The Faces of Homelessness
“I will not leave you orphaned.”
--A promise from the Holy One to us
This week I’ve attempted to present some different faces of homelessness. I hope you’ve been able to see some of the manifestations of homelessness that cause us to have such a lonely and fearful society. Maybe you can identify some additional faces of homelessness. I’d like to hear from you about this subject.
As we move through November on our way to the Thanksgiving holiday, I’d encourage you to name the blessings that come your way. I’d encourage you to claim the ways that you feel homeless. And I’d encourage you to explore the possible ways that you both give and receive comfort for those times when “home” seems so very far away.
Have a good weekend. Remember the promise of the Holy One. Embrace another and allow their warm embrace to feel a bit more “at home” on your travels through the tough times of life. Rather than fleeing in fear, run toward your tough time and get acquainted!
--Ben Keckler
11.05.10
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Daily Devotion - Thursday, November 4
Military Homelessness
“I will not leave you orphaned.”
--A promise from the Holy One to us
This week we are addressing the subject of homelessness in our society. It is really much more pervasive than we imagine. Today I want to explore the subject of military homelessness, attempting to paint a picture and offer an insight about how to help the homeless.
A few years ago, our nephew graduated from the University of Arkansas. He was in ROTC throughout his academic career and now has completed a stint in Iraq, serving as an officer in the United States Army. He is an outstanding young man; he has his own apartment and is adjusting to his new life back in America. He comes up to Indy as often as he can. When I listen to him talk about his military life, it is clear that he is not settled. His stories clearly reflect a person who is experiencing “homelessness.”
If he is experiencing homelessness in his setting, just think what it must be like for all the military service folk whose lives are totally disrupted! The word “home” is a symbol for warmth, love and happiness. Even amid the sometimes chaos and suffering, the phrase is still often repeated, “I can’t wait to get home.”
Today my nephew will continue his life in the military at a base in Georgia. Let's offer a pray for those guys and girls who are away from home and are learning, in their own way, what homelessness feels like. Have a good day.
--Ben Keckler
11.04.10
“I will not leave you orphaned.”
--A promise from the Holy One to us
This week we are addressing the subject of homelessness in our society. It is really much more pervasive than we imagine. Today I want to explore the subject of military homelessness, attempting to paint a picture and offer an insight about how to help the homeless.
A few years ago, our nephew graduated from the University of Arkansas. He was in ROTC throughout his academic career and now has completed a stint in Iraq, serving as an officer in the United States Army. He is an outstanding young man; he has his own apartment and is adjusting to his new life back in America. He comes up to Indy as often as he can. When I listen to him talk about his military life, it is clear that he is not settled. His stories clearly reflect a person who is experiencing “homelessness.”
If he is experiencing homelessness in his setting, just think what it must be like for all the military service folk whose lives are totally disrupted! The word “home” is a symbol for warmth, love and happiness. Even amid the sometimes chaos and suffering, the phrase is still often repeated, “I can’t wait to get home.”
Today my nephew will continue his life in the military at a base in Georgia. Let's offer a pray for those guys and girls who are away from home and are learning, in their own way, what homelessness feels like. Have a good day.
--Ben Keckler
11.04.10
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Daily Devotion - Wednesday, November 3
Campus Homelessness
“I will not leave you orphaned.”
--A promise from the Holy One to us
This week we are examining the subject of homelessness in our society. We are looking at this subject through a number of different lenses. Today I want to let Dr. Henri Nouwen, one of my pastoral care mentors who spent a large part of his pastoral career in the university setting, talk about a homelessness we seldom recognize.
“While teaching university students who came from many different states and countries, I was struck how lonely they were. For many years they live in small rooms, surrounded by strangers, far away from their familiar surroundings. There is little privacy and even less community in their lives. Mostly they have no contact with children or elderly people. Seldom do they belong to a welcoming neighborhood or a supportive faith community, and only very few know families where they can drop in anytime and feel at home. I have come to consider this situation in which thousands of young adults live as ‘normal’ but when I examine it a little closer it is not hard to understand why so many feel rootless and even lost.” (Lifesigns, p. 28)
For years we tailgated at Purdue on football weekends, we made it a point to invite as many college kids as we could to our “football festivities” on the golf course. We even received a thank you from one of the families who lives a couple hundred miles away expressing appreciation that we had included their son in our family.
Homelessness appears in more ways than we might imagine!
--Ben Keckler
11.03.10
“I will not leave you orphaned.”
--A promise from the Holy One to us
This week we are examining the subject of homelessness in our society. We are looking at this subject through a number of different lenses. Today I want to let Dr. Henri Nouwen, one of my pastoral care mentors who spent a large part of his pastoral career in the university setting, talk about a homelessness we seldom recognize.
“While teaching university students who came from many different states and countries, I was struck how lonely they were. For many years they live in small rooms, surrounded by strangers, far away from their familiar surroundings. There is little privacy and even less community in their lives. Mostly they have no contact with children or elderly people. Seldom do they belong to a welcoming neighborhood or a supportive faith community, and only very few know families where they can drop in anytime and feel at home. I have come to consider this situation in which thousands of young adults live as ‘normal’ but when I examine it a little closer it is not hard to understand why so many feel rootless and even lost.” (Lifesigns, p. 28)
For years we tailgated at Purdue on football weekends, we made it a point to invite as many college kids as we could to our “football festivities” on the golf course. We even received a thank you from one of the families who lives a couple hundred miles away expressing appreciation that we had included their son in our family.
