Being a vibrant mission is not just about caring for the homeless in our city, it's about serving our friends who support our ministry. One of the ways we do this is by sharing the wonderful things that are happening in our shelters to encourage and prepare our clients for re-entering society, with obtainable goals for self-sufficiency.
As you read the blogs written by our staff and guest bloggers, your heart will be touched by the stories about life in the shelters and the experiences of the men, women and children living in them. You will find ways to connect that meet your charitable ideals and many opportunities to deepen your involvement with Star of Hope Mission.
Every year I live, the meaning of this Holy week becomes more and more powerful to me. It is all about God’s great plan for us, through his Son, Jesus Christ. It is about Abundant Life here on this earth, and a future in Heaven with Him. Jesus said in John 10:10: “The thief comes to steal and destroy, but I have come, that you might have life, and have it more abundantly.” Isn’t that what we are seeking in our journey here on this earth? Haven’t we seen enough thieves in our lives, who’ve stolen our joy and our focus, our relationships, our purpose, our hope….and our abundance in this life?
Every year I live, I also realize more that this life is so short, and that I must be about my Heavenly Father’s business! I must find and do the things He wants me to do while I am on this earth. And I am finding that when I diligently seek to do His will for me, life becomes so much more abundant and fulfilling! I hope you will seek God in a special way this Easter, wherever your life may be right now, and that you will get answers to the things missing in your life. Every time I go to Him with my problems and concerns, He’s there! And I know he will be there for you. Celebrate the resurrected Christ this Easter, accept Him as your own. Let Him give you the new, abundant life He has just for you, and put you to work doing His Kingdom’s work!
And please keep all those in our community who are homeless in your prayers this week, and the Star of Hope too, as we seek to serve their immediate needs with God’s love and teach them about the future and the hope, that only He can give!
Blessings to you this Easter!
“And if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” Isaiah 58:10
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be homeless during your birthday? Usually, when I think of my own birthday memories, I think of friends and family together, a nice restaurant, conversations and laughter. But my children’s memories of past birthdays are not so great. It used to be that their birthdays at the shelter would go by almost unnoticed. We would give them a voucher to get a present from our toy room, but that was about all we could do.
That is not the case anymore. For about two years now, a group of teenagers from St. John’s High School comes faithfully at the end of each month. They transform our classrooms into birthday party lands: balloons, crafts, goody bags…even a piñata! The kids come into the classroom excited to see the decorations. They decorate their goody bags and get ready to break the piñata and share candy. Then the birthday kids step up to the middle of the classroom as we all sing happy birthday. Some of the birthdays kids get teary eyed when they hear their name in the birthday song. Some of them cover their faces with embarrassment (they’re so cute!) Then the birthday kids help our volunteers cut the cake and distribute it to their classmates. During the blessing of the food, we all say grace and thank God for the fun, the food, and the laughter of that day.
Yesterday afternoon, as I was making sure to inform parents that we were going to celebrate March birthdays that evening, one of the birthday kids in particular touched my heart. He was a new kid and didn’t know we celebrated birthdays at Star of Hope.
When I told him and his mom to make sure to come to our programs at 6pm because we were going to celebrate his birthday, he said “For real? Man, us birthday kids are going to have fun!”
“...But,” he said to his friends with a look of sadness, “if we were having it at my house, I would invite all of you to come.”
“They can come, Jack,” I clarified. “Everyone is invited.”
His face immediately lit up and he shouted to everyone in the classroom “Hey, you all! It’s my birthday tonight! I want all of you to come!” The goodness and generosity of our kids never ceases to amaze me. Here was this kid who had no idea someone was going to do something special for him for his birthday. But he was not worried about whether or not he would get a present, or what kind of cake he was going to have (as most kids his would be). What he was worried about was being able to share all those cool things with his friends.
Jack had a wonderful time last night. He cut the cake and passed it out to all his friends. When he was done serving his friends, he asked the volunteers if they could help him cut some more pieces. The volunteers told him everyone had been served. “I know,” he said to them. “But I want you to have some too.”
...Best birthday party memory ever.
Homeless men, women and children in Houston and around America lost a great friend.
Yesterday I learned that Denver Moore, co-author of Same Kind of Different As Me, passed away. What an inspiring gentleman!
Denver and Ron Hall spoke at Star of Hope's annual banquet a few years ago. I watched this video this morning and thought I would share it with you.
Homeless Shelters Houston
Star of Hope Mission
I would like to give everyone an update on our GED program at the Star of Hope Men's Development Center.
