spring 2005 helping hands newsletter, visalia rescue mission

8/8/2019 Spring 2005 Helping Hands Newsletter, Visalia Rescue Mission

1/4

S P R I N G 2 0 0 5

The walls are freshly-painted, the beds have clean sheets, and a car-

ing staff welcomes the homeless at the new Shelter of Hope. The

dream that was birthed more than a year ago in the hearts of the staff

and board of directors of the Visalia Rescue Mission is now a reality.

Bringing the dream to fulfillment took many hours of labor, much

prayer, and the combined efforts of a community with a caring heart.

Last year, we were sorrowfully turning away women and children

who came to us for help. This year, we are welcoming them into a

home that represents the love of Jesus Christ, who said Whoever wel-

comes one of these in my name welcomes me. (Mark 9:37)

On Monday, April 18th, the doors of the new shelter opened wide,

and women and children who lived in cars or on the streets now have

a place to call a temporary home; a warm refuge from the harsh reali-ty of life on the streets. One woman told us Ive been looking for a

place like this for months. Thank God you opened up! There are hun-

dreds more like her women looking for a hand up, not a hand out.

They want to change their lives, but because of various circumstances

they cant do it on their own. They need help.

One volunteer recently said, In reality, were all just one or two

steps away from being in the same situation. Our goal is to reverse the

steps that brought these women and children to us, to offer hope that

their lives can change in profound and positive ways. Instead of

waking up afraid and uncertain in the morning, our guests wake

up with anticipation and excitement and about what lies before

them. At night, they lay down to sleep with peace and content-

ment in their hearts, rather than fear and loneliness. And this, as

John Ruskin once said, is the true nature of home; it is the place

of peace; the shelter, not only from injury, but from all terror

doubt and division.

Each day, we provide nutritious meals that feed their bodies

and Biblical teaching that feeds their souls. Volunteers from loca

churches share the love of Jesus Christ every night as they min

ister to the women and children in the shelter. One resident stat-

ed, They let us know how much the Lord loves us, and help us

feel good about ourselves again.

We invite you to join us on Sunday, May 22nd, between 1:00

4:00 PM for an Open House at the Shelter of Hope (1413 N

Burke). We want you to see the beautiful facility that God has

provided, and to meet some of those who helped make the dream

come true. For directions and information, please call Angela at

the Visalia Rescue Mission office (733-2231, ext. 18)

The Home that Love BuiltThe Home that Love Built


2/4

Board of DirectorsRandy Vogt

Chairman

Mark SheltonVice Chairman

Tammy MainordTreasurer

Jeannie VanRyn

SecretaryMichael Allen

Paul Baxley

Wayne Ingram

John Koster

Nonning Leyendekker

Brad Reenders

Greg Scroggins

Sid Tuls

Jenny Zeeb

Because You Care. . .our sphere of service is increasing.All of these categories are showing

substantial increases over 2004.

Meals served32,212

Bed nights9,540

Graduates14

Chapel attendance7,429

Honors & MemorialsIN MEMORY OF

Felipe EspinoDon & Peggy McLaughlin

Bertha HeierBecky Richert

Luella KellyNancy Olson

Pope John Paul IIRobert & Laura Mekemson

Allen SmithWard RanchesMichael & Sarah Knight

Northshore Mining Co.

Barbara BaxleyNancy Smith

James WellsElsie Wells

IN HONOR OF:

Ruth SmithMichael & Sarah Knight

Randy & Toni VogtBret & Linda Bastrire

We serve an AWESOME GOD! His

blessings and faithfulness to His

people are beyond measure. I marvel

at the work God is doing through His ser-

vants at the Visalia Rescue Mission. Ourstaff and many volunteers see first-hand

the power and love of God changing lives

each and every day! Broken, lonely,

homeless and hopeless people are finding

hope and restoration through the only

source of true hope our Lord and Savior,

Jesus Christ.

I am thrilled to report that, by the date

you read this letter, the mission has opened

the doors of our new women and childrens

shelter the Shelter of Hope. Through the

generosity of our supporters and the hard

work of many volunteers, we are now able

to serve another part of our community,

women and children in need of short-term

emergency shelter. Until now we have

lacked the facilities to house women and

children on a short-term basis. Thanks to al

of you who contributed time, talent and

treasure to help meet this critical need!Please make plans to attend our Annua

Celebration Banquet on Friday, May 13

2005. Each year we gather to enjoy a time of

fellowship and worship, praising and thank-

ing God for His blessings of the past year. It

is also a time to look ahead to the great chal-

lenges still before us. Ticket information and

other details about the banquet are included

in this newsletter. I hope to see you there!

