Preventing Homelessness….it isn’t easy..

Tags

, , , , , ,

5/24/2012

To actually prevent someone from becoming homeless when you have little notice is something STA is very accustomed to.  However, there are times when it simply seems so far out of reach.

Shelters are not our housing of choice.  They are our last resort.   We work nonstop around the clock until we make sure the one in need will not become “Street Homelesswhen they find out they will soon be homeless.  For one of the first times ever, i do not believe we will succeed this time…..although we will still try.

It has been a busy couple of weeks since we got our Mobile Crisis Outreach Van back from being repaired, after being down for 7 months and it appears is about to get busier.

We have two of our past Friends In Need who are currently incarcerated and due to be released soon to…….Nowhere.

1) One (23 yr old) “might” have their old job back…but on a very minimal basis.  Not full time as before.  I spoke to the employer this week, great guy, but he understandably has a business to run.   The apartment where this one lived and shared with another may not be there due to “games people play”.  What people call “Love” sometimes or what they do in the name of “Love” sometimes can do permanent damage to others.  Sad & tragic.  Simply sad and tragic.  Next week STA/me will go to court with this one and they should be let out that day possibly, into my/STA’s hands.   It will be a busy intense full day.  More then i can or will describe here.

2) The other one in need (22 yr old), will most likely also be released to no home or family.  The plus side is this one may still have their job as they have been there a long time.  But it is a minimum wage type job.  The other thing is this ones daughter just turned one year old.  (I sit here and shake my head in dismay).  This one should be released sometime soon.  THIS one, is completely up in the air and STA will not have much time ahead of time to prepare or deal with that situation.  It will be a last minute desperate situation.  The “games” for this one have already been set in motion.  Games i do not like, but games others seem to enjoy playing.   They are emotionally dangerous games for the “players” involved.   My hope is we/STA will win.  Simply not feeling overly positive at the moment, but if there is anything i know, in this work i/STA does…things can change in an instant.  Literally.  And often do.

3) Another young one (21), this one not incarcerated, but in a very volatile and desperate situation, currently living with some friends.  This one we are scheduled to bring to a local school to see about getting them started on their GED next Tuesday.  Will this one keep the appointment?  Will they make that step towards “Taking back Their Life”.  Towards freedom?  This one has a baby on the way and one at home.   STA attempts to keep in touch.   Everything is up to this ones own decisions at this very moment.  This one has possibilities, but do they see them? Can they see them?   This one is hurting and very inwardly withdrawn, very protective of self.  This one could be homeless in the blink of an eye.  Will this one grab the reins and “Take Back Their Life”?  That is yet to be seen.  STA is ready and willing to help this one down that path if they so choose to take it…..God‘s “vehicle”, the one He is using to carry out His plan…is running, ready and willing.   The rest is up to this one to answer Jesus’s call and opportunity to a better not so distant future.  Right here, Right Now.

They are all kids really, 21, 22 and 23.    SHEESH!   And there are so many of them today.  So many it is overwhelming quite honestly.   They have not been given the “tools” and shown how to use those tools in order to grow.  Many many many of them.

How can we prevent homelessness?   1) Do not just “hand out” the tools for someone to grow…..Show them how to use them, mentor them, teach them, over and over at every opportunity you get.  2)  Be careful what Emotional Damage you do to each other.  Demeaning words, constant bickering and arguing, control, manipulation all contribute to Emotional Damage which has so many times an end result of Homelessness, which results in Social decay.  3)  Be the bigger person in a relationship, any relationship, whether it be personal or business and do what is right, what is good.  Think of what you are doing to each other and is it the way you want to be treated?  Are you the one being controlling?  Are you doing it because you are scared about something?  Talk it out,  BUT, when you talk be sure to listen…A LOT.  These are only a few things to think about.  There are many more.   4)  STOP.   Damaging relationships cause homelessness, they cause Emotional Damage and physical injuries, many times even deaths.  If you are in an abusive relationship whether you are the victim or the abuser….STOP…..stop and think to yourself….How would Jesus handle this situation.  OR…before any words come out of your mouth, say to yourself… “What Would Jesus Say”?   You Don’t believe in Jesus or God?  You don’t have to in order to prevent damage to someone.  Simply take value in yourself and the other person and walk away.    Nothing is worth hurting another, getting hurt or ending up in jail because you did damage or have been damaged.  If you are the one doing the damage, the control and manipulation for your own benefit, STOP…STOP and think how much stress it actually causes you.  Do you feel that uneasy pain in the middle of your chest?   That is stress, it is not cool, and it is not adrenaline.  It is nothing but stress.   IT WILL do damage to YOU Too.  I guarantee you.   It always does.  Maybe not this time, maybe not next, but it will catch you when you least expect it.  That is satan, do not let him win on you.  STOP the damage and you stop satan.  Stop being the victim and you stop satan.  He won’t know what to do.  I know this may sound like a fairy tale, but please be sure, it is very far from it….i know, i have been there, it is nothing but ugliness.   Look at the stress in your life, the damage emotionally…i can tell you..if you are doing damage to someone you also are being damaged and do not even realize it.  You too are being stressed out, damaged.  STOP.  Walk away.  satan is trying to fool you….in fact…he is laughing at you.  You the victim can change and step up and out, make the “call”, ask for help where ever you are.  You, the one doing damage can change too.   It is never too late as long as we are alive.  It is only when we are dead and gone that it is too late for us to change here on this earth.  Change Today, right now.  Make the decision to Stop Hurting others, to stop being hurt.

