February 2023

FEBRUARY 2023| VOL. 27 NO. 2 Restoring Hope...Transforming Lives ~ Since 1995

At our last staff meeting we challenged folks to each come up with one New Year’s Resolution for the Mission – globally or within their work area. We present a summary to provide you with insight into our hopes and dreams for 2023.

“Genesis Acres 2.0” – The Mission owns about 2.5 acres of property on Littlerock Road called Genesis Acres that houses our Women and Children’s Life Transformation Program. We want to upgrade the facility and bring additional services on-line; shelter for women with children, a childcare facility, more transitional housing for women with or without children who have graduated from the program and desire to extend their stay for up to an additional two years to walk out their recovery and better prepare to re-enter society. The 2023 Resolution is to complete the planning and move this forward as a Mission initiative.

Spiritual Resilience – It would be impossible to overstate the spiritual warfare that we engage in daily at the Mission. God’s work is being done because staff meet so much resistance and can feel the enemy’s presence. Several resolutions addressed the need for more prayer over the Mission, the staff and the men and women we are called to help. In 2023 finding a mechanism / time for

spiritual renewal of the team will be an essential part of our planning.

Mental Health Training – Hand in hand with spiritual renewal, training is needed to provide staff with the tools to recognize and communicate effectively with individuals suffering from mental illness to blunt Satan’s attack.

Growth Opportunities for the VegOut Program – Mindy led the VegOut effort to spread Christmas cheer. We were able to bless more children and families than ever before. With financial support from “Save the Children” and volunteers, over 100 family meal boxes, Christmas gifts, and 1,600 Christmas stockings were distributed. Recently, Mindy had a conversation with maintenance staff at one of the apartment complexes who expressed the concern that over half the VegOut kids were unable to attend after school programs for various reasons. Organizations that once provided after school services to the housing projects did not survive the Pandemic, so the club house facilities at these locations are sitting vacant. We see this as an excellent opportunity to reopen the club houses by partnering with churches, Mission staff and volunteers, and funders like “Save the Children.” This would create the possibility to expand VegOut; provide food, snacks, help with homework, space for kids to play, read, and hear about Jesus. We are in the process of gathering information on what will be required to make this happen, and we are very optimistic about broadening and deepening the VegOut ministry.

Expansion of the Dental Care Ministry – Twenty-three years ago, the Mission began offering urgent dental care to low income and uninsured individauls. For many years, the focus was only on urgent care dental services to eliminate pain and infection. Recently, God has been opening up opportunities to expand into more restorative

dental care services, to include removable dental appliances, eliminating infection and preparing patients for transplant surgeries. The Dental Clinic Manager, Shelley, is asking for prayer that she will interpret God’s direction correctly when considering budgets, what we are staffed to deliver, and offers from the volunteer dentists to expand the menu of services.

In summry, there is a lot on our plate in 2023. Your financial support keeps the Mission running and offering supportive and restorative services to hundreds of men and women who come to our doors. But it is your prayers that sustain the Mission and its staff. We really do very much need and appreciate those who pray for us daily.

God Bless You All in 2023!

ANGELA

Angela is one of the most unassuming individuals you could meet. She is warm, kind, funny, angelic (like her name); but as she talked about her life, she revealed an entirely different person.

By the time she was 14, Angela was living on the streets of Oakland, California. All 87 pounds of her could fend for herself until one day when someone told her that if she takes crack she’ll stay warm at night. That started a life of addiction. Eventually, she returned to Washington, where she had lived when she was a child, and settled in Seattle, working the streets to make money.

This way of life would be a continuous rollercoaster ride of addiction and homelessness. She was 18 when she met and married her first husband and had two sons. “I was a bad wife. We would yell and scream at each other, so the marriage didn’t last. I married a second time for over 10 years and had a daughter, but I was still a bad wife.” All the while, Angela was still on drugs and drinking heavily, yet she confesses that she didn’t believe she was an addict, even when her children were taken away.

