast. Cameron Thomas for making sure we all had coffee.

Bettie Shultz fell ill during the event and is doing better, she should be home now. She is thankful for all of the prayers.

What’s Next? Our team continues to work on design and funding. The next 30 days is crucial, as we set about finalizing plans and putting them in motion. We continue to pray that these are God’s plans and that we are doing His will. We will keep you posted on our progress.

It’s always interesting on what adventure God take us on when we surrender to Him. We did the last of the scheduled tours of the Village of Hope in Tustin last Saturday. We had a total of about 70 people make the trek to Orange County to be inspired by what God is doing there and it was a chance to see what is possible in Corona


The vision continues: This Saturday, at the pancake breakfast, we will talk about the changes that will take place for the existing facility in the next few months. Bill Reimer will talk of the service the mission will begin to provide. Whatever your occupation or talent, this is the meeting you want to attend if you plan to be involved. There is still room at the table for you!

I look forward to seeing you this Saturday August 7th 8am.
420 Harrison, Corona. The corner of Harrison and Sheridan (God’s Kitchen)



Prayer Requests

• That all lives are changed that come into contact with the Mission.

• For the overall purpose of the project and safety for all those involved in the project.

• We need a Structural Engineer.

• We need Roofing Contractors.

• Construction dates.

Information:

Village of Hope/Orange County Rescue Mission http://www.rescuemission.org/

Corona Norco Rescue Mission http://www.rescuemissionCN.org

Join Corona Norco Rescue Mission on Facebook.