I was out on the back porch of the mission on the 4th floor, getting some air, when I saw a young boy below. He looked to be about 5 years old, a child of one of the homeless families staying here. What I saw made me think of the suffering the children of homeless men, women and families must go through. He was in a corner of the missions parking area where a table and chairs are placed under a tree, playing with his Tonka Bulldozer and Dump Truck. And I thought "Just day's or weeks ago, this young child had a home with his own bed to sleep in, his own backyard to play in. But today, he sleeps in a homeless shelter and play's in the parking area of that shelter. How sad! How very sad.

Later that evening, I saw a TV commercial by one of those "Feed The World's Children" organizations. The commentator said while placing his hand on the shoulder of a child in another country "This Child Is Homeless", and I thought of all of the homeless children that pass through this mission every month. Nobody sees them on TV! Nobody advocates for them from an international organization seeking money for their cause. Yet, here they are, neither heard or seen. They're sleeping in a bed at a homeless shelter. They're eating their meals in a homeless shelter soup kitchen. They're spending their evening playtime in the back of this same shelter.

So, I wanted you to see the faces of the homeless children of America who, through no fault of their own, also need your help. And notice also, that as children will be, many are smiling, many are sad and many are frightened, but they all look forward to the same uncertain future.

God Bless You
David Peterson
Manager of Donor Relations.