Homeless, but not hopeless.
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Stay tuned to meet a
man whose life's mission
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is to offer hope and
help to the suffering.
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My name is Yvonne Shelton,
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and you're
watching Urban Report.
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Hello, and
welcome to Urban Report.
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My guest today
is Eric Camarillo,
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President of SALT
Outreach Ministries.
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Welcome to Urban Report, Eric.
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Yay! Yeah.
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I'm happy to be here.
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Oh, I'm so happy
that you're here.
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Jason has
interviewed you multiple times,
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and I've not had the privilege.
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So I'm really
happy that you're here.
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Thank you for joining us.
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Yes, of course, I'm happy
to be interviewed by you, too.
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Oh, thank you.
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Well, let's talk a
little bit about SALT Outreach
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because I have to tell you
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that it is one of
my favorite ministries.
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You know, there
are several ministries
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that we come into
contact with here,
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but SALT Outreach
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is one of my all time favorites.
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Tell us a bit
about how it started
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and what you do?
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Oh, praise God. No, thank you.
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Yes, SALT
Outreach is an organization
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that is really geared
toward empowering young adults
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to impact the community.
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Our largest outreach right now
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and most active is
our homeless outreach.
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And with our homeless outreach,
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we have a mobile drop in center
where the homeless can come.
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They can get a shower
in a mobile shower unit
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that we have has four bathrooms,
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that 3ABN viewers
actually helped us
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to raise the
money for by the way.
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We have a clothing trailer
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where they can
get clean clothes.
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We have barbers
that give them haircuts.
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We provide food and
we have other partners
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in the community that come
and they provide other needs,
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like help with identification,
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you know, screenings
for different diseases
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and things like that.
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So it's been a blessing.
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We've been almost
like the front lines
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for the homeless
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because we're meeting them
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where they are
with our power equipment
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in our facilities.
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So... That's amazing.
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So you actually
take a shower truck
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into areas of homelessness
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and the homeless can
actually get a hot shower.
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Exactly, yeah.
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Before we got
the shower trailer.
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We surveyed the homeless
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'cause as we
continue to meet the needs,
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we first survey them
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to find out what
they really need.
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A lot of the time we
just assume what they need.
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We don't actually go in there
and survey them and ask them.
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And so we actually
went in and surveyed them.
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And we found out that
there were some individuals
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that were homeless
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that were
actively looking for work
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and hadn't showered
in up to three months.
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Most of them haven't
showered in at least a week.
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And there's no
way you can find a job
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if you can't shower.
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Absolutely. Absolutely.
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And it's so important.
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I think what you did,
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to go in and
actually survey them
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and find out
what their needs were
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as opposed to
what your perception
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of their needs were.
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I think that's so important
because they could tell you,
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look, we can't get a job
if we can't take a shower,
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and then also,
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to have
someplace safe to shower.
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That's an issue
as well, isn't it?
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Right, it really is, you
know, it's interesting you say
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that we had a woman
that showered with us
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a few months ago,
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and, you know, she
went into the shower,
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she took a shower,
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we help provide
some other needs for her.
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She was with her family.
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She had a son with
her and a grandson.
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And she came out
of the shower crying.
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And when we talked to
her and prayed with her,
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we found out that
she doesn't feel safe
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showering anywhere
else in the community.
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And this was, you
know, her experience
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where she feels like
anyone could just walk in
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and maybe do something
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and she's heard rumors
and she doesn't feel safe,
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but we have
these shower trailers,
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they're like bathrooms.
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It's like you're
going into someone's home
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and using their bathroom.
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There's a lock on the door,
you know, and it's very safe,
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very comfortable, I
think for a lot of them,
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kind of gives them
their humanity back
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when you have a nice
place for them to shower.
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Oh, I think that is
the most impressive thing
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because, you know,
again, where can you bathe?
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Where can you go?
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Where you can
wash and be presentable
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to go and get a job?
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You can't even...
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You can't get a job
if you're smelling bad,
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you can't.
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So it's just, I mean,
what a blessing that is.
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How long has SALT
Outreach been in operation?
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So we started in
2011, September 2011,
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our homeless
outreach started in 2012.
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We started with food,
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and it just kind
of evolved from there.
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And we actually launched
our mobile dropping center
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when we got our shower
trailer back at the end of 2018.
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And the mobile drop in
center, what is that again?
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So the mobile drop in center...
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So what homeless
dropping centers are,
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is a place
that's very low barrier,
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where a homeless individual,
usually it's a building.
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Homeless individual can come
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and they can receive
kind of the basic needs,
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you know, they can
get a shower there,
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they can get food, you
know, they can get clothing,
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you know, sometimes
there's medical facilities
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that they can get free medical.
