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 Word on the Street
Article by Pastor Pete Woodhams
I first got involved with the homeless of the locality about twelve years ago. I helped out for several weeks at a local church involved with feeding and clothing the homeless people of Bournemouth . This was done as a placement from Moorlands Bible College where I was studying at the time. The general reaction of people when they found out what I was doing was "what homeless". It was and still is to some extent a belief amongst many locals that homelessness is not a problem in this area. The reality is somewhat different. At the present time we find ourselves regularly dealing with between 8 and 30 individuals on Monday evenings. The numbers tend to vary for many reasons, two examples would be:-
a) Seasonal changes, some homeless from other areas make their way to the coast for the summer months and
b) The effectiveness of Root to Roots (the local umbrella Ministry which amongst other functions finds accommodation for the homeless).
Whenever a Christian is asked why they help the poor and destitute the scripture often referred to is James 2:13-17
For he who has shown no mercy shall have judgment without mercy, and mercy exults over judgment. My brothers, what profit is it if a man says he has faith and does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and if one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled, but you do not give them those things which are needful to the body, what good is it? Even so, if it does not have works, faith is dead, being by itself.
As appropriate as that scripture may be, I prefer Luke 14: 12-13a
And Jesus also said to him who invited Him, When you make a dinner or a supper, do not call your friends or your brothers, or your kinsmen, or your rich neighbours; lest they also invite you again, and a recompense be made to you. But when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
This passage speaks for itself and it fits very well with Pastor Steve Sheppard’s much publicised oratory of telling the homeless we meet to "get stuffed" (Literally to eat as much as they can). It has always been the intention of Waters Edge Church to feed the homeless to the best of our ability and for it not to be a token action.
Another popular conception about the homeless is that they are all alcoholics or drug abusers. Although this is true for numerous homeless there are many with genuine heartrending reasons for finding themselves without accommodation. I find myself blessed to be a small part of a dedicated team who go out in all weather conditions in order to offer a hand of friendship and care to people less fortunate than ourselves. After all if we as individuals didn’t enjoy total financial and emotional security it wouldn’t take that much of a meltdown for us to find ourselves on the streets.
For further information contact pete@john146.co.uk
Elim Foursquare Gospel Alliance. Registered Charity 251549 (England & Wales) SC037754 (Scotland)
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