Adopt-a-Block at Gateway!! - May 2021
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May 2021 Adopt-a-Block at Gateway!! OUR MISSION To offer life changing hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to homeless men, women, and children through programs to deliver food, shelter, counseling and discipleship
From the “Some wish to live within the
sound of church or chapel bell.
DIRECTOR I wish to run a rescue shop
within a yard of hell.”
—C.T. Studd REX BAKER
Sometimes I think God laughs at my strategic plans. and cream. We’ve had some guys who went back to the
Last year my big plans were blown out of the water by drugs and alcohol. Hopefully, we helped plant a seed
Covid-19. This year a freak winter freeze caused the fi re that will sprout later in their life. (Life in general is not all
sprinkler pipes at our thrift store to burst and fl ood the peaches and cream, as you well know.)
store. The question I get asked the most these days is
not “Rex, has God showed up in power and truth and However, amid the struggles of the last year, I’ve
changed lives at Gateway?” Rather, folks are asking seen God miraculously change lives. I’ve seen guys
“when are y’all going to reopen your store?” who wear ankle monitors as part of their prison release
requirements work their behinds off cleaning up a
But something has happened over the last year that fl ooded store and the cleaning the streets of Jackson.
probably has more to do with God’s strategic plan I’ve seen guys who have enrolled in our New Life
than mine. We have developed a closer bond with the Program numerous times over the years return yet again
residents in our New Life Program. I’ve seen lives truly with a new attitude and determination to get it right this
changed as we have built strong bonds with a group time.
of men who have gone through the fi re with us as we
masked up for Covid-19 and as we cleaned out a fl ooded Sometimes when God puts our plans on the back
store. burner, we need to pause and see where and how He
is working. God often does some of His most powerful
Last year one of my bright ideas was an Adopt-a- work during periods when life doesn’t go our way. He
Block program, where we would adopt the block around uses those times to refi ne and reshape our character.
Gateway Rescue Mission to keep clean. Many of you I’ve also seen God trash-can some of my fi ne ideas to
provided cleanup supplies for that project. Then came save me from what He knew would be failure.
Covid-19 and we had to put Adopt-a-Block on the shelf.
Allow me this fi nal note. If God plants an idea in your
One recent Saturday morning, my phone started spirit, don’t give up just because it doesn’t happen
lighting up. Norman Snow, an energetic and opinionated today. Adopt-a-Block seemed like an easy no-brainer
program graduate turned Gateway employee, had taken for us last spring. However, circumstances sidelined
the guys out to clean up the block. He sent several that idea only for it to come back a year later when we
pictures of the guys smiling and decked out in safety are in stronger position to make it happen.
vests while cleaning up an area near the mission. The
group cleaned a corner on South Street so you can now I’ve never had anything in life work out like I planned
clearly see oncoming traffi c. Then they posed for the it. Life always takes strange twists and turns. However, if
camera. we keep the lighthouse of Jesus as our focus, and keep
plugging away, things ultimately will work out in the way
To be honest, we’ve had some folks fall off the wagon that God planned. And His plans are always better than
in recent months. A hard truth of this work is that not ours.
everybody makes it. Life at Gateway is not all peaches
Rex Baker
Visit gatewaymission.org Executive Director
for more information on how you Gateway Rescue Mission
can help someone today.
FEATURE GATEWAY
Glory to God, we have reopened our kitchen to dine-in meals. After a year of to-go lunches,
Board of Directors
it feels good to have people back in our kitchen enjoying a meal. We’re still being careful. We
offer guests the option of dining with us or getting their lunch to-go. We still mask up at lunch
and give the dining area a world-class cleaning when lunch is over. From what I’ve observed so
Ford Mosby
far, some people sit down and eat their meal and some people get it to go. That’s not profound, President
but for right now as we say around the mission, “it is what it is.”
A lot of people have asked when we will begin allowing volunteers to help serve lunch. Beth Archer
Hopefully, soon. We’re still seeing how things are going with in person dining in a Covid world. Vice President
We appreciate everyone’s patience with us as we work through this situation. We are trying to
balance your safety and ours.
Jackie Meck
Obviously, we’re all ready for things to return to whatever normal will look like as we move
Secretary
forward. We have a pretty good idea that two things will ultimately happen. One, volunteers
will return to serve at Gateway Rescue Mission. Two, our thrift store will reopen soon. (if it
hasn’t reopened already by the time this letter hits your mailbox) Vivian Farris
Speaking of our thrift store, crews have been working hard to get things spiff y. We’ll have Treasurer
new flooring, new ceiling tiles, new lights, and the works when the doors reopen.
Meanwhile, we’ll keep the block clean around Gateway Rescue Mission. Your support and Glen Bush
prayers do really help change things. It’s a beautiful blend of internal change and external
upgrading and cleaning. Thank you for being a part of God’s work at Gateway. Danny Cawthon
Allen Holiman
Ben Moncrief
Vernon Perry
Marilyn Tinnin
328 S. Gallatin Street
P.O. Box 3763
Jackson, MS 39207-3763
Phone: 601.353.5864
Fax: 601.353.9468
Website:
www.gatewaymission.org
Sometimes I like to walk around and get a glimpse of everyday life at Gateway. Believe me, it can be an interesting
thing. I recently found Willie washing a truck outside our shelter. Whatever you ask Willie to do, he’ll tackle it with full
vigor and a good attitude.
Our Gateway folks also like to lift weights. Pictured here is Dietrich pumping iron…about 115 pounds of it, with many
repetitions. As Yogi Berra once said “you can observe a lot by watching” and when you observe the muscles on
some of our guys, you know they’ve been lifting weights.
Most days at Gateway will find Huey H. Howerton, our Director of Food Services and Facilities, or something like
that, busy getting things done. Often times, our spoiled feline Popsicle can be found assisting Huey. More accurately,
it will be Huey petting Popsicle, at least until she’s had enough petting and pops Huey a good one.
Thrift Store Update
• We’ve had a special request from our programmatic • Over the counter first-aid supplies. (the kind of
team for basic first-aid items including (but not things you would have in your medicine cabinet at
necessarily limited to): home in case of a small cut, blister, wasp sting,
spider bite, etc.)
• Band-aids and assorted bandages.
• Pepto-Bismol, antacids, aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.
• Antiseptic creams and ointments. (we are not pharmacists, but it can be good to have
an Advil when somebody has a headache or some
• Emery boards.
antacids when the tummy doesn’t feel good.)
Follow Us on Social Media
Twitter: @gatewaymission • Facebook: Gateway Rescue Mission • Instagram: gatewaymission
For your convenience you may now donate online at gatewaymission.org/donate
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