Homelessness appears in more ways than we might imagine!
--Ben Keckler
11.03.10
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Daily Devotion - Tuesday, November 2
Institutional Homelessness
“I will not leave you orphaned.”
--A promise from the Holy One to us
This week we are addressing the subject of homelessness in our society. We are exploring the subject through a number of different lenses, attempting to paint a picture and offer an insight about how we can help homeless folk when they feel orphaned.
Today, let’s turn to a familiar picture. It is easy for us to picture an institution where people live, some for a short stay (hospitalization) and some for extended stays (refugee camps, prisons, nursing homes). Not only are the patients we serve experiencing illness, they are also experiencing a type of homelessness. It is almost impossible to enjoy a meal, experience some resting and reading, or even sleep without being interrupted.
You see, friends, home is a place we can rest, where we can be renewed and refreshed. Each interruption, while needed or required, can heighten the feeling of homelessness.
One thing to keep in mind is that a patient may come to us believing they are going to experience homelessness! Every attempt we make to “Treat People Better” is a way of helping them to have an “at home” moment when their anticipated feeling was “homelessness.” Treating people better is one way of letting the patient know that they are not orphaned.
--Ben Keckler
11.02.10
“I will not leave you orphaned.”
--A promise from the Holy One to us
This week we are addressing the subject of homelessness in our society. We are exploring the subject through a number of different lenses, attempting to paint a picture and offer an insight about how we can help homeless folk when they feel orphaned.
Today, let’s turn to a familiar picture. It is easy for us to picture an institution where people live, some for a short stay (hospitalization) and some for extended stays (refugee camps, prisons, nursing homes). Not only are the patients we serve experiencing illness, they are also experiencing a type of homelessness. It is almost impossible to enjoy a meal, experience some resting and reading, or even sleep without being interrupted.
You see, friends, home is a place we can rest, where we can be renewed and refreshed. Each interruption, while needed or required, can heighten the feeling of homelessness.
One thing to keep in mind is that a patient may come to us believing they are going to experience homelessness! Every attempt we make to “Treat People Better” is a way of helping them to have an “at home” moment when their anticipated feeling was “homelessness.” Treating people better is one way of letting the patient know that they are not orphaned.
--Ben Keckler
11.02.10
Monday, November 1, 2010
Daily Devotion - Monday, November 1
Drumstick Dash
“I will not leave you orphaned.”
--A promise from the Holy One to us
This week I want to address the subject of homelessness in our society. It is much more pervasive than we might first imagine. Present economic conditions suggest it may get far worse before it gets better. We will explore the subject through a number of different lenses. Daily the attempt will be to paint a picture and offer an insight about how we can help homeless folk when they feel orphaned.
It’s Monday, so let’s start with an easy picture! In downtown Indianapolis there are several agencies that assist our brothers and sisters who are on the streets of Central Indiana. One of the agencies is Wheeler Mission. Through Wheeler people can experience a bit of home (home being a place where we can face our fears, experience a bit of freedom from the daily “stuff” that creates the fears and where there is someone who will receive our tears about those fears).
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be homeless in the way our Wheeler Mission family is homeless? Have you ever spent time experiencing that depth of alone-ness? At number of times I’ve lived with homeless folk for a period of time. Those “vacations” are probably some of the best times in my life. They helped me in more ways than I can verbalize in a short devotional. Living beside those who only know the street as their home brings about deepened awareness about the promise “I will not leave you orphaned.”
In cultural America we like to donate to worthy causes that truly help the homeless. Wheeler offers a great event early on Thanksgiving morning that my wife and I participate in each year we are in town. It is called DRUMSTICK DASH. It is a fundraiser that helps the hungry to be fed and the homeless housed. If you can’t take a week and live with the homeless, could you take a few hours on Thanksgiving morning and join the Drumstick Dash, enabling homeless folk to experience a bit of loving support?
--Ben Keckler
11.01.10
“I will not leave you orphaned.”
--A promise from the Holy One to us
This week I want to address the subject of homelessness in our society. It is much more pervasive than we might first imagine. Present economic conditions suggest it may get far worse before it gets better. We will explore the subject through a number of different lenses. Daily the attempt will be to paint a picture and offer an insight about how we can help homeless folk when they feel orphaned.
It’s Monday, so let’s start with an easy picture! In downtown Indianapolis there are several agencies that assist our brothers and sisters who are on the streets of Central Indiana. One of the agencies is Wheeler Mission. Through Wheeler people can experience a bit of home (home being a place where we can face our fears, experience a bit of freedom from the daily “stuff” that creates the fears and where there is someone who will receive our tears about those fears).
Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be homeless in the way our Wheeler Mission family is homeless? Have you ever spent time experiencing that depth of alone-ness? At number of times I’ve lived with homeless folk for a period of time. Those “vacations” are probably some of the best times in my life. They helped me in more ways than I can verbalize in a short devotional. Living beside those who only know the street as their home brings about deepened awareness about the promise “I will not leave you orphaned.”
In cultural America we like to donate to worthy causes that truly help the homeless. Wheeler offers a great event early on Thanksgiving morning that my wife and I participate in each year we are in town. It is called DRUMSTICK DASH. It is a fundraiser that helps the hungry to be fed and the homeless housed. If you can’t take a week and live with the homeless, could you take a few hours on Thanksgiving morning and join the Drumstick Dash, enabling homeless folk to experience a bit of loving support?
--Ben Keckler
11.01.10
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