Men's Shelter at Sacred Heart Needs You
I just wanted to let you all know that it was wonderful helping support the cold weather Men's homeless shelter at Sacred Heart last winter . With the temperature 28 degrees, I was grateful to feel that Dave and I spending the night in a strange place helped 10 other people to sleep warm and safe.
The men were not what I expected. They were very polite. They were clean and neat. I think all of them took advantage of the opportunity to use the showers at Hallen Hall where Sacred Heart hosts the shelter. They have hopes and dreams, memories of better times and a few spoke to me of the mistakes that they have made, of having surrendered to God, being sure that only with God's help would they be led to a future brighter than anything they had ever known. I often wish that I had that kind of faith. However, I am so greatful that God has not put me to the kind of testing that these men are going through.
Gary and the people at Sacred heart are so generous! He met us at the shelter at 8 pm, 30 minutes before we drove to the Salvation army to pick up the men. They have a wonderful large building in Hallen Hall (our church would fit inside it) with 7 separate rooms, a kitchen, bathrooms with showers surrounding a large open space. They have matresses that are easy to move into each room, clean sheets and towels and warm blankets for each person. People from Sacred Heart had donated socks and toiletries that the men were quite glad to have and to use. Large sandwiches were provided and were gone in a flash. One of the men did not get his sandwich early enough and did not receive one. He graciously stated that getting a shower was worth missing the sandwich.
The men were in bed before 10 pm and we all slept quietly and warmly in our separate places. Dave and I were up at 5:30, talking with the men, having some coffee and helping put away bedding and towels. And then there was the generous Gary-- waking again to get to the church by 6 am on a Saturday morning. We drove the men downtown at 6:30, dropping some off at Olympia Union Gospel Mission and some at the Salvation Army. They all expressed gratitude for our hospitality and generosity, especially Gary (a man who stays at the shelter and drives men back and forth every weekend from November to March!)
I was particularly humbled by another story...
One of the men told me that he had been helping a woman at the salvation army load her grocery and that he had asked her for two avocados in return. We both talked about how much we loved avocados and how much can be done with them. The next morning, he brought a large avocado up to me and said that it really wasn't ripe enough to eat today and that he would like for us to take it home. It is a beautiful avocado, big and, actually not too underripe. However, rather than protest that I was sure he should keep it, I accepted it and have thought of him and said a prayer for him and for all of the homeless men each time I have looked at that avocado and certainly when eating it.
With grateful hearts,
Lisa and Dave Metzler
P.S. Training is starting up this August and September. Please join us and the folks next door in this moving and wonderful ministry. Contact Lisa or myself for more information.