Finally, please pray each day for the

Visalia Rescue Mission. Pray for our staff

volunteers and residents. Pray that our

Board and Staff will always seek Gods will

first and foremost as we continue to serve

the hurting and homeless of our community

Dear Friends by Randy Vogt, Chairman

I

n the years I have been involved in the work

of the Mission and the ministry of recovery

and restoration, the stories that have broken

my heart the most are the ones I have never

known the women and children we have

had to turn away in the most dire of need sim-

ply because we had no room. This is why I

find great reason to rejoice in the opening of

our womens facility this month. What a great

celebration to know that our ability to meet

the needs of some of the most fragile of our

community is finally being realized!

There are many names and faces behind

the scene who have gone to great lengths to

make this opening possible. I would beremiss to not mention the staff at the Mis-

sion who have prayed and worked this shel-

ter into opening by coordinating the task of

planning and preparing the shelter. Board

members Jenny Zeeb, Mark Shelton, Mike

Allen and John Koster worked many hours

in a variety of capacities to see that the

finances, structure, and facilities were care-

fully prepared. Volunteers like Layne

Downes, the Visalia Soroptimists, the

Sequoia Regional Leadership group and

Boy Scout Troop #336 loaned us their tal-

ent, labor, and hearts for work that will be a

blessing to the many who walk through the

doors of the shelter. There are many more

who labored with us in this project. My

thanks and appreciation goes out to each

one.

And of course, there is you! Our faithful

supporters of prayer, work, and financia

giving should also be greatly recognized for

their effort and partnership in our Shelter o

Hope. God has been so good to us and you

are truly a part of His goodness in action

Thank you for blessing the women and chil-

dren of our community through your faith-

fulness to God. May this shelter be a beaconof hope and help to hundreds of women and

children as they find the ultimate anchor, the

saving grace of Jesus Christ. To each of us

who has known His grace, we cannot help

but offer it to others. Praise God for not only

providing a facility, but also the ONLY thing

that will truly help His life!

News from the DirectorNews from the Director


3/4

Celebrating theRisen Lord

On Saturday, March 26th, the sun shon

brightly as a crowd of volunteers happily

served a hot Easter meal to more than 350

people. As our neighbors were served a

wonderful dinner, they were also encourage

by the smile and joyous greetings of those

helping them. Children happily accepted

Easter eggs stuffed with goodies and Bible

verses, and adults received a pocket cros

with the Gospel message. When a larg

community meal is organized, it only succeed

with a dedicated team of volunteers. W

thank you for blessing our community and

ministering the love of Jesus to the hungry

Womens AuxiliaryArmed with a passionate desire to help

make a difference in the lives of hurtingwomen and children, the Visalia Rescu

Mission Womens Auxiliary lead the charge to

create a place of warmth and refuge at the

Shelter of Hope. In March, they hosted th

Shower of Blessing, an afternoon tea fo

ladies of the community. The auxiliar

provided a comprehensive needs list throug

a gift registry for household items at severa

local stores (Target, Home Depot and Bed

Bath & Beyond).We are thankful to a

those who responded so generously, and

want you to know what a difference you

kindness makes every day in the lives of the

women and children we serve. If you would

like to help furnish the Shelter of Hope, th

needs list is still available through the gif

registries mentioned above

When you ask our residents what Godhas done in their lives, they are quickto answer and to give God the glory.

May your heart be encouraged by thesewords straight from the hearts of some ofGods redeemed.

Stephanie C I was alone in a motel inPorterville and my heart stopped because Islammed too much dope. I should havedied. But God saved me. He woke me upand I found myself in the shower with thewater running. I immediately came back tothe Rescue Mission, and it saved my life. Irealize now that God is real, and He doessave me! Ive finally found the Father wholoves me. I like myself now. I have a goodfoundation, and I finally get to see my 5-year-old daughter. God Rocks!

