Thirty-two people. Seven of them are under 12. None of them have a home.
On April 8, these current guests of South Oakland Shelter will bring in all their belongings in suitcases and duffle bags, and sleep on mattresses in the church rooms for a week.
We are going to set up their rooms. We are going to feed them. We are going to have dinner with them and stay overnight to watch over them as they sleep. We are providing them with a hot breakfast and will drive them to and from work and the day shelter. We are going to let them stay in our church on Saturday since the day shelter is closed.
Welcome to SOS week. This endeavor takes almost everyone in the church helping out. From tidying up the bathrooms at 7.30 AM to providing food stuff to picking up car loads of people waiting to get “home” to a warm meal, you and I will work hard this week.
If you have never helped with SOS week in the past, I would love to talk with you and figure out how you can participate this year. If you are an SOS veteran, bless you for finding time again in your busy schedule to serve on this special week when we help these blessed souls receive what every human being needs and deserves- shelter.
God works mightily through SOS. I personally know of at least four of the guests who found housing last year who are living there for almost a year now. (You can see some of the guests and track their progress here.) That is four people who are no longer afraid of being cold in the winter and having no place to sleep, eat or shower.
SOS has a 70% success rate in helping guests find homes. Our work helps stabilize them so they can do just that.
Please let me know if you have any questions, and please sign up soon here to help in this profound week of love, labor and community.