DeAnza's blog

By DeAnza on

I feel very blessed to take part in the daily happenings of The Bridge Care Center. It’s great to develop and strengthen ongoing friendships with our homeless neighbors. I enjoy getting to see each volunteer come in for their shift and make connections with others in their own special ways. In this blog I wanted to give them the chance to share their experience in their own words. Enjoy!

Jill Vance


My experience at the Bridge Care Center is a blessing because God is teaching me that there is no time to waste.  Meeting people who need a shirt, pants, some food, or just want to talk to someone because they feel lonely, makes me realize how fortunate I am, and I should be humble and available to share and support others.  I realized how big an impact some little actions can have in people’s lives.  I’ve learned not to always expect from others; but I rather rely on myself to do whatever possible to help people.
Because of the hard work of the volunteers I work with, people see some hope in their lives. My prayer is that God continues to guide me and show me the right things to do.
                                                                             
                                                                                                           Koffi Ngoran

One of my favorite things about volunteering at the Bridge is watching people become more comfortable there. In the first visit most people are a little unsure. They often get needed items from the clothing center and then leave, or just come in to meet us and find out what we offer. Over time, though, we have had more and more visitors who come in and stay for a couple hours or even the whole shift, enjoying having shelter and a safe place to spend part of the day. They enjoy snacks and a movie in the lounge, or hang out in the waiting room talking with volunteers, staff, and their fellow visitors. The number of people coming in is growing, mostly because people who come in spread the word to others they know who are in need.

Brianna Chung

The Bridge, our brothers, and the Kingdom of God

My spiritual journey, to this point, has inspired me to believe that because man is made in the image of God we are all fundamentally spiritual beings.  Jesus invites us to live in a spiritual reality. Throughout His ministry, he continually referred to that spiritual reality as the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is a topsy-turvy spiritual plane that does not resemble the material world or its values. It is a place where the last shall be first. Earthly wealth and position are of no consequence in the Kingdom. Nobody can “earn” an extra portion of God’s love- the workers last hired to work the harvest are as beloved as those who have labored since sunrise. (Matthew 20: 1-15)

As Christians, we are charged with helping our Lord propagate the Kingdom of God.  Jesus told the Pharisees that the “Kingdom of God is Among and Within You”, referring to the fact that wherever Jesus went there the Kingdom of God could be found. (Luke 17: 20-21) Each of us who has accepted the salvation of the Holy Spirit has a very limited ability, (as well as the opportunity and obligation) to allow that Holy Spirit to work through us to establish and expand the Kingdom of God.

Jesus charged us to care for the “least of these, my brothers,” in Matthew 25.  It’s a great privilege to be able to offer some services and hospitality to the brothers of our Lord who respond to our invitation to visit with us at The Bridge. Because we are all spiritual beings, created in the image of God, there are no significant differences between those of us lucky enough to be housed and regularly fed and those who struggle with even the most basic functions of earthly life. I pray that this reality will be apparent to all who give as well as those who receive at The Bridge- God’s love for us is not predicated on achieving material success, or even adhering to a healthy lifestyle.  As Jesus said, the true measurement of brotherhood and sisterhood is our common spiritual Father.

Best regards,

Chuck


Practically speaking, The Bridge is a resource center that provides hygiene items, clothes, bus passes, case management etc. But more than that, The Bridge offers a place for people to belong and truly know that they are worth something in this world. This is why I volunteer.

Whether it is watching The Royal Tenenbaums with George, teasing Tim about his ‘90s fashion sense, picking out earrings with Lisa, or just hanging out and listening to Raji’s stories, I am honored to be a part of the the community God is building here. Every encounter and experience I have had at The Bridge has been about building community, moving far beyond the simple transaction of providing some tangible thing to those who need it. And the cool thing is that it doesn’t stop there.

I cannot count how many times I have come into The Bridge feeling overwhelmed by the things of my life only to hear the story of someone who has faced and overcome so much more than I ever had. True humility. To be honest, The Bridge has become a bridge for me in my own life - helping me to see God in the little things, allowing me to build friendships, and encouraging me to consider ways to move beyond my own assumptions. My life is not my own and I need to be constantly reminded of that.

Through volunteering at The Bridge over the past several months, people - the broken, the marginalized, the disenfranchised, the left out, the lonely - have let me be a part of their story. I am the one who has been blessed.

Roxy

By DeAnza on

By Jill Vance (TTS Volunteer and QJC Advisory Team member)

Being a part of “To the Streets” is exciting for me! I enjoy getting be a part of a ministry for which I’ve always had a great passion. One of the ways I’ve been helping is by making sure our clothing closet is stocked up for our monthly distribution out at 15^th and Market Street. While folding clothes, I often daydream about how a sweatshirt or a tube of toothpaste is going to be beneficial to an individual who is in need. I have grown accustomed to the appreciation our regular homeless attendees give us when we show up. And I must say, I love that they always want to help us unload our supplies when we get there. What a great picture of unity!