Angela ran a successful cleaning business, a hard worker, but all the while she was stealing from her clients, taking jewelry, and pawning it. more than 1,000 lives I stole from – eventually my sins caught up with me.” Angela was arrested and faced five different counts of felony convictions with 8-10 years in prison.

Her lawyer asked her, “What’s your problem?” When Angela admit ted to her addictions, her attorney got her into Drug Court. She had to pay fines of $5,000, work, volunteer 32 hours a week, and attend classes for 18 months.

“The Judge volunteered me, and I showed up to the Mission, where I started by cleaning the toilets and eventually advancing to the dish pit. I did food prep, serving meals, and my favorite…serving coffee – they would call me Mrs. Coffee because I knew exactly how everyone liked their coffee prepared.”

During Angela’s months of mandated volunteering at the Mission, she met Jodi, Director of the Residential Recovery Program, who invited her to church. Angela’s faith was fragile, but she wanted to know God personally; and with her third husband has been attending services faithfully. Angela has her children back and the couple are new homeowners. God went before them and opened doors through a family that loved on them with Christ’s love.

Angela now works for a nonprofit organization called Save the Children. This national organization reaches out to families with food insecurities. During Angela’s time at the Mission, she was aware of the VegOut pro gram. Through her new job, she was able to secure a monetary gift of $15,000 from the organization, including toys and books all for the Mis sion’s VegOut program. Many families in the community were blessed and Angela couldn’t have been more excited – “I have the best job ever!”

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philpippians 4:8 Angela’s favorite verse.

The SurpriSing

Science of giving

Would it surprise you to learn that over the past 20 years experts have found that giving creates a “warm glow” of dopamine in the body? And that this ‘warm glow’ lights up the same parts of the brain as eating dessert or receiving money?

During the holidays we are naturally inclined toward generosity, but here are three unexpected ways we can give throughout the year and experience an endorphin boost, giving ourselves that ‘warm glow’ effect.

Pass along a family heirloom. Instead of buying something new or willing it later, give a prized family possession this year – when you can surprise the recipient and enjoy their reaction.

Teach what you know. Some of the best gifts can’t be wrapped. Pass down your skill of knitting, carpentry, or a beloved family recipe with the techniques that can’t be written down, only demonstrated.

Think long-term. Giving charitable gifts to an organization you love makes a huge difference. This type of plan-ahead generosity will not only leave an impact for future generations but fill your heart with joy and satisfaction today too.

And as the Scripture encourages us, it is better to give than to receive.

How one woman found Christ’s Love and is Giving Back

Use the QR code to share the online newsletter with friends.

The Mission’s clothing bank is open Monday – Friday, 9am –5pm and accepts new and gently used clothing items. The clothing is available to our guests free of charge. Our donation door is at 413 Franklin St NE and A Avenue NE (the drop-off door faces A Avenue). We appreciate your donation and hope you will share this information with others.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS?

Over the last two years, our applicants for both the women’s and men’s Life Transformation Programs have changed. By change, I mean we are seeing an increase in the level of mental illness in the folks who apply for our help. I contacted other Missions in the Northwest and found that they have been seeing the same kind of change in their demographics. I also learned that Government agencies like the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), estimate 1 in 5 adults in the general population have a mental illness. Our beloved Olympia Union Gospel Mission clients are not the general population and mental illness is common and more serious.

In the Life Transformation Program, our focus has been on addiction recovery and relationship with Jesus. We are not psychiatrists or prescribers; so we asked ourselves, “What can we do about mental illness?” We have a responsibility to adjust to change. Historically, the churches have been there for the mentally ill, in prison ministries, helping the homeless, addictions, human trafficking, and natural disasters. Many seek out clergy before a psychiatrist; therefore, we are already helping with some level of mental illness. It’s time to adapt and accommodate for a more challenging population.

This means building stronger relationships with the local behavioral health community and educating ourselves even more than we already have. We have met with South Sound Behavioral Health Resources and Providence Menal Health about their staff coming to the Mission to directly help clients.