Regina H I think I always believed inGod, but never tried Him. I was a diabeticand using drugs. I got fired for doing drugsbut still didnt stop. One day, I saw mycousin. She had a lot of joy, faith, and hope,

and I told her I want what youve got. Onthe day she graduated from the Mission, I hadan interview to come in and was accepted.My life began again there. I let God into mylife, and began focusing on positive things. Ilove who I am today. Im living my life theway I should, and Im a happy person.

Monica J God freed me from imprison-ment. I did alcohol and drugs for almost 20years, spent 7 years homeless on the streets,and was in and out of prison. I lost three ofmy children but didnt try to change untilCPS took my fourth child. It was the end ofthe road for me, and I even contemplated sui-cide. But a voice I now believe was God toldme to get up and brush myself off. I foundmyself at the Mission and turned my life overto Jesus. I realize now how loving and kindGod is. With His help, Im clean and sober,and recently graduated from the Missionsprogram. Im taking college courses to get acertificate in human services. I have custodyof my daughter, and she is living with menow. Today, Im free from my prison.

Thank You!You may never meet any of the women and children

who enter the Shelter of Hope. You may never teach

a Bible study or a recovery class. You may never per-

sonally counsel someone going through a rough with-

drawal period. However, you have touched a life in a significant way if you ever

Made a financial donation to the Visalia Rescue Mission

Painted a wall to create a welcoming atmosphere

Scrubbed a bathroom for someone who hasnt bathed in a few days

Replaced the glass in a window to provide a secure place of refuge

Installed a new water heater to provide a hot showerGave a gift of pillows or clean sheets for a peaceful nights sleep

Brought clothes to give someone a fresh start in life

Gave food to provide meals for the hungry

For all of this and more, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Words will never

express our gratitude to you for embracing the Shelter of Hope and answering the cry for

help that has come from hundreds of hurting women and children. Only eternity will tell

the true story of what a difference your life has made in the lives of these, the delicate

and helpless ones of our community.

These organizations and/or companies have provided assistance in extraordinary ways:

The Board of Directors of the Visalia Rescue Mission

The Womens Auxiliary of the Visalia Rescue Mission

The Visalia Soroptimist ClubSequoia Regional Leadership

Boy Scout Troop #336 and VisaliasThird Ward of the Latter Days Saints

R Lang Company

The Glass Shop

Habitat for Humanity

Koster Construction

Blinds, Etc.

American Flooring

Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so!


4/4

Youre Invitedto a Party!

VisaliaRescueMission

P.O.Box109

Visalia,CA93279

Non-ProfitOrg.

U.S.Postage

PAID

VISALIA,CA932977

PERMITNO.119

ReturnServiceRequested

We are planning a great evening of rejoic-

ing for our annual Celebration of HopeBanquet. Commemorating the opening

of the new women and childrens shelter, the

theme of the night is When Love Takes You In. Join hundreds from our area who will

share the good news of what God has accomplished in this ministry in the last year.

The evening will begin with a time of fellowship starting at 6:00 PM. Music will be

provided by several musicians from local churches, and include a special number with

the Visalia Rescue Mission choir. Vibrant testimonies of Gods power to heal and restore

lives will remind everyone of His love and compassion for the hurting.

Guest speaker Brenda Turner will challenge and encourage us as she shares from her

experience with the Ventura Rescue Mission Alliance. Offering ten distinct programs at

multiple locations in Southern California, the Alliance has served the homeless for more

than 32 years. Brenda and her husband, the chaplain for the mens shelter, have a passion

for the lost and an enthusiasm for their work that is contagious.

Prepare now by setting aside Friday, May 13th, for this special occasion. Tickets may

be purchased for $30 each, or a table of 8 reserved for $240. Bring a group from your

church and enjoy the night together. To make reservations, please contact Angela at the

Mission office (733-2231, ext. 18). Dont miss this opportunity to share the joy of

changed lives!

AnnualCelebration

BanquetFridayMay13,2005

Save-MartSHARES

ProgramSave Mart Stores have initiateda new program benefiting non-

profit organizations. Debit cards

can be purchased at the stores,

and a percentage of the sale will

be given to the Visalia Rescue

Mission. To obtain informationand sign up, please contact

Angela in the Mission office

(733-2231,ext. 18).

spring 2005 helping hands newsletter, visalia rescue mission

Documents