Bake Sale Photos!

Here's two photos from the bake sale at Wal-Mart. They were taken just before we packed up. Allie, our youth coordinator, is pictured at left. Samantha is shown on the right.

Thanks to all who supported our efforts. We took in just over $80.00 and several bags of groceries.

Good news on the food. The groceries have already been re-homed.

Oak Ridge District Picnic

6:00 pm. Cove Lake State Park.

I'll be there. If anyone needs brochures or information about Hope for Healing.Org just see me. I'll have some information and will be glad to mail out anything else that you need.

See you this evening!

Thrift Shop Yard Sale August 9

Thrift shop yard sale raises funds for Hope for Healing.Org. Come see us at the corner of Hamilton and Old Andrew Johnson Hwy in the historic district of Strawberry Plains. There is something for everyone.

Bargains are just in time for school! Clothing only $3.00 a bag. Housewares, home decor, furniture all at rock bottom prices! School supplies while they last. The sale begins at 9:00 am and runs until 2:00 pm.

Hope for Healing.Org is the only 501c3 charity in Strawberry Plains. Proceeds help us feed the hungry, clothe the needy, provide support to victims of domestic violence, change the lives of first time juvenile offenders and more.

Relax at our out door tables. Have lunch with us while you're here. The grill fires up at 11:00 am. Hot dogs and sodas will be available. Check out our blog for more details or email hopeinfo@hopeforhealing.org.

Do you have a used cell phone or empty ink jet cartridge lying around? Donate it here to receive a $1.00 gift certificate for every cartridge or cell phone you bring. Gift certificate good for day of the sale.

See you on August 9th!

Tell your friends!

Donations are still being accepted for this sale. To donate please call 933.8769.

We Need Your Recyclables!

The downturn in the economy is hurting everyone. Gas is up. Donations are down. Everyone is in a bind. Until the situation improves we are exploring creative ways to generate revenue. Please help us by donating the following items for recycling. Donating these items here will help the needy and allow us to continue serving victims of sexual and domestic violence. Don't toss it! Recycle these items here!

• Newspapers
• Cardboard
• Aluminum Cans
• Scrap metal, old cookpots etc.
• Broken (or working) appliances (small or large)
  
• Used clothing
• Used shoes and sneakers
  
• Empty Ink Jet Cartridges
• Old cell phones

Cell phones and ink jet cartridges can be collected anywhere in the US and sent to the recycler using a prepaid DHL shipping label.

Plans are in the works to begin collecting magazines and steel vegetable cans. Keep checking here for the latest updates!

To put a collection box in your place of business email us today.

Jesus in the Park : Homeless Project 2008 Knoxville

Here's a video clip of the Jesus in the Park event that I blogged about a couple of weeks ago. You can see for yourself why participating was so humbling and so inspiring. It was provided by the great folks at Souled Out Ministries.

Several years ago when we lived in North Carolina I worked for a nonprofit that ran a soup kitchen, men's and family homeless shelter and domestic violence programs. There, my eyes were opened on the difference between homeless people and street people. And, I learned that anyone can wind up on the streets or homeless.

Two stories worked their way into my heart.

One day a family walked in seeking shelter. Dad and mom recognized me immediately. I had met them the week before when the family sang for a fall event at my husband's church. They had been hard to get in touch with. Cell phone reception had never been good in our area. No one ever suspected that they were living out of their car.

Communicating with a man who stayed in the men's shelter was tough. His mind was so bad that he would ask our names repeatedly. I'm not sure he ever did get mine straight. We heard different stories about what happened. The only thing we could ever verify came from his sister. She brought pictures to show us. The man in question had, at one time, run a law library for a major university. The photos showed him looking different, happier and more alert.

Somehow, the family had lost contact with the brother. She was glad to know where he was. She seemed very relieved to find out that he would be watched after and fed while she worked on other details of his life.

Every homeless person, every street person is someone's sister, brother, daughter or son. They each have a story. The video above only gives us a tiny glimpse but it's a glimpse worth watching and worth remembering.

Bake Sale Saturday

Bake Sale
Walmart at Knoxville Center Mall
Saturday, July 12 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm.
Lots of goodies!

Proceeds benefit our general operating budget. Our youth coordinator will also have jewelry available that's made by Hope Youth. Canned goods will also be accepted.

Contact us at hopeinfo@hopeforhealing.org for more information.

Bakers are still needed. Contact us today to help!

Board Meeting Monday

Don't forget the board meeting, Monday July 7 @ 6:30 pm. It's at the office.
You should have gotten an email and a postcard about it.

This is the first meeting of the new year. If you can't make it let us know.

