"Hope for the hopless!"

God’s love has the power to turn around the lives of even the greatest misfits and marginalised, says Salvation Army Captain Steven Turner.
Writing in The Salvation Army’s latest Thought for the Month, Turner chided the church for not being more welcoming to the “losers” of the community and challenged believers to reach out to the down and outs on their own doorsteps.
“We love to see TV programmes like ‘Beyond the Boundaries’ in which disabled people take on challenges most able-bodied folk would fail. We cheer the ‘losers’ who make good,” he wrote in his sports themed article.
“But what of the down and outs in our community – those with drink and alcohol problems, broken marriages, disability or disease?
“Most people have no time for them. Even in our churches those who ‘don’t fit’ can suffer a rough ride.”
Captain Turner pointed to the example set by Jesus in offering forgiveness to the Samaritan woman who had been divorced five times, the healing he brought to the disabled, and the occasions on which he touched lepers – a condition Turner described as “the HIV/Aids problem of his day”.
“Jesus had lots of time for misfits – whether due to disability or social status,” he wrote. “The high fliers in among his Band of Twelve were a former tax collector and a thief who finally betrayed him. But Jesus knew that with God’s Spirit in them people can change.”
Captain Turner concluded with a reminder to Christians of God’s ability to save even the biggest underdogs.
“Remember that God has the same attitude as the good sports fan,” he noted. “That with the right coaching and proper application (God’s Spirit working in our hearts to apply His Word), the biggest loser can be transformed and receive eternal life.”

Homelessness - Practical Help

Homelessness does not simply mean sleeping rough or selling the Big Issue, the Blue Triangle Housing Association project in Lanark, and Wiston Lodge homeless shelter near Biggar highlighted at a Tuesday meeting of churches in Lanark, Scotland.

It is rather a problem with local roots, and which can affect a wide range of people, the groups said at the meeting to discuss ways in which churches in the Clydesdale area of Scotland could support local homeless people.

The meeting was organised by Scottish Churches Housing Action and brought together Christians from different church congregations and local projects who agreed to set up an initiative to help people who become homeless locally.

Stewart Gibb of South Lanarkshire Council gave an indication of the challenges ahead, when he told of the 600 families - including 336 children mostly undre the age of 11 - and individuals who came to the local council for help with homelessness in 2007.

Despite the scale of the need, the council has just over half the number of houses they did 25 years ago, meaning that it depends on other organisations to help make up the shortfall in council housing provision.

Val Holtom, also of South Lanarkshire Council, explained what being homeless means: “Homeless people find themselves moving from address to address, being short of money, having nowhere to cook a healthy meal, experiencing stress and anxiety, and relying on the decisions of others.”

The impact on children of disrupted education and friendships can last much longer than the homelessness itself, Scottish Churches Housing Action added.

Clydesdale churches and organisations at the meeting agreed to scale up the joint response of local churches to people facing homelessness.

They will now come together to produce ‘well-being packs’ – a set of toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant and other hygiene items to provide to people who have nothing to keep themselves clean and fresh.