However, even though I preach about the importance of giving the homeless our love, attention, resources, and most importantly our respect, I, too, have avoided an interaction or two with a homeless individual. Just last week I was at an Arco gas station and was about to get out of my car when I saw a man walking around to ask other gas patrons for money. I decided to sit in the car for a couple of minutes and look like I was busy. The man even walked by my car, stood in my peripheral vision and waited for me to notice him, but I just kept on “looking busy”. I don’t usually like to hand out money and would prefer to give resources like food. I had neither with me that day, but I believe another human being can always benefit from the respect of acknowledgment. In that brief moment, I decided that this man was inconveniencing me and I chose to give him nothing, including my attention.

Let’s face it, loving people is a sacrifice and sometimes it is just down right hard! It’s easy for me to decide to love a homeless person when it is on my time schedule. But opportunities to extend love don’t always present themselves just when I find it convenient.This also reminded me that homelessness isn’t a part-time job. An individual on the street doesn’t get a break from this lifestyle. They aren’t just doing this during the week and then going home to a plush house on the weekends.  And while we may judge them for the different reasons why they ended up in their situation, or make assumptions as to how they will spend their money, the fact is, they are in need. And my question is, "What am I going to do about it?"

By DeAnza on

To the Streets Clothing Drive

Fall has come upon us here in Seattle, which means the winter months of seeing nothing but cloudy skies and walking around in warm winter coats, is almost here! While most of us have the luxury of turning on our heaters or cozying by a fire after a day out in the rain, our homeless neighbors have to continue to fight through the dreary weather outside. As you prepare for this winter, we would love to invite you to clean out your closets and donate your last season winter coats, as well as jeans and blankets, to those in need. These items mean so much to a person living on the street! And if you are like me, you have a pair of jeans in the back of your closet waiting until you are “that” weight again. Save yourself the heartache and just get those “out of sight and out of mind”. We could use both men’s and women’s sizes in coats and jeans.

So here’s the breakdown:
What: Coat, jean, and blanket drive
When: Sundays, October 10th and 17th
Where: drop off all of your donations in a bin located in the church lobby.
Why: Well, because it is our desire to follow the teachings of Jesus, who has called us to clothe those who need clothing. Sounds like a good enough reason to me!

Your help and donations is what makes this ministry possible, so thank you for partnering with us during this time of giving!

Blessings,

Jill Vance and the To the Streets team

By DeAnza on

'History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people'.   Martin Luther King, Jr

By DeAnza on

  This year's Giving Tree is going towards building awareness and support of the organization One 4 One.  One 4 One is a local non-profit organization that has established a mission that goes beyond just serving the homeless to building relationships with those who are experiencing homelessness in Seattle.  One 4 One emphasizes the necessity of seeing people differently and acknowledging the beauty, dignity and integrity of every person-- housed or non-housed.  It is this mission that we should all be striving to live out in our day to day interactions.  However, when we're honest with ourselves it is easier to assign someone who looks different, smells different, acts different then us with stereotypes & stigmas which perpetuate the idea that we must maintain our dista

By DeAnza on

Saturday night was a great success thanks to each of you!  We had 85+ men and women join us for a spectacular thanksgiving meal.  The evening was incredibly smooth-- from the roasting of turkeys to the decorations to the serving each person that walked in the door.  What a blessing!

There were many stories from folks who shared they couldn't remember the last time they had a dinner like this.  Folks felt that they were indeed our VIP's of the evening and that was definitely the message we wanted to share. 

A couple of highlights...  we were able to feed 70+ more people by taking the left overs which included 2 whole turkeys and all the other fixings to Nickelsville. 

A woman who was having a difficult evening due to some health issues and being incredibly tired was able to get into shelter that night. 

By DeAnza on

Friends,

By DeAnza on

This article is written by quester, Ian Ebright.  Ian volunteers with To the Streets ministry monthly and in this article shares his hands-on experience with the homeless community of our neighborhood.  Ian and his wife, Lauren attend the 11 am service and have an adorable daughter, Eden.  On the side, Ian is a blogger and expresses himself through his blog called: The Broken Telegraph.  Please visit his website for more of his insights and thoughts.   

***

By DeAnza on

Tomorrow World Concern will be hosting a 5k run/walk called 'Free Them' to raise awareness and funds around the issues of human trafficking.  It is not too late to come and take part in this important event.  In fact, they will not be taking registrations for the run until 8:30 am tomorrow morning.  Run starts at 9:30.  Now if you're like me, a little outta shape, that's okay!  You are welcome to WALK, as I will probably be doing ;)  Below is more info and I hope to see you there!  You can also check out World Concern's website for more info.

Blessings,

Pastor DeAnza

Date and Time:

• Saturday May 2nd, 2009
• Check-in: 8:30 AM (walk-ins welcome - i.e. no registration required)
• Start time: 9:30 AM

Place: