Big News!

Have you seen the morning paper? There is big news and seasons of change at The Mission. Please join us for a light breakfast and media conference this morning at 10:00 - 10:15 and be part of this exciting new venture! Come to the Soup Kitchen at 1836 Halifax Street and learn about... well... did I say this was BIG?!

My San Diego Itinerary

It's been so nice to come a bit early to enjoy San Diego at the Crowne Plaza. This hotel used to be the Red Lion Hanalei, complete with Hawai'ian theme. Some of that history remains. Let me fill you in on my wonderfully non-eventful time here so far:

Friday:
-Arrival to sunny San Diego
-Shuttle to Hotel & check-in
-Watch a Harrison Ford movie. It was really good, but had to google 'Jack Ryan' (main character) to find out it was called 'Patriot Games'
-Nap
-Order room service: bacon, pepperoni & mushroom pizza
-Watch Food Network's Food Network Challenge & Chopped
-Soak in outdoor hot tub
-Sleep at 9:00

This is what my room looks like, except on the ground floor with a sliding door to patio facing a grassy area & the pool. The hot tub is just around the corner!

Saturday:
-Sleep in until 9:00
-Watch The History Channel. Topic today is the history of the hot dog!
-Back to the hot tub!
-Read a magazine & drink coffee on my patio, overlooking palm trees & pool area
-Free shuttle to Fashion Valley Mall (outdoor) where I procede to buy cute little outfits for Amos, Jude, Judah & Katie.

I also bought an iPhone case at the Apple Store, to keep a little crack in check. This is my Kate Spade case, except in turquoise. At another kiosk I asked if they had a anything to prop my iPhone up on my desk. "Oh, you mean like this?" She showed me a little plastic dodad. "Yes! How much is it?" She placed it in my hand and said, "Free!"

-Back to hotel. Pay for internet to see if Mel and Rae had their babies... YES!
-Call my mom & chat with her and Phil. (She lives in Torrance, California.)
-Order room service: New England Clam Chowder & Hanalei Platter (wings, spring roll, coconut shrimp
-Chat with Ken
-Hot tub in the rain!
-Post blog
-Bedtime!

It's pretty much been a nothing trip so far. And, well, really, that's the point! Tomorrow, if it's not raining, I may take a short run to Old Town before the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions board meeting begins.

Where will your next trip take you?

Hurricane Season at SHRM

Our Head Chaplain wrote The Joy Club (our staff e-list) this encouragement letter today. He called it, Hurricane Season, at SHRM.

Right now there is a seemingly devastating hurricane of trouble, sickness and loss pounding on the doors of the Mission and on each of our minds and hearts. There are people too injured or sick to work, family members that are sick, allegations and accusations against staff, difficulties with staff and clients, and many of you feeling at your wits end. We might well ask "What is happening around here?" or "What is God doing?" or "Where is God in all of this? These are questions that always arise in times of trouble and trials of faith?"

If you have a few minutes, read Job Chapter 23. If anyone ever wondered why everything was falling apart it was Job. He looked for God but couldn't find him. Yet in verse 10 he says "BHt he knows where I am going. And when He tests me, I will come out as pure as gold." This testing of faith is never fun. It almost breaks us; it almost turns us bitter. But right now, in the middle of the storm, is when we must pray for each other and hold on till it is over.

We don't know the exact outcome of our labours and our trials but one day we will know it fully under the clear blue skies of heaven. We'll be able to look back along with Job and say, "That was an awful, tough time. But God used it. God was doing something bigger than I knew.

Jesus said "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."

A resident came to me today to tell me she had become a believer in Jesus Christ. That's Gold. Pure Gold. God is up to something, and it's going to be good. The Devil and the world will come at us to sift us like wheat. He will expose our chaff and we will be embarrassed by it. But the wheat that is left is what God is after.

I encourage you to pray in the next week for several things:
1. Staff who are sick, tired or both to get healing, energy and peace.
2. The Mission to be protected from harm.
3. Wisdom for leadership and Board of Directors meeting March 11th.
4. Staff needed to cover gaps at office, shelters, daycare, etc.
5. Funds to finish renovating the youth centre.

I invite you to take one hour in your "prayer closet" sometime soon. Maybe add a fast by skipping a meal. As often as you see a staff member or think of them, say a prayer for them this week.

-Ken

Naked Man

I must admit, when I first heard the story of the naked man running around Regina, I laughed. But as I continued listening to the newscast, they said the man was in a "distressed state." It was at that point I realized this wasn't some fraternity prank, but a man who was mentally disturbed, or high on drugs, and needed help. Why didn't anyone help him? Why did he end up all the way on the 15th floor at City Hall before anyone tried to offer him aid?

I was saddened and disheartened, and embarrassed for this man, "normally a gentleman", according to Mayor Pat Fiacco's aids. So, we get a chuckle at the thought of a naked man running around on a Tuesday morning around Regina. And we wonder if security at City Hall ought to be beefed up. But maybe the bigger question here, is, why didn't anyone try to stop him? Remember, it's sub-zero temperatures here. Since when did we become so "New York City" that we wouldn't try and offer the man a coat, or follow him to make sure he was safe, until police could apprehend him?