Make the decision today to Prevent Emotional Damage, Which in turn prevents Homelessness, which in turn prevents Social Decay….which i guarantee you, will in turn create a pleasant, fun and good life for you and your family and or friends. 

For now i have to trust that Jesus and His heavenly Father have a plan for each of the above 3 people in need above in addition to the babies involved and that Jesus just needs STA to be the “vehicle” to carry out the plans.  We/STA will be there…with the vehicle running, ready and willing.

Please, Please Be Kind to Each Other.

Lance Greene/Founder

The Power of God........what do we Learn.

Reblogged from Jesus-isms...:

Click to visit the original post
  • Click to visit the original post
  • Click to visit the original post

5/21/2012

In the Bible in John 9:3 , Jesus‘s disciples asked Him why a certain blind man was born blind, which Jesus was getting ready to heal.  They asked, was it because of his sins or the sins of his parents?  

Jesus replied in verse 3 - “It was not because of his sins or his parents sins.  This happened so the power of GOD could be seen in him…

Read more… 910 more words

"Don't say 'God be with you,' and not mean it." ~~Jesus

Reblogged from Michael Wilson's Blog:

Jesus challenges us to mean what we say. Religious jargon and trite sayings are useless. It is the power of the risen Lord and Savior that means something. Jesus challenges us to understand what action God wants us to take not say some religious saying. The action Jesus took was always specific. He healed the blind but never exactly the same way.

Read more… 29 more words

Thank You Texas!

Tags

, , , , , ,

5/19/2012

THANK YOU TEXAS! 

Today we received a very much needed Donation of $25.00 from a kind Jesus loving Soul in Texas.  

This Donation will be put to great use for fuel in our Mobile Crisis Outreach Van helping others in need in Jesus’s name.

Thank You Texas! 

Let It Be YOU Now!
Thank You!

Emotional Damage, Social Decay and a great 21 Yr Old Mom!

Tags

, , , , , , ,

5/19/2012

Last Night, at 9:07pm, i received an emergency call from a 16 year old female.  The family was distraught over another family members drinking habits. The 16 year old stated they wanted help for the family member.  This 16 year old sounded like a good kid and i felt bad for her that she was the one who had to “make the call” for help.  They did not want to call the police because they did not want the family member who already has a record to get into further trouble.  After 40 minutes of conversation and determining the situation i stated i would come to help.  I was to meet at the family house and the father would take me to the location where the family member was they were calling about.

I know this family may see this story, that is ok, as they found me by finding our website on the internet.  I hope they see the story and get some understandings.  Also, it is why there will not be specific details in the story of names and or places.

I typically do not involve Police unless it is a life or death situation and or the person involved has threatened suicide with the means and a plan to carry that suicide out.  Especially if i find it out via phone and i am not with them in person.  My reason for this is i believe it is the police job to keep the city safe and do the jobs they are trained to do and it is organizations like ours to deal with the people who are distraught and in turmoil.  Dealing with and preventing Emotional Damage and Social Decay.  Relieving them of some of the nuisance calls which overload the police and medical facilities and distract them from much more serious issues.  You can read more about that here.

I assured the family i would not involve the Police unless i absolutely had to and i would then make that call.

While still on the phone, the 16 year old female passed the phone to the family member in questions 21 year old fiance (female).  They “just wanted help for this other family member, that’s all”.  It is never that simple.  It is almost always “someone else” that is needing the real help and typically involves 1-5 family members or friends, many times more. 

At 9:40pm i get off the phone and begin getting ready to hit the road.  By 10:00pm i am headed for this families house.  As i get close i call to say i am 4 blocks away and will be there shortly.  I am informed the Police are already there, they are wondering if i called the police and i advise them i did not.

As i pull up there are 4 police squads there and they have one of the other family members surrounded outside.  Between the two locations it ended up being 7 police squads from two different police agencies.  All for something they shouldn’t need to be called for.   Hmmmmmmm…..ok, as usual there is ALOT more to this story.  On the phone i could tell i would have problems with this particular family member which police have surrounded..  This family member, actually seems to be a big part of the problem here also.  This family member needs to learn some respect also of others and even himself.  Again, this is not the family member the call was about.  There were approx 7 family members in the home.  They are all as always affected by this situation.  ALL of them right down to the babies.  Including the one on the way.  The one on the way is being affected right in the mothers womb.  When this baby is born, if this Emotional Damage continues and the arguing, turmoil and stress of it all continues, this baby will be born and then diagnosed with ADD, ADHD or Bipolar Disorder later in its young life.  I “Guarantee” you.  Simple as that.