Thanks,

Gayle

Agenda:

Welcome
Minutes
Treasurer's Report
ED Report
Fundraising
Old Business
New Business
Adjourn

This Thing called Grace And Other Uneasy Answers...

If you ask me if I've heard, the answer is yes. I have heard that two of our clients were arrested for theft - of food.

The person who told me this said she didn't think they should be allowed to have food from our food pantry. She's not associated with Hope for Healing.Org. She was stating her opinion.

Would it matter if she knew that an older woman lives with them who has an incurable, disabling neurological disease? Or that the husband of this couple has a heart condition which recently rendered him unable to work? Does it matter that the wife has multiple sclerosis and that health insurance is a dream instead of a reality?

If we cut them off from our unofficial food pantry what will they to do to survive? Would Jesus cut them off? Where is He in this?

And what about taking care of the poor, the widows or the orphans?

I can't find anything in the Bible where Jesus failed to respond to the cry of the needy. If we as Christians are to be His ambassadors, His hands, His feet, are we not also to respond?

What about this thing called "Grace"? Isn't that the answer?

Jesus' grace allows his death and resurrection to bring hope to those who have none. It brings light into a dark world. It is a gift given freely so that everyone - all people - may have a chance to become who God intended. This includes you, me (thank God!) and even "them". As Christians, there's not anything we can do to get around it.

We all sinned. We are all saved by grace. End of story. It's not complicated right?

WRONG!

Understanding it is one thing. Living it can be quite another.

But we try.

Much of what we do at Hope for Healing.Org involves responding to people who have done things that we don't like. We cross the street and pay attention to those we find. If someone is in the ditch, we help them up, dust them off and help them find their way.

Our job is easy when you have single moms coming in with cute little kids. Kids are generally innocent. You can't help but love them and you always are glad to help. We try our best to spoil them when they come in the door!

But our job is harder when the lives lived by our clients are tougher. The questions we wrestle with cause sleepless nights and stress filled days. Sometimes, we don't understand the life choices that our clients make.

Then we realize that we don't have to understand. That's not our job. Jesus calls us to be compassionate and sincere. He tells us to be a "salve to the wounded" and that's what we have to do.

Sometimes, that salve comes in the form of helping a victim of domestic violence navigate a confusing legal system. Other times, that salve means handing someone a bag of groceries - in spite of the life choices he or she has made.

Grace, freely given to us, being freely shared with others.

That's our job. That's our calling.

Great Angel Food Distribution!

Great Angel Food distribution folks!

44 people got fed this month! Everything went smooth and we had THE BEST volunteers you could ask for!

Pat yourselves on the back! Then get ready to come again next month!

See you then!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kids Rescued in Prostitution Bust - Go FBI!

The quote is from the article referenced below:

"We together have no higher calling than to protect our children and to safeguard their innocence," FBI Director Robert Mueller said Wednesday. "Yet the sex trafficking of children remains one of the most violent and unforgivable crimes in this country."

According to the article referenced below the FBI arrested almost 350 people — including nearly 300 adult prostitutes — and rescued almost 400 child victims!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080625/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/child_prostitutes

Now this is the way to use our tax dollars! My concern is that the article also states that the operation that led to the rescue of these kids ended this week.

Please politicians, if it's not broken don't fix it. With this many kids rescued can it really be the time to stop the operation?

Many of the visitors to our forums and groups know the realities of child (teen) prostitution. I'm encouraged that some victims are being rescued and I hope you will be encouraged too. Even though the operation that led to the rescue may be over that doesn't mean that we have to give up and accept what's happening. The kids deserve more!

There is nothing to keep us, as individuals, from being educated about the modern day slavery of human trafficking. If we sense that something is wrong it sometimes is. If you can read this blog you can go online and found out more. There are excellent resources listed here.

If you are in a bad situation and need help to get out call 911. No one deserves to be controlled, hurt or abused. Not you. Not anyone. Help is available. It's ok to make the call. Healing is a long hard road. But victims walk that road every day and in the process we become survivors. There are people who care and will help you. Don't give up looking until you find those people who will help.

The following resources may also be helpful. Check them out only if you are certain that your computer usage is not being monitored. If there is any doubt go to a public computer.

http://www.loveisrespect.org/
http://www.missingkids.com/


As individuals, you can be a part of the solution. Check out the links below to become educated. If you even suspect someone is being trafficked, forced into prostitution or sexually abused call for help! Don't try to figure things out on your own or be a hero.

The government human trafficking website is: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking You can also read the above links for more information.

Be educated. It's our first line of defense and a victim's best hope.