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Los Angeles
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News from the Los Angeles City Director
Women and children are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. Nowhere is that reality more painfully clear than the streets of LA’s notorious Skid Row. For the last nineteen years, groups have prayed for the homeless children of Skid Row. We have seen amazing answers to prayer: a prostitution home that operated across from the local public school was shut down and replaced with a totally different building; after-school programs designed for the children of this area have become a source of God’s hope. But we, the staff of CSM–LA, have continued to ask how can we be more of a blessing to these women and children who are so vulnerable and in need.
CSM–LA wants to be known as a trusted friend that our partner organizations can call whenever they need help, any time of the year. As much as we want to help the children of Skid Row, our ideas and initiative can’t compare to the insight of our trusted partners that are working to bring lasting change. Over the last year, we have had the opportunity to bring our groups to the Women and Family Floor of the Union Rescue Mission. Whenever we come, the groups bring a fun craft, a willingness to listen and a sense of hope that God is working.
The Union Rescue Mission brings life and hope to countless homeless and struggling people everyday. The women and children are just a small part of this tremendous, Christian mission. On a recent afternoon, our group was involving all the young boys in smashing Oreo cookies to make a ’dirt cake.’ The program manager for Women and Children, had to come by and have a taste. Tracee, Associate Director of CSM–LA, had a chance to talk with this director and found out a surprising fact. When churches and volunteers come from all over to help serve the homeless around popular times like Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is much harder to find volunteers to help with the children. Tracee let the program director know that CSM would always do our best to help the children in whatever way was needed.
That next week, Tracee got a call – can CSM come to our Harvest Festival and help the children with games and face painting? We had no group in, but we all knew this is the time we had been waiting for. The three directors called as many friends as we could find. Our party this Halloween night was with the women and children of the Union Rescue Mission. We set up for bean bag tosses, made cotton candy and painted faces. And of course we shared sweet potato pie with all the mothers.
First thing the next morning, Tracee received this thank you: “It is with much joy and appreciation to everyone who participated in our Harvest Festival yesterday that we the Union Rescue Mission Youth Services Department want to personally thank you for your time and dedication to our children and families. Words can not express our gratitude to each and every one of you for a job well done. Great team work and high energy from every one and the children had a blessed time. My hat goes off to you all.”
We continue to pray for the women and children of Skid Row. Life change is slow and answers can seem hard to find. We praise God that CSM groups can be counted on in season and out of season to be a blessing to the least of these, God’s children.
If you want to you can read more about how politicians and community leaders are reacting to the needs of Skid Row families. Steve Lopez, a columnist who follows the ups and downs of life for the homeless in LA’s skid row, spent some time with Andy Bales, the executive director of the Union Rescue Mission.
Most of all, we would love for you to come and serve in Los Angeles. You to can be a part of the small ways that God is moving mountains for the least of Los Angeles.
– Rachel Hamilton, CSM Los Angeles City Director
Left to right: LA Associate City Director Tracee Henneke, LA City Director Rachel Hamilton (and baby Jane!), and LA Associate City Director Jon Vales.
Local Resources
Local News Links
- Ten Hospitals Identified in Skid Row Patient Dumping November 8, 2006
- Moving L.A.’s Homeless Away from Skid Row (Radio) April 25, 2006
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