Mascot at large!

Unconditional Love!

The Street Youth Ministry personality seen most often in the photographs we take is not the lead missionary, Terry Cole. It's Rosie, Terry's counseling dog, who seems to know exactly when to find her way into the frame before a shutter release is pushed. She provides untold comfort and companionship to clients and volunteers alike.

When Terry started the ministry, he studied a book on fundraising. There was literally a chapter in the book called "Don't Buy a Dog." It was about not intentionally increasing your cost of living when raising support. Lol!

About that time, Terry's daughter chose a dog breed that would be perfect for the household. Non-allergenic, small, non-shedding, hardy, friendly. But Terry said, "No way. Now is not the time to buy a dog!" 

Within a couple weeks, we found ourselves on a family vacation together and riding one of those little tourist trains. The ride owner had two dogs that loved to ride with passengers and one of them hopped into Terry's lap. Low and behold it was the type selected by Terry's daughter. After the ride, the whole family was musing over this "coincidence" when the ride owner came up and said, "We have puppies for sale." The whole family was shouting, "Please, please, please!" Terry kept to his mantra, "Now is not the time to buy a dog. And who buys a dog on vacation, anyway?"

A few days later on the trip, Terry called a family meeting. He shared that if the family would chip in to pay the purchase price, Terry would raise the funds for the medical bills for shots, spaying, etc. Everyone was quickly in accord and we cut short our trip to go pick up our sweet Rosie! Here she is on her ride home from Arkansas!

To The Homeless That Departed In 2014

We are known by our names, or nick names. We are known by our family, friends, and people we say hi to that we meet on the street.

We are seen by each other, the people that pass us by, and those that help us.

We are loved by others in the homeless community, the ministries (SYM), our families from a far, our friends near and dear to us, the person on the street that says hello (or offers a kind word or a smile), from former homeless people, and our pets with their unconditional love. And loved by churches, social agencies, and others that welcomes us and makes us feel loved. We are loved by God!

*Note: I use the term we, because the homeless is not an other, but still part of society.

John 3:16-17

16 “For God so loved the world 

that He gave His only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, 

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not His Son into the world 

to condemn the world, 

but that the world 

through Him might be saved.

21st Century King James Version (KJ21)

Copyright © 1994 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc.

This is dedicated to all homeless people around the world in 2014.

Loving the Difficult

Johnny was there when I arrived... one of my more difficult clients. I had asked him to leave an indoor event just two days before because he has not given is his personal best. In fact he had threatened property and disrespected our need for safety. He had been too mad to talk with me just yesterday. I braced for the worst. 

 

I was meeting volunteers to give them training before we went on a street "Mini Mission Trip" to hand out sandwiches, goodies, and find out about prayer needs. Johnny was right there. He seemed to be trying to show off for the young women who were volunteering that day. His language was rough. He actions safe but unpredictable. I asked him to move back a bit but respected him. It was an outdoor event and he had as much right to be there as we did. I followed up with him and asked if he was over being mad at me. He said that he was but continued being abrasive.

 

Johnny followed us along as we served people. He even carried a bag or two of dog food, toiletries, and clothing that we were passing out. As we walked, he began to tell me about his day. He had gotten four separate tickets from the police. He was so angry and upset. I haven't ever seen him show remorse or dismay for getting a ticket. He was afraid of going to jail. He said, "Do you think I like being angry? I don't! But if they keep treating me this way, I'm going to get angry. I'm going to get drunk. I'm going to get high. I hate feeling this way." I listened and he talked--sometimes screamed--it out.

 

Finally, we stopped to serve an older woman who sells flowers on our "beat." She always chats with our volunteers. I asked Johnny what he knew about Jesus. He began to explain his relationship with Jesus. He understood the Gospel. He gave voice to a struggle within himself to be authentic in his response to Christ. He has encountered "fake" Christians and doesn't want to be like them. He doesn't believe he can do all the right things in life. He confessed to being a big screw-up. I stopped him and explained that he was no different than anyone else in this regard. We are all unable to be as perfect as we'd like to be. But he is no screw-up. He's a lovely child of God.

 

Johnny spent the rest of our time together close to me. He hugged me. He was a totally different person. We saw three faces of him: the abrasive boy almost taunting the world to stay away from him, the angry man so conflicted over right and wrong, and the self-aware child fearful of his Father's judgement and desiring his Father's love.

 

We often have difficult clients. We are called to love them. And it's a real blessing.  Join us-volunteer.

 

 

 

"To know, love and serve street dependent youth."
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Big hearts

Street youth have big hearts. That's just a fact. They are always
adopting dogs, cats, mice, rats, and other pets. They take great care
of them.  Street dogs living with street youth may be the happiest
dogs in the world. In Austin, they get free care from ATA (Animal
Trustees of Austin). This is actually a draw. Kids come from all over
when it's time to get care for their dogs. Dogs are very popular on
the street. They really like "tough" breeds, but they don't raise them
to be mean like those scary people on TV. Street kids raise their pets
to be kind, gentle, and obedient.



This past Friday I ran into two friends with unusual pets. The first
adopted an opossum baby because the mother had died. He keeps him
under his hat, attached to his crazy head of hair. This is not the
first opossum pet I've seen.  Last fall, Project Reaching Out
volunteers saw and pet an opossum. I am told that my own father played
with opossum babies as a kid growing up in Oklahoma.




The second friend had adopted a kitten. She rides on his shoulders,
towering above the crowd because he is so tall. People stopped to say
she is cute. Several people offered to buy her. This was insulting to
my friend since it somehow implied they didn't think he could take
care of her and would prefer the money. I urge people to be thoughtful
about making offers like this. A pet is not property to a street
youth. It's a dear friend, just like how most of us view our pets.



I sometimes use the illustration of the love of a dog to reach street
kids with the gospel. One of the more hardened atheists I know on the
street has a wonderful dog. That dog loves her master. One day, my
friend was sitting on the sidewalk, drinking, and very down
emotionally. I noticed how much he loved letting the dog come up and
put one paw on each shoulder and "hug" him. I commented, "There is
nothing like the unconditional love of a dog." He replied, "Don't you
know it!" I continued, "You know... that's how much God loves you,
too. God wants nothing more than to put both paws on your shoulders
and give you a huge hug." He looked at me. Tears formed in his eyes.
"It's too late for me. I've done too much. I don't believe in God and
He doesn't believe in me." "It's NOT too late. You just have to stop
keeping God away from you. Let Him come. Let Him love you. It's just
like letting your dog love you. You have to let it happen. You have to
want it to happen. God loves you unconditionally and can't wait to
show you." He answered, "I don't see God that way. But maybe someday I
will. Maybe someday." It must be hard to be an atheist when you
recognize that you want the love of the Father. I am sure this friend
will one day find it.