We have a great group of volunteers that comes faithfully in the evening to assist our clients. Now we have also added two teachers in the morning to help with additional preparation for our GED clients.They have been a great addition. Two clients, Alvin and Gary, received their GED in March 2012.
We thank the Lord for blessing our GED programs throughout the mission.
Clifton Louis
Men's Development Center
Homeless Ministries Houston
Star of Hope Mission
“So what can you tell me?”
“What do you mean?”
“What can you tell me?” She asked again, sitting across the desk with a look of shock, bewilderment, and resignation on her face.
“I need a little more information.”
She looked at me a moment then told her story:
“Ok,” taking a breath, “I had a good job, a beautiful home, a wonderful family, and a great car. Within the last few months I lost my job, home, family and car, and I came to this shelter a few days ago – in shock. Today I decided this is too much, so I tried to kill myself. I stood on the railroad tracks in front of a train, but the train stopped two feet in front of me. I can’t even kill myself! I came back in the mission, and your staff brought me to you. So, what can you tell me?”
Silent prayer for Godly wisdom...
“Well, I don’t know why all of this happened to you, but I do know the Star of Hope Mission is a crossroads in life – a place where God meets people on their journey of life to get their attention for one reason or another and convince them to change course. Do you know God?”
She shook her head.
“Have you ever heard the Gospel?”
She shook her head again.
I shared the Gospel with her. She listened intently, her features difficult to read.
“Do you believe this to be true?” I asked.
“Yes”
“Have you ever received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Do you have a personal relationship with Him?”
“No”
“Would you like to?”
“Yes,” she responded, and gave her heart to Christ.
A few months later I received a letter from her in the mail. It read something like this:
"Mr. Black, I wanted to update you on my situation. As you know, I lost everything and came to the mission where I met Jesus Christ. Since I left the mission, I got my job back, my family back, a nice house and a better car in just a few short months. However, the one thing I have now that I did not have before is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! I am so glad for all that happened to me and for God’s grace in my life. Just as you said, the Star of Hope is a crossroads - where God encountered me! My life will never be the same."
I just want to praise God for what you are doing in the Houston area...I had lived on the streets of Houston in '86. It was my choice. I loved my drugs & alcohol. I had been to that mission downtown that would feed & the Salvation Army, for food. I had worked out of several day temps. I had been jumped on & beaten several times.
What you are doing is definitely a blessing for those that are homeless. Thank you, from one has learned from life's hard wrong choices....but, now knows our Savior Jesus!!! Thank You Jesus!
Jesus Is His Name
Donald
I was sitting out in the atrium area talking with two of my favorite little girls, Mary and Hannah. Mary, the older sibling, was telling me about her day at school and repeating the memory verse she was suppose to memorize for class. Hannah, the very active younger sibling was trying to get my attention the entire time.
I looked over at Hannah and she said, “Ms. Nikki, your fingernails are so pretty! They are pink! I wish mine were that pretty.” I asked her and Mary if they wanted me to paint their nails. They both giggled with excitement and said, “YES!!” So I went to my office, grabbed some fingernail polish out of my purse, walked back out to the atrium, put their hands on my knee and began painting their nails.
While paint their nails, I could see them whispering to each other and then I overheard Mary say, “No, do not ask her that. It is rude.” I asked what they were whispering about and Hannah immediately looked down to the ground with embarrassment. I asked again and Hannah said, “Your toes are painted too. That is beautiful.”
I looked at both the girls, patted my knee and said, “Put your foot up here, I’ll paint your toes too.” Mary and Hannah’s eye were about to bust out of their head as they looked at each other. Mary quickly said, “Oh no, you don’t have to paint our toes. No, no.” I said, “Sure, put your foot up here. I would love to paint your toes.” Mary, with a little hesitation, took off her sandals and put her foot on my knee. I could tell she felt embarrassed for some reason.
As I placed my hand on the top of her foot, she whispered, “Now I know you truly love us.” I looked at Mary and noticed her eyes had little tears in them. I did not understand what she meant. I asked her why she made that comment. She replied, “You are touching our feet. Now I know you truly love us.” My eyes filled with tears and my heart immediately wanted to bust out of my chest.
I told both girls that I did in fact love them very much, and then shared with them the story of Jesus washing His disciple’s feet. Both of the little girls had heard this story before and were finishing the story before the words could even come out of my mouth. After we were all done telling each other the story of Jesus and His disciples, Hannah jumps up and says, “I bet Jesus painted those toes too!”
I wrote this in a moment of awareness of how I let my failures consume me to the point to where I was utterly crushed. Sometimes it is only at this rock bottom point in life that the shock of life's pain and defeat is sufficient enough for one to wake up and realize that only Christ can give true restoration and forgiveness.