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So it's a place they can come
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and the purpose
of a drop in center
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is really for a
homeless individual
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to come spend some
time there, get some needs,
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relationships are created,
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when those
relationships are created,
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then they get referred out
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to the other various
homeless organizations
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that are helping
in different areas.
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So it's a way to
kind of capture that data,
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and then refer them out
so that they can, you know,
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be on the road
to finding the home,
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you know, to we
actually refer to them
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as home bound
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because we believe
they're on their way there,
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you know,
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and we wanna help
them on their way.
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Wow, what you're
doing is so beautiful.
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You know, a lot of
people don't realize
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I think that during the day,
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the homeless don't really
have anywhere to go often.
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So they're in the
shelters in the evenings,
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but during the
day, where do they go?
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What do they do?
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And what you're doing
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is establishing
these connections
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and resources and
all that for them?
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So this is a
beautiful, beautiful thing
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that you're doing.
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It's just amazing.
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Let's switch gears a
little bit and talk about
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what's going on
now around the world
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and that is this
whole COVID-19 situation
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where people are impacted
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so profoundly by this virus,
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how has this pandemic
impacted the homeless?
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You know, it's crazy,
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you know, and a
lot of these things
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that have happened
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that that they've been
impacted by it makes sense
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because the
virus is so contagious
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and you can't,
there's social distancing
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that's involved and
things are shut down.
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And so, like some examples are,
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you know, some
of the food shares,
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where the
homeless go to get food.
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I mean, there's tons of
people gathered together
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hundreds sometimes
where people gathered together
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and so some of those
churches, those organizations
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stopped providing
food during that time.
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So now food starts
to become more scarce.
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They know some of the shelters
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that did offer
some type of day service
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had to stop taking walk-ins.
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You know, people that
were looking for jobs,
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were no longer
able to look for jobs
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'cause no one wants to hire
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and all these
employers are closing.
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We've had people come to us
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that we serve
during this pandemic
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that have said
they just started a job.
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And because of the pandemic,
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they're back on the street now
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because they couldn't
continue their employment.
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And on top of all
that, on top of all that
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the cherry on top is there were,
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there's rarely any place
for them to wash their hands
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and there was no
place for them to shower.
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I mean, that was
a for sure thing.
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So we decided to
continue operating,
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but in emergency response mode,
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we just are using
the shower trailer,
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we're giving
underwear and socks,
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and we are doing a lunch.
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And, you know, we're
doing hygiene product.
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And that's kind of the extent
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of what we're able
to do at the moment.
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But luckily for us
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that the city has
had partnered with us
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and they actually hired
us to be able to serve them
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in this way, three days a week,
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all the way
through the end of June.
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Praise the Lord. Look at that.
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So the city is aware
of what you're doing,
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and they have commissioned
you to continue this outreach
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during this pandemic
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because you're
serving the community.
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Wow, that's wonderful. Right.
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So how are you introducing
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the homeless people to the Lord?
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How do you make that
spiritual connection?
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Yeah.
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So it's, you know,
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it's become a
little more difficult.
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And the reason why I say
that is because you can't...
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We're enforcing
social distancing
00:10:08.97\00:10:10.97
on our property.
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So, you know, before
we used to have people
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kind of hang
around the property,
00:10:14.94\00:10:16.88
we can talk to them
more, engage them more.
00:10:16.91\00:10:19.38
Now what we're doing is
we're setting appointments,
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so they come to the property,
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we set an appointment with them,
00:10:23.72\00:10:25.45
and then they come
back and do their shower,
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and then, you know, we
provide whatever they need,
00:10:28.56\00:10:30.69
and they leave the
property as soon as possible.
00:10:30.73\00:10:32.56
So new people can
come on the property.
00:10:32.59\00:10:34.90
So it's been more
difficult, but I will say this.
00:10:34.93\00:10:40.47
They have voice
that many have voiced
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that we're serving,
00:10:43.61\00:10:45.01
that how and glorifying God
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and the fact that
we started doing this
00:10:48.91\00:10:51.58
with at the end of 2018,
00:10:51.61\00:10:54.08
just doing one event per month.
00:10:54.12\00:10:56.79
Now we're doing
three events per week,
00:10:56.82\00:10:59.29
which is what God had put
as a vision for us to operate.
00:10:59.32\00:11:04.73
And just what a
year and a half later
00:11:04.76\00:11:06.70
it's happening.
00:11:06.73\00:11:08.06
And so the
homeless know that we care
00:11:08.10\00:11:11.13
because we're stepping
out to provide for them.
00:11:11.17\00:11:14.07
We're showing
them Christ character
00:11:14.10\00:11:15.64
through our action.
00:11:15.67\00:11:17.01
We're communicating with
them, we're praying with them,
00:11:17.04\00:11:19.71
you know, we can't like,
00:11:19.74\00:11:21.48
you know, we can't do
Bible studies with them.