My job, given to me and directed by Jesus, is to try and prevent all that, prevent and or stop the Emotional Decay going on in this family and the end result of which is Social Decay.  Plant seeds, do what i can and then let Jesus and His Father Jehovah take it from there.  Last night Social Decay was front and center, to me that is like looking into the eyes of satan himself.  Period.  I am extremely familiar with it, with him, satan.  He is present in all those i am commissioned to help.  And that is how i know how to fight it and what to do about it.  Plain and Simple.  Nothing more complicated then that.  We CHOOSE to make things much more complicated then they really are.

I leave the family house and head to the location the family describes to me that the one they are concerned about is located.  They are afraid for him, very afraid for him.  As i get close to the location i see two more police cars in photo above in a bank parking lot with a young man sitting at the curb.  I knew it was this man but i kept on towards the location i was sent to.  A light was on inside.  No answer to my calls out or knocks.  I tried the door, it was open.  It was a garage.  I opened the door expecting to find a gun pointed at me or someone laying on the floor some where either passed out or dead.  I found neither.  It was empty except for a car, some furniture and a bunch of tools strewn all over the floor.  Yes i have a photo of it.  No i will not ever post the photo.

So, to make a 4 hour long story short, i met a great family last night.  I met the person who is the one that really needs the help, the one who was asking for help for her fiance, her, the 21 year old Kid who hasn’t had the opportunity to grow up, the 21 year old child/mom.   The fiance is playing a control game, this is a game which causes heavy Emotional Damage to others.  This 21 year old Mom, has had enough of that type of damage.

This 21 year old mom is a great Kid!  She is smart, strong, pretty, seems to maybe be a creative type personality and has a sense of humor which is hidden for now temporarily, but i can see it in her.   She will continue to be an awesome mom i am sure, and she IS a Strong Mom!  She also needs to be strong for herself.  I was honored and blessed to meet ALL of them.  And i thank Jesus for that opportunity.

This 21 year old child/mom wants to go to school and get her GED.  That is one of the things she wants to do to improve her life….to…..”Take Back Her Life”.  

We know just the place.  Tomlinson Adult Learning Center in St. Petersburg, FL.   We will make arrangements to take this great 21 year old female there in the next week and meet with the director so this young Mom can work on Taking Back Her Life and obtain her GED.  She has a great future of possibilities in front of her as long as she chooses to go after them and do what it takes to obtain that future.  To start thinking about herself some.

If her fiance decides he does indeed want help, i will make myself available to him.  If not, then i  ”dust of my feet off” from him and will concentrate on the other family members.  On the ones Jesus directs me to.   A family which ranges from an unborn baby, an infant,  teenagers and adult parents/grandparents over 50. 

Please, everyone out there.  If the man or woman you are with, anyone, does not add to your life, then you do not need them in your life.  Do not become and stay a victim of Emotional or Physical Control.   Do not continue to stay in a situation where someone who is supposed to love you causes physical abuse by hitting you….. IT IS NEVER OK.   And YOU, are you the one doing the damage??   Wellll, many times the damage you are doing is due to something else, many something else’s in fact.  Please, ask someone for some help and be open to it.  It will be ok.  This drama you are putting on others hurts YOU too.   It causes you Emotional Damage also.  WALK AWAY.  STOP.  DO NOT DO IT.  

While we are alive on this earth, it is NEVER to late to make changes and it is always possible.  The only time it is too late is when we are dead.  Then is when it is all up to God and His son Jesus.  

It is not too late for you….yet.   It is not too late for this 21 year old child/mom and her family.

This 21 year old mom is one small step away from homelessness, we spoke about it and she knows it.  IF, she becomes homeless, that is what the end result of Emotional Damage causes, it causes homelessness, and homelessness is one of many forms of Social Decay.   It is my job to help Jesus prevent that. 

We will do What We Can, When We Can, If We Can.  We will also let Jesus do His job.

I want to Thank you, the 16 year old “Cousin” i will call her “N”…for making the call.  You were very brave!  Very Awesome of you.  Sincerely i Thank YOU!

I Thank the “grandmother” for taking so long to sit and talk with all of us and being a “Mom” to this young 21 year old woman.  Sincerely, i Thank YOU.

The 30 year old man who was the reason for the call.  To you i Thank You for talking to me, even for the brief 10 minutes that it was.  I ask for you to open your mind and lets talk some more.  ALL of this can and will get better.   I ask of you to treat your fiance with love and respect and you will get that in return.   I Thank You in advance because i know you can. 

And YOU, the 21 year old Child/Mom.  I THANK YOU for being so brave as to open up and let your huge 12 foot thick armored wall down.   You are very brave.  I THANK YOU for encouraging the making of the call to me.  Pick up that bible “J” and read the first five books like i said ok?  

It will be ok.  Jesus wants all of you to be ok.  In fact He and HIS Father Miss You all very much.   Time to get “hooked up” with them again!  :-))!

It is NOT TOO LATE.   

Most of all I Thank Jesus and His father for bringing this family and Straight Ahead Outreach together.   

Now, i will let Jesus do HIS job and i will be here when He needs me to step back in.

All In All, it was a good night even though satan tried to do extensive damage.  Last night, satan did not win. 

Thank You Jesus!  

Lance Greene/Founder