These days we see the tents and camps of those experiencing homelessness all around us. The population of those living on the streets seems to be ballooning in many cities. Why can’t someone just fix this?

It’s a question we grapple with, and the answer is simply not “one size fits all.” Every person experiencing homelessness has a different story. Some are very similar, but ultimately each is unique to the individual. That’s why there is no easy solution. It’s not simply housing, or jobs, or case management. It’s each individual working through the specific issues that led to poverty and homelessness.

At the Mission, we realize we cannot wave a magic wand and solve the crisis at hand. That’s why our focus is on individual life change. There are many other great organizations focused on immediate food and shelter needs, job placement, and the like. While this is a part of what we do, more importantly we invest in each individual’s life and help them develop a vision and purpose for their future. This will carry them beyond their current circumstances, hopelessness, fear of failure, poor choices, addictions, and a number of experiences and mindsets that have caused them to struggle.

As a Christian organization, we invite all of those we serve to learn more about our creator through the Bible and personal discipleship. Each of us are loved and valued, and have a purpose for life as a child of God.

We are blessed by the stories from our guests and program clients of being in an environment where they feel like a real person with a real story that matters, where they are treated like adults who hold their own futures in their hand, and where they are wholly accepted on their journey just like the rest of us.

We are all works in progress. At the Mission, we are blessed to help others along on their journey. And while it does not solve the homeless crisis in one fell swoop, it plants seeds of success in the victories each of our graduates as they re-enter the world in God’s confidence.

John 10:10 records Jesus saying: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it in abundance.”