Home Street Home

One of the most heart-breaking parts of West Montgomery is the number of people who live on the streets. By whatever path they have traveled to this fate, they find themselves now without a place to call home. 

To be honest, whether it is large or small, filled with many or just ourselves, I think it is easy for us to take our home for granted. At the end of a long day, we get to go home. It is a sanctuary where we can escape from the world. We have a refuge filled with things that bring us comfort. Most of us can’t imagine not having a place to come to where we enjoy a hot meal, a warm bed, and a peaceful night’s rest. I have heard that “Home is where the heart is”, “There is no place like home” and of course “Home Sweet Home”.

But to a large population in West Montgomery, these sayings have no meaning. There is no place to come home to and there is no home fire burning for them. Everything they own, they carry with them and nothing that cannot be carried along is allowed to have meaning or value. Their home is the street and they lay their head behind whatever can block out some of the cold. They have learned some ways to try and survive. One of our neighbors walks about ten miles to a business that stays open all night and walks back the next morning to Mercy House for breakfast. Others crawl up under abandoned homes to try and stay warm but wherever they go at the end of their day, it is not safe and far from a home.

1John 3:17 tells us very clearly “If anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” God is very clear that as followers of Jesus Christ, we must align our heart and our priorities with His. We must stop seeing past what God is calling us to. At Mercy House, we are claiming that “This is NOT how their story is going to end”.

We know that if we are willing, God is able. We are honored to be their sanctuary, their refuge, their way to get a hot meal, and their place to experience a sense of family. We are their brick and mortar, and we are their unconditional love. We share with those experiencing homelessness in Washington Park about the eternal home that they can have in heaven by surrendering their life to Jesus. And that the home they will share with Him is by far sweeter than any home here on earth. This is a good reminder for us all. We ask that you join us in praying for those experiencing homelessness.

God Bless,
Pastor Ken Austin