An Update From Hugh

Friends,

The astute among you will note that the August newsletter almost ended up being the September newsletter. The letter this month has been hard to write, not because I don't have things to tell you but because I have so much to tell you and I try to keep these letters to a reasonable length. Finally I was forced to give up any literary aspirations and just dump it all before you. In no particular order, here are a few things that are going on:

• Last month I told you that we were looking for a place to hold regular meetings, and we found a place that is practically tailor-made to what we are trying to do. Starting sometime in September we will be meeting weekly at the Tarboro Road Community Center, located at Tarboro Rd and New Bern Avenue. It is a perfect location for us, with room for growth, kitchen facilities and in a neighborhood that we would love to minister to and have the opportunity to serve. Watch the blog for more information as to time and dates.

• With that in mind, we are working on ways to impact the poor and homeless in that neighborhood, as well as maintaining our efforts around Moore Square. Over the next few weeks we will be rolling out opportunities for you to help us actively love our new neighbors.

• Recently I have been speaking in churches, spreading the word about what we are doing and trying to raise awareness and support. Last Sunday I spoke at Visio Dei and HomeStar Fellowship, both located near Downtown Raleigh and in both places had people decide to join our efforts. If your church or small group needs a speaker, I would be delighted to come speak at your event. Shoot me an email (or respond to this one) and we will work out the details.

• For a while now, we have been wrestling with the next step as far as our organizational structure. It is expensive (at least relative to our budget) to set up a whole non-profit entity from scratch. We are investigating that, as well as considering partnering with an existing ministry or church, at least organizationally, to make all that easier and, frankly, cheaper. All of this means that I have been in meetings, phone calls, researching online and at the library and generally getting headaches from all this reading because I often forget my glasses.

• We are partnering with other ministries that have similar goals so we can act as a resource for each other. One ministry I am particularly proud to be part of is Jubilee, a faith based organization that works to bring awareness to the problem of human trafficking. In September I will be speaking for them on the subject of building relationships and 'missionality'. Please watch the blog for announcements as to time and location.

Looking over that, it looks like a full plate, and it is. But add to that the day-to-day work of standing in line, taking people to the grocery store, negotiating with landlords, helping people move, praying with people who have no hope, standing in the rain in the soup kitchen line, visiting those in jail, throwing parties for those who got out of jail and what you end up with is one very tired, very drained, but very happy, Hugh.

I am so happy to be out here, working for His glory, to His purpose. That you allow me to be out here, supporting me and our work with your financial gifts and your prayers means so very much. That there is so much to do only serves to emphasize the necessity of what we are doing and the need for your help to accomplish it. Together, we get to be hope to those who have no hope, to speak for those who have no voice and to love those who thought the world had given up on them. Being out here is never easy, but there is good in this world, and it is worth fighting for. Thanks for helping me fight.

Love Wins. Always.

Hugh Hollowell

http://lovewinsalways.org/

4th of July Picnic Update

Here's the latest status on the picnic for the homeless that our friend Hugh is planning.  There's still plenty of room for you to help out if you'd like.  Give Hugh a shout!

Dear Friends,

Well, our picnic on the 4^th of July is coming together. I have had a lot of response and a lot of people offering to help - thank you all!

This email is to let you know where we are, what we are still missing and how you can help. Many of you have asked for a list of things that are still needed.

Time & Place

Just so you all know, we will be setting up at about 3:30pm on the Person Street side of Moore Square in Downtown Raleigh. We hope to start serving about 4:30pm, but would like all the food to be there by 4pm so we can rush and buy whatever we lack.

Things we still need to have someone bring:

• GRILL: we have one grill lined up, but we need at least one more. If you have a propane grill we can borrow, let us know. If we have to, we can get someone to come pick it up, but if you could deliver it, that would be just awesome.

• HOT DOGS: We have several hundred committed to, but we could use a few hundred more. I have been told that Lowe's foods has them on special, buy one get one free. If you can bring hot dogs (please bring the all beef ones, not the mystery meat pink ones), let me know how many you are bringing.

• Buns: We MAY have a source for these, but if not, we will be buying buns on Friday. If you can bring buns, let me know how many you are bringing.

• Condiments: Mustard, relish, ketchup. Squirt bottles would be easist.