Yes, I know. It's awkward. And uncomfortable. Not to mention scary. But if you were so disturbed, or if it were one of your children, would you not wanted a Good Samaritan to intervene?

Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission is cuing up for their annual, Love Your Neighbour Fund Raising Banquet. It's on Wednesday, May 5th at the Delta Regina. The dinner and parking are free, but you do need a reservation. Come hear stories of Good Samaritan's in action, and how we work 365 days with those that are "distressed."

Call Paula at 543-0011 for more information. Reservations can be made for $10.00. Tickets are NOT available at the door, and are limited, so book now!!


PS. Note to self, for future photos for my articles, do NOT google "naked man."

A Lent that Matters

When you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.
-Deuteronomy 8:12-18

Lately I have been challenged in the area of sacrifice. Not sacrifice, for the sake of itself, (think Lent) but sacrifice that is private, and personal - between me and God. The things I choose to give up, in order to make a difference in the world around me.

Jesus says no one has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for the sake of the Gospel, who will not be rewarded 100 TIMES what he left behind. This is serious sacrifice. We're not talking about going without dessert for 40 days. We're talking about doing something with your life that is making lasting and eternal difference.

As I have been purging my house and decluttering, paring my life down to simplicity, I am using the opportunity to ask the difficult questions. Why do I go buy groceries when my freezer still has food in it? What makes me hang on to those new board games I don't play, when I know the youth centre is opening up and will get much use out of them? Why do I need 4 pairs of like new jeans, when there are so many who don't have decent clothing to wear? Why should I sell my new rocker that I don't use, when the Little Souls Daycare has need of it to feed their 9 babies? When Ken and I sold our home and everything we had to come to Regina, God blessed and rewarded that with His favour on the poor of this city.

But you don't have to start a Mission to make a difference. I wonder why someone wouldn't take a more practical spin on Lent. Why not commit to 40 days of attending every open program in your church? I mean, really participating! What about a 40 day fast of your evening news, in order to go serve supper at your local soup kitchen? What about forcing yourself to say hello and attempt to strike up a conversation every day on the bus ride to work, for the simple motive to bless someone? How about a phone call a day to a family member that hasn't heard from you but would be so encouraged to hear your voice! Grandma!!

The point is, the more comfortable we get, and the more attached to our possessions we get, the easier it is to forget the Giver of Life and all it's blessings. The moment we start to take credit for our own life and accomplishments, we are edging God out. My friend, Raphael, now in Heaven, used to remind me of that:

E-dging
G-od
O-ut

=EGO

We've been robbed!

Now that I've wooed you with adorable pictures of sleeping babies, I want to thank you for providing them with toys to play with when they are awake! Our January Toy Drive was a great success and we have been able to outfit Little Souls Daycare with so many wonderful things for the kids to do!

I will admit one setback, though, and that was a robbery we had recently. Some of you brought toys over to our 24 hour location, and they were moved to our church basement for storage until transport. This is the Good News Chapel and Hall, which is available to groups for rentals for weddings and other occasions.

We had a group rent the facility on the weekend, and they took our toys!

I was SHOCKED! Who steals toys from a rescue mission??!!

There was some other things they took, and some damage caused to the property, which Pastor Ken spent an afternoon repairing.

All this to say, if you could find it in your heart to take one more pass at your kids' toys, and bring us gently used toys that we could use to outfit Little Souls Daycare, as well as our Emergency Family Shelters, I would consider it a personal favour.

Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children." -Luke 18:16

My favourite time of day: NAPTIME!

Well, I needed to lift my spirits so I went next door to our Little Souls Daycare, where the staff and children are always smiling. Then I spotted it: about a dozen babies sprawled out on the floor with their sleeping buddies. Nikki tells me they couldn't even stay up for the story this afternoon. They all zonked out before the story started!

Here's the first girl that caught my eye. So angelic, don't you think?!


Then I stood back and saw the whole scene. Here they are, during my favourite time of the day. No screaming or music blaring, just some zzzzz's. This is the story/reading quadrant, where the little ones like to cozy up together to sleep.


I wanted to call this one three pigs in a blanket but I wondered if the parents would take issue with that. But aren't they so cute?! Little triplet sleeping buddies!


This is one of our 9 infants; they are too young for mat sleeping. I went into the baby room and no sooner did I open the door did one of them start wailing, at which point I slunk out. Daycare Director Mandy caught me red-handed, though, and said next time she's going to put that on video! Yes, that's right. I, Michelle Porter, scare little children. Be afraid. Be very afraid.


I came back to the office and told my executive team that if they ever wanted to cure a bad mood, they should check out Little Souls Daycare during naptime. Aaron, our Junior Executive in Training (JET) got a hold of his little buddy who decided he wanted to skip naptime. He was in his crib beating on the side door!