This poem came to me in minutes. Although like many of my poems, most everything is a symbol of things occurring in my life, I don't like to spend a lot of time translating. I like for people to come up with their own interpretations and relate it to things in their life that have them locked up. Many times the key to freedom is plain and simple "truth."
IT WAS ME
Staring at the hard cold floor
I became lost in it’s dullness
It was the loud clang of the bars
Closing shut
That startled me out of my daze
I stood up
Only glancing at myself in the mirror
Even in the dim light
The numbers on my shirt shocked me
As I walked to the bars
And looked out
I studied the guard walking away
It was me
Later I noticed the warden
Listening to the radio
Behind the glass
It was me
Outside in the yard
As I jogged around the patch of grass
The barbed wired fence
Was deafening to me
I looked up at the patrolman
In the tower
The one with the automatic weapon
And the binoculars
It was me
So shocked
I stopped
I sat down
And thought
As the reality of my incarceration
Began to dawn on me
I had to think some more
About what brought me here
My accusers…..
Family, friends, co-workers
But the one that had the most to accuse me of
Was me
I vaguely remembered the courtroom drama
It was a blur to me
But I distinctly remembered
The judge
Looked a lot like me
The jury members
Everyone
Was me
With a unanimous verdict
Of guilty
I started weeping as I remembered
My Defense Attorney
HE defended me
With everything HE could
HE had this deal
This plea bargain
That HE would pay my debt
To set me free
All I had to do was accept it
But I rejected it
And took condemnation instead
And now
I know
I must call my Defense Attorney
And put in my appeal
------
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, written by malachi819, 01-07-11
How do four eggs, parachutes and the Garden of Gethsemane teach us about serving our community? Check out this blog!
For the past two weeks, the Stars of 2Morrow teen department has been pouring into the teens about how we can serve our “community.” We discovered that a community can be anything around us from a group of friends, the city we live in, or even our family!
To illustrate how we can we work together, I separated the teens into four teams and gave them each meager supplies of straws, construction paper, tissue paper, twine, a little bit of tape and one sensitive little egg. Their mission? Since their egg was about to be dropped two stories, they had to create a contraption with a parachute to protect their egg from being scrambled. Before I let them begin, I read to them the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane in John 17. It’s interesting when it gets to verse 20, because Jesus begins to pray “for those who will believe in me through their (the disciples) word…” Jesus prays for us! I shared with the teens the surprising prayer of Jesus for all of us in the Garden of Gethsemane.
“…That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
As the teens worked on their projects, I let them think on how Christ wants us to be unified in our love to one another. Jesus said that it is our love for one another that all men will know we are His disciples. For these teens, loving one another could be encouraging that teen in the hall that others have laughed at. It could be forgiving that parent that has let them down yet again in the same way as before.
What about you? What does loving one another mean for you? Perhaps you are years beyond the bullied kid in the school hall, but how can Christ’s love be shared to those around you? How can you reach YOUR community? Jesus said, “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
As for this project, we had two winners! Two groups successfully worked together and built a contraption to protect their fragile eggs. As we approach this time of year where we observe the sacrifice of our Savior, let’s remember His prayer in the Garden and act in love by serving others!
Stars of 2Morrow - Teen Ministry
Houston's Star of Hope Mission
“Do you love Muslims?” he spat at me with hatred flashing from his eyes and a cynical tone in his voice as he handed back the tract I had given him.
“Yes,” I said.
Clearly, he did not believe me and fired a couple more questions at me. The questions were land mines. I had the sense that any misstep would result in an explosion, and the explosion came on the third question when I failed to answer it to his satisfaction. In essence, he called me a hypocrite, cursed me, and told me to get away from him.
“Ok, God bless you anyway” I said as I turned to walk away.
“And god bless you, whoever he or she is,” he spewed as I walked away.
I knew when he asked the first question that no matter what answer I gave I could not satisfy him. I was already judged by him and found wanting. He was a total stranger; I still don’t know his name, or he mine. Yet, by appearance alone, he determined that I was an intolerant, judgmental individual and his enemy.
Ironic, how the most intolerant, judgmental people I’ve met are always accusing other people of being judgmental and completely intolerant of any view but their own.
Not a surprise however. An old saint once told me that he could always tell what a man’s sin problem was by listening to what he harped on regarding other people.
Seems I remember Jesus saying something about judging others and getting the beam out of your eye before you try to help others with the splinter in theirs...
This counseling stuff is tricky...
