2021 September #2
By a Joy Junction Staff Member (JBF)
Most of us look forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. The title for this holiday is aptly named, as taking time to give thanks is something we all should do every day. Setting aside a day to intentionally do this every year is important.
Are we thankful?
We live in a country that is looked at as the land of plenty. If we have food on our table and a roof over our heads, we are considered wealthy to many parts of the world.
So, why do we have people waking up hungry and living on the streets?
We can imagine that they most likely do not feel thankful for their situation. We can also imagine that they’d love to be out of their current circumstance.
There are many reasons for homelessness, and we should want to try to lighten their heart, and possibly the load on their shoulders.
One way to do that is to offer them a holiday meal, and give them a reason to feel thankful. The holidays are some of the roughest times to get through when you have no one to share them with.
Doesn’t a turkey dinner with all the fixings sound good? And don’t forget about the dessert! Can you imagine going through the Thanksgiving holiday and not having the option to eat such a meal?
Do we take that holiday meal for granted? It’s very possible that most of us do.
Many homeless people face their days without the option for such a special meal. There are no options…because there is no food.
Not only is there no food, there is no home…and many times, there is no extended family to help.
Everyone faces hard times, and struggles from time to time. We all need someone to show that we are cared about. That desire probably feels even more intense for those who have lost everything. It is likely that they think back to the days when they celebrated holidays with special meals and special people.
We have come to understand that when people seek us out for a Thanksgiving dinner, they are not only wanting food to fill their tummies, they are desperate to find something or someone to fill the emptiness in their hurting heart.
A meal is a start in the right direction. It gives us the opportunity to take care of an immediate need, then we can move on to taking care of the rest of them.
We truly want to show compassion to those who come to us. We listen to their stories and try our best to help them. We have a plan in place to provide for their needs…and serving a delicious Thanksgiving meal is part of that.
Our desire is to provide hope for the homeless by offering them, not only a meal to celebrate the Thanksgiving season with, but a possible change for their future.
We plan to provide a meal and a measure of hope, during our annual city-wide feast event, to those in the Albuquerque area who are hungry or homeless. We will also host a Thanksgiving meal at our shelter for our resident guests.
If you would like to know more about either of these events, or general information concerning our shelter, please contact us at 505-877-6967 or 505-217-9586.
