06-01-11

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. (Psa 119:71)

God bless you dear brothers and sisters. Every month a number new people become interested in associating themselves with the godly works and purpose of this Rescue Mission. Of course we are pleased to welcome these brothers and sisters into this fold, and by way of keeping them informed and abreast of our trials, labors, and wonderful joys, each person receives a copy of our monthly newsletter containing a listing of all our activities. For some of us this will be new news, and to others, a comfortable reminder of who we are and what we do, and why.

The Suncoast Haven of Rest Rescue Mission was established 23 years ago in 1988 at our present location of 5625 Park Boulevard, Pinellas park, Florida as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, and we continue to serve all of Pinellas County from this central location. Our campus of hard-working staff and volunteers multi-task in serving the needy public as a food pantry, a soup kitchen, a food bank, a Day Center, a rehabilitation center, and a church (six things).

The doors to our Rescue Mission are always open seven days a week to the poor and needy. Our basic staff consists of twelve formerly homeless men and women who have officially entered into our drug and alcohol free Ministerial Volunteers In Training program for rehabilitation (tearing down the old) and ministerial training (building up the new), and we also receive working assistance from many warm-hearted Christian men and women volunteers, and from hundreds of Community Service workers. Together, with compassion, sincerity, and the loving understanding of God, we provide free boxes of groceries, donated clothing, and used toys to 11,435 (eleven thousand four hundred thirty-five) computer registered domiciled but impoverished families of men, women, and little children throughout Pinellas County. Altogether, with the indispensable aid of our two trucks and crews, we are this year currently collecting and distributing an average of 77,999 pounds of free food (39 tons) per month, or 51,999 meals and meal equivalencies per month to the poor residents and homeless citizens of this County. Additionally, 151 other needy nonprofit organizations in Pinellas County receive bulk foods from our Rescue Mission, such as Retarded and Crippled Children organizations, Veteran’s Clubs, churches, retirement homes, hospices, deaf persons homes, and various other ministries, etc., etc.

Our open Day Center serves thousands of impoverished domiciled families who are hovering, in fact quivering, on the sharp edge of homelessness. The following on-campus services are made available for free: daily clean clothing, hot showers, hot meals, food boxes, telephone, mailing address for employment and inter-family contact purposes, Christian Counseling, Share program, Crisis Intervention, food stamp applications and guidance, telephone voice mail boxes, Medicaid, four Christian based 12 Step AA/NA Recovery classes per week, G.E.D. applications, free medical help, every day a half-hour evangelical gospel message delivered by thirty born again guest speakers per month, free non-prescription magnifier reading glasses, legal advice from a Public Defender’s Office attorney, Internet job searches, job counseling and placement, bus passes, temporary cash assistance, Social Security information, and Sunday church service. Busy, busy, busy.

In regard to the question of the public’s need and the demand for our services, may I inform you that as a result of the latest self-examination of our Board of Directors, we have concluded that the food our staff and volunteers distributed during the first quarter of this year represents a 60% increase over the same period last year. That is a pretty good economic indicator of what is happening not only in Pinellas County, but also throughout the towns and cities of America. Somehow, the government seems to be erasing the middle-class. The poor are getting poorer, the rich are getting richer, and the middle-class… are rapidly disappearing downward. (Ahhh yes, we did vote for “change” didn’t we?) 

As a nation, we have rapidly gone far beyond all the pre-election hype, exciting talk and flattery that then carried the massive promise of peace and happiness soon to be found in beneficial change. We are living with the ill results of that lofty promise; we are being changed, and I cannot identify even one beneficial change. Rather than entering into peace and happiness, our culture, traditions, and distinctly American way of life are daily being shifted, shaped, and altered, perceptively changed right before our eyes (sometimes without our knowledge, and most times, without our consent) into something that I believe will eventually prove quite unpalatable to the vast majority of patriotic Americans in the very near future.

Nevertheless, we cannot go back. No, things will never be as they were before. It is a true saying that: “You can’t go back.” (I have tried to many times.) I lived through the fantastic fifties, the silly sixties, and the seventies, etc., etc., and I truly believe that I have lived through and enjoyed the very best of times and living conditions that the United States will ever have. Now we must all learn to settle for much less in this world, and patiently await the real peace and happiness that is on His way. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev 22:20).

Our Rescue Mission is a faith-based organization, hence donor funded, and we are somewhat desperately seeking monies to overcome our monthly deficit caused by the large economy-driven decrease in our normal monthly donations. Please help us as best you can. Your loving prayers and sacrificial support are vital to our continued existence. Perhaps you could help our patrons beyond your lifespan by including a gift for us in your will. Thank you. The staff, volunteers, and Board of Directors of this Rescue Mission fully intend to continue to serve the many thousands of lost and hungry persons residing in Pinellas County to the very best of our abilities. Thank you for your help. God bless you.

Sincerely,

                                                                                  J

Rev. Lionel

Ps. One of several educational programs that our Rescue Mission offers is a School of Evangelism wherein aspiring preachers, teachers, and evangelists learn to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to audiences on our two Internet websites (www.havenofrest.com & www.tabernacleofmoses.org), at our Rescue Mission, at Pinellas Hope, at The Wagon Wheel Flea Market, at Pinellas Safe Harbor, and at Arlington Gardens. And we are actively looking for other places to speak. At this time, several of these ministers are also available to speak in virtually any venue where there are potential listeners. Should you have a need, or the knowledge of a need, for a happy evangelical speaker, please call me. Thank you.   

Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion [symbolically, us]:

for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come. (Psa 102:13)