00:11:21.51\00:11:23.55
There's not really
much we can do in that area,
00:11:23.58\00:11:26.35
but we are making
sure that God is glorified
00:11:26.38\00:11:32.12
through the services
that we're providing,
00:11:32.15\00:11:34.12
you know, so...
00:11:34.16\00:11:37.23
That is beautiful.
00:11:37.26\00:11:38.59
And they know as you
said, they know that you care.
00:11:38.63\00:11:41.96
You mentioned
three events per week.
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What are those
events that you're having?
00:11:44.13\00:11:46.63
Yeah, so our outreach
actually runs every Sunday,
00:11:46.67\00:11:49.80
Tuesday, and Thursday.
00:11:49.84\00:11:52.71
And so it's from 9:00 to 3:00,
9 am to 3 pm on those days,
00:11:52.74\00:11:57.91
and we have just our
staff members on-site.
00:11:57.95\00:12:01.08
We hired people, that
was a milestone for us
00:12:01.12\00:12:03.35
since the last
time we've been on 3ABN.
00:12:03.39\00:12:06.32
We hired some staff
starting in February,
00:12:06.35\00:12:10.29
when this outbreak happened,
we decided to hire more.
00:12:10.33\00:12:12.26
So we have
00:12:12.29\00:12:13.63
four staff members on the books,
00:12:13.66\00:12:15.10
and they're the ones
out there kind of, you know,
00:12:15.13\00:12:17.93
doing everything so...
00:12:17.97\00:12:20.44
So you're able to,
00:12:20.47\00:12:22.04
hopefully you
wearing masks and all that
00:12:22.07\00:12:24.27
and protecting
yourself like how,
00:12:24.31\00:12:26.04
what are you doing to
protect yourself and others?
00:12:26.07\00:12:30.95
Yes, that's a great question.
00:12:30.98\00:12:33.72
So our employees are...
00:12:33.75\00:12:38.02
Yes, they're wearing masks
00:12:38.05\00:12:39.45
to prevent from
spreading anything.
00:12:39.49\00:12:41.69
We actually ordered more masks
00:12:41.72\00:12:43.49
for our staff
they're KN95 masks,
00:12:43.53\00:12:46.13
and then we also
ordered 2,400 surgical masks
00:12:46.16\00:12:48.96
that should be coming
at the end of this week
00:12:49.00\00:12:50.97
that we're gonna give
to each homeless individual
00:12:51.00\00:12:53.13
as they come to help
the spread of the disease,
00:12:53.17\00:12:56.24
you know, to help mitigate
the spread among the homeless.
00:12:56.27\00:12:59.94
So we're gonna give
them each one per week.
00:12:59.97\00:13:03.04
We also with our staff members,
we're taking temperatures.
00:13:03.08\00:13:07.18
And we testimony
here is the Hilton
00:13:07.22\00:13:11.45
actually has offered
to house our staff members
00:13:11.49\00:13:15.56
so they don't have to go
back home to their families
00:13:15.59\00:13:18.53
and risk maybe
infecting the family member.
00:13:18.56\00:13:21.06
So they're, I mean,
they're giving us a basically,
00:13:21.10\00:13:25.23
you know, close to
90 days of, you know,
00:13:25.27\00:13:29.17
$100 rooms for free
00:13:29.20\00:13:31.64
for two staff members right now,
00:13:31.67\00:13:33.31
which is amazing.
00:13:33.34\00:13:35.41
And so that's another
way, you know, and again,
00:13:35.44\00:13:37.65
like I mentioned before,
we're doing appointments,
00:13:37.68\00:13:39.95
and really enforcing
social distancing on property
00:13:39.98\00:13:42.65
to make sure we don't,
00:13:42.68\00:13:44.62
you know, spread
any kind of infection,
00:13:44.65\00:13:46.59
and then each
bathroom after each shower
00:13:46.62\00:13:49.29
is sanitized totally
to prevent any spread
00:13:49.32\00:13:53.50
from happening
from one to the other.
00:13:53.53\00:13:55.93
So...
00:13:55.96\00:13:57.30
That is so beautiful.
00:13:57.33\00:13:58.93
You know, you
mentioned that the Hilton Hotel
00:13:58.97\00:14:02.84
is donating some of its rooms
00:14:02.87\00:14:05.64
like that is
just, that's wonderful.
00:14:05.67\00:14:08.51
Tell us about some of
the other organizations
00:14:08.54\00:14:10.85
with which you're in partnership
00:14:10.88\00:14:12.81
and how that's working out?
