You see this is an issue that has been raised in many forms recently as we try to get a handle on our homelessness here in Savannah!
Many issues are associated with homelessness, like vagrancy & the risk to our tourists & residents of our”feedings” (better known to us advocates as street ministries)!
At the heart of this “mecca” issue is the fact that we are fine with us being a mecca for tourists & new residents but we can’t seem to get our heads around why homeless people want to come to Savannah!
The realities are that we are on the north south route (I-95), we do have a nice climate for the most part & we do feed the homeless a lot!
(In fact we will admit & new homeless hear it from their peers, that there is NO reason for a homeless person to go hungry or not be clothed in Savannah)!
That comes from our southern hospitality, a faith community that knows how to meet the basic human needs of our poor, needy, homeless & yes even our greedy!
But our faith community does so much more already than this meeting of basic human needs! We could provide an inventory of other things the faith community does & many of you already know that anyway.
What we need to focus on is this:
The God who protects & blesses all of us is an integral part of this mecca thing! You see, we as mere humans, have no clue in many cases what God’s plan is for us let alone those who show up on our doorstep!
Yes, I said it! We could be a mecca for a reason, God’s plan for us, them & our community!
Is that too much to fathom? If it is then you need to check your faith at the entrance to Savannah & watch as He delivers the hurting, broken & desperate for healing to our doors!
So, we choose to take it on as a Social Entrepreneur, God’s servant, who feels that we can give the best customer service to our homeless, vagrants & poor by offering a new framework for solutions!
The question remains, do YOU want to be part of the solution or one of the complainers?
Now we DO realize that public safety is of the utmost importance, even for us who serve the Lord out on the streets ministering to these folk & to ourselves! BTW, we feel we have the ultimate protector watching over us but we are also grateful to the SCMPD for their “support” when it’s needed too! After all, they too can be His hands & feet just like we can & are!
As has been said & quoted many times by others, our Captain of the Downtown Precinct, Captain Mike Wilkins says “it’s about behavior, not circumstance”!
If we truly believe that then let’s support them in making sure the behavior is kept in check.
And that means not by suggesting we transport “them”, or “Those People” out of our City or making it so uncomfortable for them that they feel they must leave.
Let’s put Savannah on the map as one of the most successful places for people to come to END their HOMELESSNESS, not start a life of HOPELESSNESS!
Are you going to be part of that solution?
Savannah Needs a Homelessness Action Week too!
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Reblogged this on Housing First for Savannah's Chronic Homeless and commented:
Let’s deal with this mecca thing! Are we truly a mecca for the homeless? An alternative view!