We have studied the topic and have received additional training and certifications. A number of our staff have gone through a 42-hour training to receive a Mental Health Coaching certification. In addition, some have received certifications for Mental Health First Aid. Mental Health First Aid is responding in a mental health emergency and offering support to someone who appears to be in emotional distress.

Currently, Sherry and I are working on an in-house training course for our day room and shelter staff. They are who I refer to as “the front line”. They need your prayers the most, but so do the folks with the severe mental health issues. No one asks for this or any kind of illness. Mental health difficulties affect physical condition, but it’s not their true identity. A person living with bipolar disorder might say, “I am not bipolar, I have bipolar.” Our identity is in Christ, not an illness.

Psalms 139:14 says, We have been fearfully and wonderfully made in the very image and likeness of God. Circumstances and struggles do not define who we are, God does.

“It’s time to adapt and accommodate for a more challenging population.”

Jodi Yarbrough, Life Transformation Recovery Program Director

What would you do?

What would you do if you had no Social Security number or ID?

You would find yourself unable to do most of life’s simple things we take for granted living here in the United States. During the Mission’s ministry in Olympia, there have been folks that guided or knew the services well enough in the community to direct someone to receive help. The problems have compounded over the years, and our staff, that already wear many hats, found it increasingly difficult to provide the answers for those seeking assistance.

In stepped Sherry, one of the Mission’s counselors. She has taken on the task of ‘learning as you go’ to try to mitigate some of the usual issues clients run into.

Sherry has been in their shoes and knows firsthand what they are experiencing. A graduate of the Life Transformation Residential Recovery Program in 2018, Sherry is the perfect person to turn this opportunity into a ministry. “Because I have been

there. God comforts us so that we can comfort others. I know what it’s like to be at the bottom and what is a simple task to some, appears impossible to our clients.”

In addition to her counseling skills, Sherry is able to share Christ and provide answers to questions. When she doesn’t know how to help, she is quick to research and get back to them with solutions.

“One of the most commonly asked questions is about having a mailing address or phone. I almost can’t help anyone without ID or Social Security card. So, we have to start at the very beginning by applying for a birth certificate - in order to get a Social Security card - in order to get an ID - in order to get a phone and maintain a mailing address.”

“More recently, a gentleman asked me to help him with his green card. While there is a program to assist someone in this situation, you must have a phone; You must have an address; You must have your ID and money. I didn’t have the answers right then, but I did find a way to help him, but I have yet to see the man again.”

We are thankful that God prepared Sherry for this role to bridge the gap to help our clients overcome the roadblocks in their lives. We ask that you pray for the continued success of this ministry, and opportunities for Sherry to share Christ with our guests.

take me away”...

Aline from a popular commercial in the 70’s invoked the imagery of leaving your every day cares behind while you pampered yourself…

Four women in our Residential Recovery Program had such an experience recently when they were sponsored and treated to a Spa Day at Alderbrook Resort and Spa located in Union WA.

Karen Hughes, a volunteer who helps with meal prep and serving at the Mission, contacted Karen Robbins, Community Liaison, with the idea of hosting a Spa Day held at Genesis Acres where the ladies in the program live. After putting their heads together, they decided a true Calgon moment could only occur on location at the spa.

Karen Hughes reached out to the Alderbrook Spa management, where her daughter is the Day Spa manager; paperwork was completed, the request was submitted, and approval granted to sponsor four ladies from the Program to a day of pampering. The ladies were treated to massages, saunas, and lunch in the resort atmosphere at Alderbrook. For some ladies, it was a first-time experience and for others it was a reminder of times long past. After their spa experience, the ladies exclaimed how wonderful and special they felt and what a beautiful location it was! Program counselor, Sherry Chapman, said the ladies expressed feeling very rejuvenated, revived and ready to take on what life had next for them. And volunteer, Karen Hughes, felt very fulfilled to have been a part of special memory for the ladies.

“Calgon