00:14:12.85\00:14:16.05
Yeah, so, you
know some of those,
00:14:16.08\00:14:19.05
I mentioned the city
of Orlando that hired us,
00:14:19.09\00:14:21.96
they gave us a
total of about $88,000
00:14:21.99\00:14:26.93
to cover about
three and a half months,
00:14:26.96\00:14:29.10
which is huge that
that's enough to fund us
00:14:29.13\00:14:31.37
and to help pay
for our staffing.
00:14:31.40\00:14:34.00
You mentioned the Hilton
that's providing, you know,
00:14:34.04\00:14:37.31
safe place for our staff to
stay away from their family,
00:14:37.34\00:14:39.94
which is huge.
00:14:39.97\00:14:41.64
And just many
different donors are donating,
00:14:41.68\00:14:45.31
the people are donating food.
00:14:45.35\00:14:47.25
It's been an interfaith effort
00:14:47.28\00:14:48.92
where there are groups
from other denominations
00:14:48.95\00:14:51.25
in Christendom,
00:14:51.29\00:14:53.15
and then there's others
00:14:53.19\00:14:54.52
that are outside of Christianity
00:14:54.56\00:14:56.66
that are helping with food
and helping with other things
00:14:56.69\00:15:00.23
at the outreach,
00:15:00.26\00:15:01.76
and it's just been
amazing to see everything
00:15:01.80\00:15:03.57
kind of come together.
00:15:03.60\00:15:04.93
Public gave us a $500
gift card to help with food,
00:15:04.97\00:15:09.20
you know, which is a
local grocery store here.
00:15:09.24\00:15:11.67
So it's just nice.
00:15:11.71\00:15:13.04
Yeah, it's really amazing
00:15:13.07\00:15:14.78
to see everyone
really come together
00:15:14.81\00:15:16.91
for this effort to
help serve them, so...
00:15:16.95\00:15:19.65
Yes, that is so, so great.
00:15:19.68\00:15:22.22
So you have some,
you brought some pictures
00:15:22.25\00:15:25.72
and I'd like for us
00:15:25.75\00:15:28.56
to just kind of
look at some of those
00:15:28.59\00:15:30.93
and tell us what
we're looking at?
00:15:30.96\00:15:33.90
Yeah, so that's
actually just the article
00:15:33.93\00:15:37.60
that the Orlando Sentinel
the city newspaper did on us.
00:15:37.63\00:15:41.87
We were mentioned in
there as one of the efforts
00:15:41.90\00:15:44.67
that are serving the
homeless during this time.
00:15:44.71\00:15:46.54
That's the shower
trailer in the background there,
00:15:46.57\00:15:49.21
you can see a little bit inside
and that's our vice president
00:15:49.24\00:15:53.21
standing outside of it there
is probably posing I think,
00:15:53.25\00:15:58.72
but he looks
way too happy there.
00:15:58.75\00:16:04.56
No, but he's a happy guy.
00:16:04.59\00:16:07.30
That's the truck that also...
00:16:07.33\00:16:09.66
See these two things here
00:16:09.70\00:16:11.03
that shower
trailer and that truck
00:16:11.07\00:16:12.73
are things that 3ABN
viewers helped big time
00:16:12.77\00:16:16.81
to help us raise money
for and we're so thankful,
00:16:16.84\00:16:19.97
but that truck is what
we used to pull the trailer,
00:16:20.01\00:16:23.35
you know, to and from
00:16:23.38\00:16:24.95
and that was a
blessing in itself
00:16:24.98\00:16:27.12
how we got that.
00:16:27.15\00:16:28.58
That's the shower trailer there.
00:16:28.62\00:16:31.22
We as you can see
at the top of it there,
00:16:31.25\00:16:33.42
there's a solar panels,
00:16:33.46\00:16:35.92
the local power company called
Orlando Utility Commission,
00:16:35.96\00:16:40.70
they actually
donated those solar panels
00:16:40.73\00:16:43.63
for the shower trailer.
00:16:43.67\00:16:45.40
It helps us to be
completely mobile.
00:16:45.43\00:16:47.47
We don't have to
plug into anything.
00:16:47.50\00:16:48.94
We don't need a generator.
00:16:48.97\00:16:50.71
The sun is powering our trailer
which is, which is amazing.
00:16:50.74\00:16:56.51
I want to show that.
Wow, that is wonderful.
00:16:56.54\00:17:00.02
That is wonderful.
00:17:00.05\00:17:01.38
Go ahead, what's
this? This is one of ours...
00:17:01.42\00:17:03.32
Yeah, this is one
of our staff members.
00:17:03.35\00:17:05.12
His name is Pat. He
was formerly homeless.
00:17:05.15\00:17:08.29
He actually used to help
00:17:08.32\00:17:10.49
clean the showers after each use
00:17:10.53\00:17:13.26
while he was homeless
00:17:13.29\00:17:14.63
and getting
showers here himself.