When your job requires you to do professional training, most of us sigh, pull up our boot straps and do our best to mentally prepare for a day of trying to stay awake in class. Right? Or is that just me? Well, the training I have been receiving recently creates anything but those feelings. And I'm not just saying that because my boss may be reading this blog. Seriously, I can't get enough of this training that they have been sending me to. Love it!
Two months ago my supervisor called me into her office and told me I was approved to join 8 others in traveling to San Antonio for the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC) training. All of that is fancy wording for "biblical counseling". I'm pretty sure I jumped up and squealed like a 7th grade girl after being asked to a dance. Ever since I started working at Star of Hope, I have been dreaming of the day I would be picked to attend this training. It came!
This Friday will make the 2nd weekend of training and I have been looking forward to this weekend since the end of the last biblical counseling weekend training. The training is for 3 months and its 1 weekend out of every month. Last month, I left with very mixed feelings. I was completely exhausted by all the information given to me, yet couldn’t wait for the next month to get here so I could learn more. I sent a text to my supervisor and let her know a new family service worker would be returning to work on Monday. The Lord has been so good to allow me to use some of the things I learned that weekend many, many times already in meetings with my guest!
I LOVE that Star of Hope cares so greatly for the people we serve and the employees, that to send us for incredible biblical counseling training, so we can better guide, counsel and love on our guests. Seriously, how great is that? (Side Note: Shout out to the donors who give to SOH. You help make it possible for us to get good training.)
FYI… I learned in Proverbs 18 it says, “If anyone gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”… The Lord is teaching me that in order to give good counsel, I need to listen more and not assume I know a guest before I even hear his/her story . So yeah, basically, I need lots of training. And I am oh so thankful that Star of Hope is sending me to it!
Last week I was sitting with some of my girls during free time when I had to ask a group of them to quiet down. Immediately, they all pointed fingers at each other, trying to shift the blame on someone else other than themselves. I gave them a stern look and told them, "Now girls, you know we don't point fingers at each other". Immediately, another girl standing near me turned around and said, "That's right. Adam and Eve did that too, and God did NOT like it!"
I know this may just seem like a funny story to tell. But actually, for our children, this is a big success story! I had told these group of kids the story of Adam and Eve months ago, and it was huge to see them remember it and apply it to their everyday lives.
Keep praying for our kids! God is doing wonders in their young hearts!
This morning I found myself in line at the coffee shop behind a man with heavy, dark eyeglasses, accompanied by a seeing-eye dog. I watched with amazement as he managed his way through hot coffee, sweeteners, napkins, stir sticks and cream containers... all while his faithful dog sat close by. We greeted each other and laughed about his dog’s love for coffee too!
As I stood there, I was immediately struck with a sense of how blessed we are to be able to see the world around us clearly through good eyesight. For most of us, the challenge is seeing our way through the issues and turning points of life, supporting our families, finding meaning and purpose, and making a difference in this world.
I then thought about the thousands of homeless men, women and children in our city today, and pondered as I do every day, how do we really best help them have the sight to see their way to a whole and productive life once again?
How do we provide sight for the homeless of our city to believe in themselves again and become truly independent citizens once more? How do we walk alongside them in the most meaningful way and lead them into mainstream living?
There has been a lot of discussion about the community’s role in this effort: what kind of services should be provided and, most recently, how should caring people feed our homeless brothers and sisters to ensure best practices for the health and safety of everyone.
As I ponder these questions, I immediately think of Jesus’ encounter with a lawyer who asked how to find eternal life. Jesus answered that he was to love the Lord his God with all his heart, soul and strength, and to love his neighbor as he did himself. The lawyer then asked, well, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered with the story of a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, who fell among robbers and was stripped, beaten and left for dead. A Priest and then a Levite came upon the injured man, but both passed him by on the other side of the road, not wanting to get involved. Then a Samaritan traveler came upon the man, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him. He immediately came to him, bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then put the man on his own beast, took him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day he gave money to the innkeeper to care for the man until he could return. Jesus asked the lawyer: "which of these three proved to be a good neighbor?" And he said “the one who showed mercy on him.” And Jesus said, “go and do the same.”
Sight to See for the Homeless in our City comes from all of us working together, to feed, clothe, and shelter those who have lost their way in this life. But most importantly it comes from us loving them with this kind of love and compassion... and staying with them to provide for their recovery and their road to a new life.
This is what Star of Hope does every day for thousands in our city, within the fabric of over 100 other agencies, and hundreds more churches and individuals who seek to see the homeless restored. Let’s all work together to be "good neighbors"... and help our homeless move out of street life and into a new life filled with Hope and a newfound joy in living, with clear sight to see their way forward!
