Last week the New Wine student community visited My Father’s House, a community shelter for homeless families. Scott Olson is a student leader at New Wine and he is the full time program director at My Father’s House. He gave us a tour of this three-story building that houses families on two floors. It is a place that addresses the residents as holistically as possible, speaking into the lives of people that need others with skills to journey alongside them and help them to a place of sustainability. This is all framed in the love, grace, and compassion of Christ. I was inspired by the mission and vision of the facility as the staff members accompany people who are at some of their lowest times. I heard how many calls are received by My Father’s House as the need for shelter and for putting lives back together grows in our society. We heard heartbreaking stories about lifestyle choices made by the people before they came to live there and hopeful stories of the residents that got on the road to restoration.
The program operates with many defined and clear expectations in order to help the participants achieve and maintain self-supporting lifestyles. The residents are required to attend classes like Genesis Process, Financial Peace Activities, Rent Well, and parenting classes. I heard how the staff members do their best to really listen to the different families and guide and direct them into the areas of growth. The love of Jesus is shared but is also lived out each day. The staff sees how pressing into trust and relationship overcomes the many challenges of old habits, pre-conceptions, and expectations.
This safe haven for families to regroup and grow is a place I would challenge us all to hold up in prayer. It is currently operated by a small staff and many volunteers. The hope is to increase the staff base to be able to offer more to the residents they work with and to allow the staff to use the skill sets they are gifted with in the best possible way. Please join me in praying for our brother Scott Olson and the other staff for wisdom, endurance, and restoration in their work, in their families, and in their walk with Christ. Please pray for staff additions in child care, administration, post care (when they graduate the program), new building projects for expansion, and also deeper church relationships that would lend themselves to mentor opportunities.
I want to thank Scott for allowing us to see inside the life of someone who is living and reaching out in New Wine values to a community here in Portland.