00:17:14.66\00:17:16.80
And when we
decided to hire staff,
00:17:16.83\00:17:19.13
he was one of the
candidates that we hired.
00:17:19.17\00:17:21.90
And, you know, he's
not homeless right now
00:17:21.94\00:17:26.54
because he's
staying at the Hilton,
00:17:26.57\00:17:28.14
you know, the Hilton
has that room for him.
00:17:28.18\00:17:29.64
So he's staying there.
00:17:29.68\00:17:31.18
And we, you know, with our staff
00:17:31.21\00:17:33.21
we're paying hazard pay,
00:17:33.25\00:17:34.58
so we increase their pay $2
00:17:34.62\00:17:35.95
during this
time of the pandemic,
00:17:35.98\00:17:38.02
but for him specifically,
00:17:38.05\00:17:39.45
we're gathering
together like a bonus
00:17:39.49\00:17:42.59
based on the amount
of time he works with us
00:17:42.62\00:17:44.56
that's gonna help
with a first month's rent
00:17:44.59\00:17:46.90
and a security
deposit for a new place
00:17:46.93\00:17:49.16
once this whole thing is over.
00:17:49.20\00:17:50.97
This contract is over
00:17:51.00\00:17:52.33
so he's been a
blessing to us big time.
00:17:52.37\00:17:56.60
Yeah. Look at that.
00:17:56.64\00:17:58.11
That is so great.
00:17:58.14\00:17:59.61
It's so great
that you are working,
00:17:59.64\00:18:03.55
you know, with
members of the community
00:18:03.58\00:18:05.45
and changing their
lives by the grace of God,
00:18:05.48\00:18:08.78
changing their lives,
00:18:08.82\00:18:10.15
he is homeless no more
and now he's got a job.
00:18:10.19\00:18:14.12
He's got a job,
he's got a place to stay,
00:18:14.16\00:18:16.39
and by the grace of
God, this surprise bonus.
00:18:16.42\00:18:20.20
So that's just wonderful. Yes.
00:18:20.23\00:18:23.06
That's just wonderful.
00:18:23.10\00:18:24.43
Yeah. Yeah. What's
that our next picture?
00:18:24.47\00:18:25.80
Yeah.
00:18:25.83\00:18:27.27
So this is a way
that we raise money here.
00:18:27.30\00:18:30.51
You know, we put OUC,
00:18:30.54\00:18:32.01
which is that
power company on there
00:18:32.04\00:18:33.68
since they help
with the solar panels.
00:18:33.71\00:18:36.01
We have the Florida Conference
of Seventh-day Adventists
00:18:36.04\00:18:38.58
that donated $5,000 so
we put their logo on there.
00:18:38.61\00:18:42.52
So we have different businesses
if they wanted advertising,
00:18:42.55\00:18:45.29
we do get a lot of
press and stuff like that.
00:18:45.32\00:18:48.32
So, you know, we,
00:18:48.36\00:18:49.69
it's something that
we do for fundraising
00:18:49.72\00:18:51.59
where we, you know,
00:18:51.63\00:18:52.96
put a company logo
on there for somebody.
00:18:52.99\00:18:56.23
This is just one of
the signs as you can see,
00:18:56.26\00:18:59.17
you know, we're
enforcing that certain things
00:18:59.20\00:19:03.24
that we do not want on
the property or do want.
00:19:03.27\00:19:08.61
We are following
strict social distancing.
00:19:08.64\00:19:10.51
So this is just the
inside of the trailer
00:19:10.55\00:19:13.62
some pictures here.
00:19:13.65\00:19:15.25
That's Pat cleaning.
00:19:15.28\00:19:16.62
We have the, you know,
toilet paper thing there.
00:19:16.65\00:19:19.25
There's him
claiming one of the showers
00:19:19.29\00:19:23.19
and then you
know, getting the toilet
00:19:23.22\00:19:24.59
so he sanitizes
00:19:24.63\00:19:26.59
we have chemicals
that will kill COVID-19
00:19:26.63\00:19:30.70
and so he
sanitizes all the places
00:19:30.73\00:19:32.77
that would get touched.
00:19:32.80\00:19:34.77
Pretty much the whole bathroom
00:19:34.80\00:19:36.17
before another
person gets in there.
00:19:36.20\00:19:38.84
Oh, that is so, so great.
00:19:38.87\00:19:42.31
You know, one of the things
that's so impressive to me
00:19:42.34\00:19:45.85
about that last
picture is how clean it is.
00:19:45.88\00:19:49.25
You know, if you're homeless,
00:19:49.28\00:19:53.76
you don't want to go
into a dirty bathroom,
00:19:53.79\00:19:56.93
you're thankful to have
a clean safe environment.