• Watermelon: Again, some are coming, but we are lacking about 10... if you can bring one (or more) let me know.

• Chips: We need 200 small bags of chips, assorted. They are available by the case fairly cheaply at Costco.

• Some more baked beans. I have beans for 100 committed, with some more that may be on the way. I really need to have some assurance on the beans and hot dog counts... we can run out of almost anything but these.

• Cash: If we don't get enough donations and food, we will be buying stuff out of pocket. The pockets are pretty slim... if you want to drop off some cash to buy food with, or a gift card to a local grocery or whatever, please email me asap about where we can meet. A few have done this already - Thank you!

Things we have plenty of (I think)

• Paper products (plates, napkins, cups,etc.) If you are bringing these, please remember plastic forks and black trash bags.

• Lemonade - again, we have plenty committed.

Cool things to bring:

• Frisbee

• Wiffle Ball

• Guitar

The Salvation Army has confirmed that they will not be feeding that night (they had considered it, but with us setting up they decided not to). Therefore, these folks are counting on us... not counting those of us who are reading this email, we can expect about 175 or so homeless and poor to eat with us... with all of us, I am thinking maybe we will be feeding as many as 200-225.

Please email me with specifically what and how many of whatever you are bringing, so I can be sure of what I have before I go to the grocery Thursday night.

Thanks for everything, and God bless you all.

Love Wins. Always.

Hugh Hollowell

http://lovewinsalways.org

Why We Love Hugh @ CNX

Our little church community has the privilege of partnering with Hugh Hollowell in his mission to love the homeless in downtown Raleigh. If (like us) you're concerned that too many churches focus on themselves and forget about the people all around them, then you'll probably vibe with Hugh. Below is his latest update- which includes a few great stories and a link to his website. Take a peek.

Dear Friends,

One question I get asked a lot, especially by those in traditional churches, is about my statistics. How many people I work with get off the street, how many get sober, how many get 'saved'. I have to tell you up front; I have crummy statistics. But I am OK with that because I have some awesome stories.

Like the young couple I was talking to right after they heard her mother was in the hospital with heart trouble and they had no way to get home (200 miles away) to be with her. They are upset and crying and depressed and really pouring it out to me. While we were talking, an 'evangelist' pressed a tract in her hand and told her that if she gave her life to Jesus, he would change her life. As a result of that day, that couple and I have an ever increasing bond that has led to them making serious changes in their life. That evangelist saw a statistic, but that couple and I have a story.

Or the guy who braved the snow to visit my friend Renee in the hospital, bringing a collection of fruit, peanut butter sandwiches and crackers he took up from the other homeless. When I scolded him for coming, he looked me in the eye and told me, “Hugh, all my life I have not been worth much. I have been in and out of jail, in and out of rehab, in and out of relationships. I am 38 years old and you are the first person my whole life to ever tell me they are proud of me. I love you, man. I am here for you.” All those Social Workers saw a statistic, but he and I have a story.

There is the lady who had to leave her husband because liquor was destroying her life and he refused to quit when she did. She moved into a small hovel owned by a slumlord where she could barely pay the rent. When ends did not meet one month, the landlord filed eviction papers. I went to court with her and all the money but $50. The statistics said we did not stand a chance, but when she showed up in court and he did not, we got the eviction overturned and bought a few more days to raise the money. Now she is still in her house and still tells her friends the story of when she and I went to court.

Stories, not statistics. Names, not numbers. Meals, not metrics.

You see, we operate from this crazy premise we see in the teachings of Jesus that love, once given, spreads and grows (sorta like yeast, or a mustard seed...) and takes hold and, in small ways and in incremental bits, works to change us, then each other, and then, the world, working towards truly making it on earth as it is in heaven.

The way it happens is not through statistics but through stories shared over a plate of food, on a walk through the park together, sitting with them in the living room while a loved one dies in the bedroom. It takes being there.

You guys bless me incredibly by allowing me to be out there, touching lives and building relationships with people the world has written off but God has not. That you support me in doing that with your prayers, your time and your money mean more to me than I can ever say. Because of you, some people who have reason to have a low opinion of the church get to feel what the love of Jesus feels like.

Love Wins. Always.

Hugh Hollowell

http://lovewinsalways.org