The Good Samaritan was praised for his compassionate response. One of the most often-asked questions I hear is, “If we build a shelter in Murfreesboro, will we become a magnet for the homeless?” I respond by letting them know that our city went from 90 to 350 homeless in just 5 years and that we should not fear the presence of a shelter but, rather, the absence of one. There must be some place in our city dedicated to helping the homeless get back on their feet. In Luke 10:25-37, God speaks of The Parable of The Good Samaritan and provides Christians with a blueprint for helping those who are down and out. The Samaritan man was praised for his compassionate response, willingness to get personally involved when others would not and financial commitment to resolving the issue. What the wounded man needed then, our homeless need today. Listed below are some things you can do to help the homeless in our community: Pray for our homeless and those who serve them in our community. Financially support your local shelter projects, such as, Murfreesboro Rescue Mission, to provide temporary and long-term solutions. Get personally involved. Please focus on the following three areas as you continue to pray and support MRM. First continue to pray for funds for the purchase of our property. Our big need right now is for donors to step forward and help us secure property. We are beginning to receive donations but still have a long way to go. Also, pray for our homeless as record-setting, hot temperatures are still hanging around. These temperatures extend our cold-water relief effort and results in us cutting into our budget for winter needs. Finally, we are still in need of volunteers. If you are interested in helping with winter shelter by signing in our guests, passing out linens, helping with laundry, or serving meals, please text or call us at: 615-605-1705 or email at [email protected]. We appreciate your prayer and support as we continue to meet the needs of our homeless. Thank you so much! |
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