00:19:56.96\00:20:02.10
And I mean, I just feel like
00:20:02.13\00:20:03.63
how pleasing
this must be to Jesus
00:20:03.67\00:20:06.43
because this is what He
has commissioned us to do
00:20:06.47\00:20:11.11
to be concerned about the
poor and to help the poor.
00:20:11.14\00:20:14.34
And that's what you're doing.
00:20:14.38\00:20:16.08
You're providing an environment
that is clean and safe
00:20:16.11\00:20:21.02
and something that
anybody would wanna use.
00:20:21.05\00:20:23.92
It's not a step down.
00:20:23.95\00:20:25.82
And that's just so
beautiful. So beautiful.
00:20:25.85\00:20:28.76
Amen. Yeah,
we're just so grateful.
00:20:28.79\00:20:32.43
God's really provided for us
00:20:32.46\00:20:34.13
and we're realizing
this time right now,
00:20:34.16\00:20:36.53
although we have to
follow strict social distancing.
00:20:36.56\00:20:39.47
We're creating
these relationships
00:20:39.50\00:20:41.30
and building
trust with some of them.
00:20:41.34\00:20:43.20
I mean, there was a
guy that would come to us,
00:20:43.24\00:20:45.57
and that's the, you
know, being a drop in center
00:20:45.61\00:20:47.81
you're like the front line.
00:20:47.84\00:20:49.18
So you're some about
20% within a month's time,
00:20:49.21\00:20:53.11
20% of the showers we did
00:20:53.15\00:20:55.28
where from people
individuals that were homeless
00:20:55.32\00:20:58.42
that have not received services
00:20:58.45\00:21:00.06
at another
homeless organization ever,
00:21:00.09\00:21:02.62
it was a first
time receiving services.
00:21:02.66\00:21:04.93
So we were able
to capture that data.
00:21:04.96\00:21:07.66
And we continue
building that relationship,
00:21:07.70\00:21:10.30
one of the guys
that would come to us
00:21:10.33\00:21:11.67
would just come for food.
00:21:11.70\00:21:13.34
And it's been
almost a month now.
00:21:13.37\00:21:15.44
And now he's
like, you know what,
00:21:15.47\00:21:16.81
I'm gonna do a shower.
00:21:16.84\00:21:18.37
And so that relationship
that's getting built they,
00:21:18.41\00:21:21.98
we build that trust.
00:21:22.01\00:21:23.35
And then when this is over,
00:21:23.38\00:21:24.71
you know, where
we're planning on really,
00:21:24.75\00:21:28.68
you know, sharing Christ
00:21:28.72\00:21:30.05
and in these ways
of group Bible studies.
00:21:30.09\00:21:33.15
We're in talks right now
00:21:33.19\00:21:34.52
about having like a mobile stage
00:21:34.56\00:21:37.23
where we can have like a service
00:21:37.26\00:21:38.89
before our events
and things like that.
00:21:38.93\00:21:41.66
So, you know, we're
excited to have this opportunity
00:21:41.70\00:21:44.67
to really
strengthen those relationships
00:21:44.70\00:21:46.60
with the community and
with the homeless, so...
00:21:46.63\00:21:48.40
Yes, that's great.
00:21:48.44\00:21:49.80
Tell us some of the stories
00:21:49.84\00:21:51.97
that the
testimonies that you have
00:21:52.01\00:21:55.21
with some of the folks
that have taken advantage
00:21:55.24\00:21:58.45
of your services?
00:21:58.48\00:22:01.08
Yeah, so, I mean, you
know, some general stuff to,
00:22:01.12\00:22:05.85
you know, quick things are like,
00:22:05.89\00:22:07.59
you know, we have
people that messaged us
00:22:07.62\00:22:09.06
that say I have an interview,
00:22:09.09\00:22:10.69
you know, can I
come and can I shower
00:22:10.73\00:22:12.83
and we get them an
appointment and they come in,
00:22:12.86\00:22:14.96
like one of them I
mentioned to you that guy comes,
00:22:15.00\00:22:17.13
he just comes for food,
00:22:17.17\00:22:18.50
and then he starts to
want to better himself
00:22:18.53\00:22:20.50
and continue to grow,
00:22:20.54\00:22:23.57
but we have individuals
00:22:23.61\00:22:24.94
that we've created
relationships with that,
00:22:24.97\00:22:26.57
you know, their
stories are just are sad.
00:22:26.61\00:22:29.94
I know one guy a
couple, they would come to us,
00:22:29.98\00:22:32.95
they started
coming to us back in 2018.
