2 Drug Addicts and a Hospitality House - Portland, OR

When we arrived in Portland, we went straight to Union Gospel Mission.  When we drove up, there were homeless everywhere, on the sidewalks, leaning on the walls, standing on the curbs.  It was dinner time so they were lining up and there were lots of them.  

So, I got out and started packing snacks for later and bags of toiletries. 

I ran across a guy by the name of Steven.  He was a 48 year old man living on the streets off and on for 22 years.  He now is trying to help people get off the streets by telling them different places to go. He and a couple of his friends are living in a semi truck trailer not too far from the mission.

Steven is an alcoholic and a drug addict.  

He really knows the ropes out on the road, and seems to have made it his personal mission to help the kids out on the street not end up like he has.  That week, he helped the 5th kid get off the streets (5 kids in 15 years).  He believes he will always be on the streets because he’s supposed to help the kids.

Even in his addiction, his is doing his best to help others.

We went on to the Portland Rescue Mission.  This place was different from the Gospel Rescue Mission.  This one was in the less desirable area of downtown.  People were sleeping on the streets right in front and down the street and on the bridge close by.  It was by a place called Old Town which is sort of a farmers market area with some nice shops.  There were lots of people lined up there too. 

We handed out many toiletries  and snacks there and prayed for lots of people.  It was really sad (which for me to say, after all I have seen, is saying something).

We met a man named Mike there. Born in South Dakota, Mike has been a drug addict since he was 13 years old, and he is now 45.  He is a Christian (has been one for 16 years) but just can’t seem to get clean and stay that way.  

He’s in the program and has been for 4 months, but he says he’s serious this time and is praying every day for a different life. We're praying with you, Mike.

The next day we went to Blanchet House of Hospitality which started in 1938 at the University of Portland when a group of students organized a social and service club.  We had stopped by the evening before because we found out from the last mission that they served the homeless, breakfast, lunch and  dinner 6 days a week.  They also offer transitional housing  for struggling men.

They currently have room for 27 men that live there. We went in and the manager let us talk to some of the guests.  We spoke to a lot of the homeless, and I prayed with some of them.  They serve 700 to 900 meals per day. They just opened this new section this year.  It’s very clean and open and bright with sunlight.  It’s a great place, great food, great volunteer system, and a great web site.  They’ve been doing this for over 50 years and “it’s a tradition of excellence and service run by volunteers” said the manager.

This one’s a short one (but considering how long my last post was, I figured you needed a break!)

Thanks for traveling with me, supporting me, and praying for me.

-Sammie