Richmond and Novato

We left San Francisco and wanted to stop in Richmond, CA, at the Bay Area Rescue Mission, as our friend David Beall had called and lined us up to go there.  He said he’d not been there himself but had heard it was really nice.  When we got there it was true, it was awesome.  They were really busy just finished dinner for the men and working on dinner for the women, but had a lot of really awesome programs to offer.  It was incredibly gracious of them, but they took the time to show us around, even though they were so very busy.

We met with the Vice President of Programs, Tim Hammack, a really nice man who escorted us around. Our first stop was to show us how they were using all the food scraps and plant materials for composting, which is just one of the “green” ways they run the shelter.  They have a small garden of herbs for their kitchen close by that is tended by the program members.  To build up the soil and fertilize that garden, they not only compos,t but the compost bed is raised and they have earth worms in it and the water that drains off is collected and used to water/fertilize the garden so it is all organic.  They try to find a use for all waste.

They offer landscaping training by a local landscaper that allows them a plot of land to grow vegetables, also providing training in farming to help residents get a job when they leave the program. They are doing a hydroponics garden too.  In the water for the plants are fish whose waste is the fertilizer.  This is a complete “recycle” system since the fish are harvested too. 

The mission gives out of their excess to other area ministries.  What they are doing for “green” living was interesting to the media too, since they’ve been interviewed and stories taped on them by Oprah and Katie Couric. Pretty cool.  Definitely a different way of doing things.  I guess it takes all kinds, for sure.

Tim left us at the kitchen after he’d introduced us to Keith, the Kitchen Manager, who took us on a tour of the kitchen and offered us lunch.  The kitchen is state of the art and the men working there are given excellent training they can use to get good paying jobs in the food industry.  We accepted the lunch offer and were served two plates of food you wouldn’t believe.




Talk about a 5 star restaurant in a mission - this was it!  The meal was black bean soup, large cheese ravioli, carrot slaw, and chicken wraps.  Fresh fruit and salad was available if you desired.  The mission offers a culinary program to their program members.  All the food they use each day is fresh.  They raise some of it themselves offering another job training program in agriculture! MAN.  These folks have got it together!

Keith introduced us to the head chef, Mark.  Mark had worked at the mission years ago as a sometime volunteer but, when he retired, he came on full time.  His love of cooking had prepared him for this job.  He really enjoys showing the men in the program how to cook and his enthusiasm shows.  He believes in the Mission and the people in the program and wants them to have better lives.  Mark is the one that served us our meal.  Not only was it good, it was plated professionally.  They take their training seriously since they are preparing people for the outside world and work.

This mission has a Men’s and a Women’s program and all the areas of job/vocational training are offered to both.  Program members are given their choice of what training they want to participate in.  The mission believes if the members are to succeed, they must have a part in the decision making in this part of their training.  There are classes offered in computer skills and getting their GED.  There is an opportunity to get their ID cards and any other paper work they need to help them get back into society.

After the meal, I was introduced to Fred, the head Pastor.  He was quite interesting and started telling me what he did with the guests there. During our conversation he was summoned to a meeting with all the Pastors, and he invited me along.  I got to talk with all of them and share stories.  We shared our love of the Lord, and then they went on with their meeting, and I left.  While our visit there was brief and we didn’t get to visit with many of those being served there, we came away knowing the people responsible for this mission take their jobs seriously and are indeed showing God’s grace and hope.

Hope is one of the main reasons I’m on this journey.

Our next stop was to be Sacramento but we couldn’t make it all in one day.  As it was getting late, we checked prices in the Napa Valley for hotels but they were way too expensive so we stopped in a little town called Novato and found the Visitors Center right at closing time.

Remember the story about  the Ventura visitor center?  Well this was quite the opposite! We met a lady named Kris.  She was very welcoming just like the lady from Ventura, maybe not dressed quite as expensively, but obviously well-educated.  When we told her why we were traveling and what we were doing, she had a much different reaction.  Her face and demeaner changed too, but into a genuine and very friendly smile. She actually became very interested and told us she had worked with the man who was responsible for getting a women’s shelter up and running in Novato.  It was for Men in one area and Women and Children in another.

She was very proud of her town and what they were doing to help the disenfranchised.  She encouraged us to stay the night in Novato and gave us the name and phone number of the CEO of the shelter along with the address.  What a difference!  Gives me hope that some people do have a heart and compassion for the plight of the homeless and see them as people that just need some help to get their lives in order.  After Ventura, I really needed this.  Thank you Jesus.

We called the number and left a message as the Director didn’t answer.  Next day we drove out there and tried to call again.  From the outside, the place looked to be state of the art and was quite beautiful.  We finally got someone on the phone only to find out the Director was not in nor was his assistant.  We so wanted to get a tour and see if we could talk with someone but it was not to be, so we decided we needed to go on with our mission and left to complete our drive to Sacramento.  

A quick stop, but a beautiful and very encouraging experience all the way around.

Sammie