00:22:32.98\00:22:36.45
And, you know, they came to
us one Sunday a few Sundays ago,
00:22:36.48\00:22:41.29
and they got
showers a shower from us
00:22:41.32\00:22:43.73
and the guy the
husband came up to me
00:22:43.76\00:22:46.09
and he was like,
00:22:46.13\00:22:47.53
"You know, Eric, I'm dying soon.
00:22:47.56\00:22:49.33
You know, I'm gonna go
into hospice on Tuesday.
00:22:49.36\00:22:52.77
And, you know, I really,
00:22:52.80\00:22:55.04
you know, could
use some prayers."
00:22:55.07\00:22:56.40
And so we prayed
together and we spoke
00:22:56.44\00:22:58.11
and his liver was failing.
00:22:58.14\00:23:01.08
And, you know, he
was working for a while
00:23:01.11\00:23:03.95
and then a lot of a
stuff happened in his life,
00:23:03.98\00:23:06.45
including this
whole COVID-19 thing
00:23:06.48\00:23:08.42
that helped, that threw him back
00:23:08.45\00:23:10.12
into this depressive state.
00:23:10.15\00:23:12.09
And, you know,
00:23:12.12\00:23:14.62
he started
drinking alcohol a lot more.
00:23:14.66\00:23:18.16
It's one of the addictions
he was struggling with.
00:23:18.19\00:23:20.20
And when he's depressed
00:23:20.23\00:23:21.56
it's hard for him
to control himself.
00:23:21.60\00:23:24.07
And so, he did so much
that his liver failed on him.
00:23:24.10\00:23:28.10
And so he ended up
00:23:28.14\00:23:29.47
going to the
hospital on Tuesday.
00:23:29.50\00:23:32.01
His wife was there with him.
00:23:32.04\00:23:34.51
One of our volunteers
went to bring them food
00:23:34.54\00:23:37.68
and some
literature for them to read.
00:23:37.71\00:23:40.75
I called and I prayed with him
00:23:40.78\00:23:43.05
who was no longer able to speak,
00:23:43.08\00:23:45.32
though the liquid was
just it was in his throat
00:23:45.35\00:23:48.16
where he couldn't
speak and you can hear
00:23:48.19\00:23:49.56
when he's breathing
and just sounds like
00:23:49.59\00:23:50.93
it's his bodies
filled with liquid.
00:23:50.96\00:23:53.40
And that next day on
Thursday, he passed away.
00:23:53.43\00:23:58.17
And it's just so sad.
00:23:58.20\00:23:59.53
His wife, you know, we
were staying in touch with
00:23:59.57\00:24:02.50
and she has family in Oklahoma,
00:24:02.54\00:24:04.77
and we're gonna
help buy her a ticket
00:24:04.81\00:24:06.14
to go back to her family
after this, you know, is over,
00:24:06.17\00:24:09.34
she's staying
somewhere temporarily
00:24:09.38\00:24:11.45
with another
homeless organization,
00:24:11.48\00:24:13.68
then we're gonna
get her over there,
00:24:13.72\00:24:15.05
but, you know, you
create relationships with them.
00:24:15.08\00:24:17.65
And it's just, you
know, you wanna make sure
00:24:17.69\00:24:20.69
they hear about
Jesus and you also want to,
00:24:20.72\00:24:24.16
you know, help meet their needs
and meet them where they are.
00:24:24.19\00:24:26.70
And it's difficult, you know,
00:24:26.73\00:24:28.66
we have some cases
like that are hard,
00:24:28.70\00:24:32.60
but, you know,
keep them in prayer,
00:24:32.63\00:24:34.84
keep the wife in prayer.
00:24:34.87\00:24:36.71
You know, hopefully
00:24:36.74\00:24:38.07
we'll see her husband in heaven.
00:24:38.11\00:24:39.44
Yes, yes, that is so beautiful.
00:24:39.47\00:24:42.64
What you're doing
is just such it is,
00:24:42.68\00:24:47.42
as Jason's always
saying practical Christianity.
00:24:47.45\00:24:51.15
You know, it's meeting people
00:24:51.19\00:24:53.76
where they are and helping them
00:24:53.79\00:24:56.29
to move forward in life.
00:24:56.32\00:24:59.09
Just tell us
quickly, what are your needs?
00:24:59.13\00:25:01.30
We have about two
minutes left? What do you need?
00:25:01.33\00:25:07.34
All right, so
first and foremost,
00:25:07.37\00:25:09.94
we need prayer.
00:25:09.97\00:25:11.81
You know, we have
this contract with the city
00:25:11.84\00:25:13.74
till the end of June.
00:25:13.78\00:25:15.18
We don't know what's
gonna happen after that.
00:25:15.21\00:25:16.78
We want to continue to
operate three days a week,
00:25:16.81\00:25:19.28
but it does take, it
will take funding to do so.
