Skip to main content

LETTER FROM A PASSIONATE LEADER: My Heart and Vision

This evening one of our church members who leads us in ministry to the homeless copied me on the email below that she sent to some people interested in assisting with our vision to see lives changed in our community.  My heart was not only touched by this letter, but Vicky wrote with pure passion that is shared by our church family.  Here is a glimpse into my heart as well for The Community:

I am from Henry County, Virginia near Martinsville.  I attend The Community Fellowship, a church in Collinsville, Virginia. Our mission is to demonstrate the love of God to our community. 
 
Henry County has a population of estimated 55,316. As 2007 census 16.1% were living in poverty.      According to a count done by the West Piedmont Better Housing Coalition on 1/29/09,  152 homeless were found in this area covering 4 connecting counties while 51 were found in Martinsville/Henry County alone. Ronnie Pannell, continuum of care manager with the Coalitions states that he does not think this count is accurate due to various reasons. He believes the number is much higher.
 
Jim Tobin, executive director of Piedmont Community Services in Martinsville, states that the national rule of thumb is for every homeless person counted, there are 7 who are not counted. If this is true, in the Martinsville/Henry County are the number would be closer to 360 homeless and 1060 for the 4 county area. 
 
I have a great passion for loving and helping the homeless. After many discussions with my pastor, we know the direction that we need to take.

There is no shelter here in this area and that is a tremendous need. We like to dream God sized dreams and would like to take it even farther than a shelter into a place of opportunity. Opportunities to beat addictions, to learn to read, to learn a job trade. We would like to give hope to the hopeless and broken and let them know that people truly do care about them. A dream center. A place they can come and dream and just maybe make those dreams come true.
 
The homeless are people and deserve the same basics as any one else. They are deserving of a chance to make it and of love and happiness.
 
Our greatest opportunity is funding.  I am asking any one who can help to please contact me.  I need ideas of how to persue this. I need to know about grants (which I know nothing about) and any other information that you may have that could help us to give hope to those who seem to have no hope. 
 
I sincerely appreciate anything that you can offer.
 
Love in Christ, 
 
 
Vicky English
click here to email me

Comments

steveharrison said…
man..what a great note..what a privilege and a honor to have volunteers and leaders who get it..who want to be a part and are all in..wow!..love to see God's people step up and serve..people who say let's get messy and do ministry..step up and be the hands and feet of Jesus..demonstrating love to the community will lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ..in fact I would venture to say that many may serve and give before they become believers..man continue to put the vision in front of folks and the Lord is going to continue to show favor to the The Community and Henry County...Yes! and Amen!
August 12, 2009 at 6:37:00 PM EDT
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.  One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.  When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.  Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns.  Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.  Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"  Beverly said, "Why yes I do."  Edith said, "Well, what do you ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!
10 comments
Read more

wash feet, sharing hope

  John 13:4-5,14 NLT  So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow.  He served.  He valued and gave value to others.  That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet.  It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives.  Jesus said we should do this.  See the verse above.  Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....
Post a Comment
Read more