Eleven Houston Area Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants will collect diapers for Star of Hope’s toddlers the weekend of March 24-25. The popular sports-themed eatery is calling the 2012 diaper drive “Homeless Babies – Help Us Cover Their End Zone.”
Cathy Camp, Regional Marketing Director for the chain, has announced that locations in Spring, Wallisville, Cypress, Rosenberg, Conroe, Richmond, Victoria, Tomball, Baytown, Lufkin and Katy will be participating. “We love the work that Star of Hope does for homeless men, women and children. Last year the organization put 55,000 diapers on little homeless bottoms – we want to do our part to help the babies, who are just innocent victims.” she said.
Selected locations already have donation boxes set up and will collect diapers of all sizes through Sunday, March 25.
Thank you Trees of Hope for all you do for children at Star of Hope. You are helping to change the lives of these kids... now and forever!
It's Spring Break, and the children are having so much fun! We have had so many different activities this week: a game day, an afternoon of dancing and worshiping to Gospel rap, a movie night. Tomorrow, we are all heading over to Women and Family Emergency Shelter for a big festival--popcorn, and hot dogs, and snow cones included!
Today, the children and I went outside to enjoy the beautiful day God created for us. The sun was warm, and there was a nice breeze running through the courtyard at Star of Hope's Transitional Living Center. The children asked me if they could play with chalk, and they all expressed themselves in such beautiful ways with it! The Bible says that "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." I think that this is very true. And if out of the overflow of the heart we also write and draw...well, look at the amazing things that are stored in our children's hearts!
This week I got an unexpected visit from a former guest. What a blessing! It is not very often when an old guest will call or stop by to tell you how well they are doing, but then they do, it’s such a treat!
Olivia is one guest the Lord completely transformed from the moment she walked in the shelter.
For the first month of Olivia staying here, she didn’t want to believe God was changing her from the inside out. For so many years she was able to hide behind an identity she created for herself…an identity that was killing her…an identity unpleasing to God.
I will never forget the day she walked into my office, sat down and said, “Ms. Nikki, I don’t want to do this anymore. I am tired of running from God but I’m scared to change.” After sharing the gospel for the 938th time (slight exaggeration), God changed her heart and she heard it with a believing heart this time!
I was super excited to see Olivia! She filled me in on all that was going in your life since she left Star of Hope. She is working, has her own apartment and continuing to grow in her relationship with Jesus. We spent some time in prayer and she assured me she would continue to pop in every once in a while. In the wise words of Pollyanna, “My heart was GLAD!”
“I got enough Jesus; what I need is money!”
He stood beside the train tracks awaiting a train to anywhere with a backpack at his feet. The broken and missing teeth, bruises (both fresh and old), scars and disfigured bone structure were evidence of a violent and hard life. He was clearly running from a troubled past to an uncertain future – a "Viking", "hard-hitter," "adventurer" riding the rails to nowhere.
My mind went back to the body I saw cut in half on these same rails a few years earlier – another adventurer that didn’t make it. In Hollywood, a life like his is often romanticized and sometimes even considered heroic. In reality, however, this lifestyle is far from romantic. The past is troubled, the present is hard, and the future is bleak. The world is a dark place, and eternity is always just a misstep away.
Money would not solve his problems, but Jesus could. He just couldn’t see...I pray that God will arrest him before he takes that misstep and put him on the road to somewhere – Heaven!
DIANA
There is a lady I have known
In a relationship that has grown
At the stop
Near Cullman and Scott
2 years I passed her way
Before I ever asked her name
“”””Diana”””””
Her eyes are remarkably blue
A kindness so true
Every day I am learning
Different things about her journey
I don’t mind that her hand is held out
I am not too proud
To have money for giving
That’s how she makes her living
I try to have some treat
To give her to eat
I can’t judge her
I’m just like her
And so are you
Reader,
So are you….
What words have you written
On your sign that is hidden?
In what secret areas
Do you lack in treasure?
And Where…
Oh where…
Is that corner place
That you stand to ask for GRACE
What kind of seed
Does your soul need?
_____
I used to see this lady on my way home from picking up my girls from SEARCH’s House of Tiny Treasures. It’s been a while since I have traveled there now that all of my girls are in school, but I still think about her from time to time and wonder if she is still there every day.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, written by malachi819, 03-23-11
Thank you Star of Hope for adding us to your Community Partners page!
Trees of Hope volunteers feel so blessed to be helping you transform the lives of thousands of homeless people reenter society as productive citizens.
Gwen Koch
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