00:25:19.31\00:25:23.45
So we need prayers
that God will provide
00:25:23.49\00:25:26.15
that funding
and the partnerships
00:25:26.19\00:25:28.72
for us to continue.
00:25:28.76\00:25:30.69
Also, you know, besides
prayer, besides donations,
00:25:30.73\00:25:36.20
you know, we are
generating income
00:25:36.23\00:25:38.40
by renting out
our shower trailer
00:25:38.43\00:25:40.10
on days that is not in use.
00:25:40.14\00:25:41.64
So, you know, right now
00:25:41.67\00:25:43.54
we're making about $1,200 a week
00:25:43.57\00:25:45.87
by renting out to
another group of churches
00:25:45.91\00:25:49.18
about an hour away from us.
00:25:49.21\00:25:51.01
And so we're
contemplating and praying
00:25:51.05\00:25:54.08
as to whether we should
buy another shower trailer
00:25:54.12\00:25:56.69
'cause it can help
generate more income for us
00:25:56.72\00:25:58.82
if we can rent these out.
00:25:58.85\00:26:00.19
We've rented one
out for a wedding,
00:26:00.22\00:26:02.42
you know, and we're able to earn
00:26:02.46\00:26:03.79
some money that way.
00:26:03.83\00:26:05.16
So keep that in prayer as well.
00:26:05.19\00:26:07.90
And those are our biggest needs,
00:26:07.93\00:26:10.87
but the best way
for someone to help
00:26:10.90\00:26:12.60
is definitely
prayer and donations
00:26:12.63\00:26:14.80
for us to continue
operating and serving,
00:26:14.84\00:26:16.81
especially those
most vulnerable to this,
00:26:16.84\00:26:19.57
you know,
during this time, so...
00:26:19.61\00:26:21.01
Yes.
00:26:21.04\00:26:22.38
We're gonna put your
website up on the screen.
00:26:22.41\00:26:25.71
It may have
already been up already,
00:26:25.75\00:26:28.45
but this is how
people can donate
00:26:28.48\00:26:31.55
to this amazing ministry.
00:26:31.59\00:26:34.82
They are doing
some amazing work.
00:26:34.86\00:26:37.49
Do you have one last thought
00:26:37.53\00:26:39.19
that you'd like to
leave like 30 seconds?
00:26:39.23\00:26:42.63
A 30 second final thought.
00:26:42.66\00:26:45.53
Yeah, I mean, I just wanna say,
00:26:45.57\00:26:48.20
you know, we
were thankful to God
00:26:48.24\00:26:50.71
for Him to provide to us
00:26:50.74\00:26:52.11
and we're thankful
for the 3ABN viewers
00:26:52.14\00:26:55.08
and Dare to Dream viewers.
00:26:55.11\00:26:57.55
They have donated to us
00:26:57.58\00:26:59.85
and helped us to continue going.
00:26:59.88\00:27:01.65
When we first came on
3ABN we were just starting,
00:27:01.68\00:27:05.45
you know, we didn't
even have a shower trailer.
00:27:05.49\00:27:07.72
We're just
fundraising for something.
00:27:07.76\00:27:09.62
And it's grown into
this beautiful thing.
00:27:09.66\00:27:11.99
And it's thanks to God
and thanks to the people
00:27:12.03\00:27:14.36
that God is using, like
the viewers on this show.
00:27:14.40\00:27:16.33
So I just wanna
take that 30 seconds
00:27:16.36\00:27:18.83
just to thank everyone.
00:27:18.87\00:27:20.24
Well, thank you.
00:27:20.27\00:27:21.60
We thank you for
what you're doing,
00:27:21.64\00:27:23.84
and for your dedication
to the work of the Lord.
00:27:23.87\00:27:28.11
What a blessing
you are to the work.
00:27:28.14\00:27:30.85
So we thank you for that.
00:27:30.88\00:27:32.55
Matthew 25:34-36 says,
00:27:32.58\00:27:36.38
"Come, you blessed of My Father,
00:27:36.42\00:27:38.59
inherit the
kingdom prepared for you
00:27:38.62\00:27:40.82
from the
foundation of the world,
00:27:40.86\00:27:43.06
for I was hungry
and you gave Me food,
00:27:43.09\00:27:45.03
I was thirsty and
you gave Me drink,
00:27:45.06\00:27:46.96
I was a stranger
and you took Me in,
00:27:47.00\00:27:49.26
I was naked and you clothed Me,
00:27:49.30\00:27:51.43
I was sick and you visited Me,
00:27:51.47\00:27:53.00
I was in prison
and you came to Me."
00:27:53.03\00:27:55.30
God bless you.
Tune in next time.
00:27:55.34\00:27:57.74
It won't be the
same without you.
00:27:57.77\00:27:59.61