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There is always hope

For those that don’t know me, my name is Jen Tran (new last name because I just got married last month)! I began working as the Emergency Assistance Coordinator here at Morning Glory Ministries back in January and it has been an honor getting to pour into the lives of our homeless community.
The book that gives me the greatest zeal for this mission is Joy of the Gospel by our Pope Francis. He says, “Today and always the poor are the privileged recipients of the gospel … and therefore we have to state, without mincing words, that there is an inseparable bond between our faith and the poor. May we never abandon them” EG, #48. The poor are the “privileged recipients” meaning that due to their lack of safety nets they have the ability to truly know what complete dependence on the Lord means.
This inspires me to hear and grow to understand the men and women we serve each day and to learn from their faith, and truly rejoice when they are able to overcome hard situations.
One man that comes to mind is Michael. He came to Morning Glory Ministries a few months ago (like most) without a job and without a place to live. We provided him with all the resources he needed to accept and maintain his new job at McDonald’s. He was given work clothes, non-slip shoes, and a monthly bus pass to get him through his first month until he got paid.
He walked into Emergency Assistance today proudly wearing his uniform to inform me that he had saved up enough money from his new job and was approved to rent out his very own apartment, getting him off the streets for the first time in years. Michael reminded me that there is hope and there is no one out of God’s reach to revive and make new.
“So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
I want to give a special shout out to all the Morning Glory volunteers. They are the hands and feet of this mission and we would not exist without all of their efforts. Thank you.
If you are interested in volunteering in our café please contact jmason@kcgolddome.org.
Emergency Assistance Needs:
Men
Tennis Shoes
Jeans (especially sizes 32 & 34), belts, underwear (all sizes)
Reading Glasses
Women
Plain Pants (size 4,6,8,10)
Food
Ramen Noodles & Microwavable Meals
Other
Twin Sheets, Pillow Cases, Towels, Wash Clothes, Bibles, Backpacks
The Joy of Success

People measure being successful in different ways. For some it’s a job, money, their dream house, or a car. For me I try and keep it simple. I see success and being successful as every little victory you have in life. When you clean your house, fix something, or have a good day at work. These are all successes to me.
This past weekend I was enjoying a Sunday afternoon stroll in Crown Center with a friend. We were taking in the new restaurants and shops when we decided to walk into the little corner store by the hotel. To my amazement I looked up at the counter and saw one of our regular guests from Morning Glory working. We had just talked at breakfast a few weeks ago about his job search and how it was going. He mentioned the steps he was taking to get out of the mission and get his life back on track. I was overcome with joy and emotion to see that he was taking the steps and seeing success.
Through my many years of working with the homeless I often wonder what happens with many of the people I have been blessed with the opportunity to help. They may been a part of my life for a while and then I may never see them again. I’m nobody special. God instilled in me the passion to serve and love the homeless and I accepted his calling for my life. Every once in a while God reveals or shows me a little blessing of encouragement to keep fueling my passion and desire. Seeing one of the guests from Morning Glory Ministries obtain employment and being one step closer to having his life back was one of those moments.
God calls us to serve and help those around us. When you believe in God and that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins you enter a life of ministry and servanthood. You don’t have to be a pastor, deacon, or priest to commit your life to ministry. You just have to be have the heart to serve, love, and show grace to those around you. Set an example for your peers. Treat everyone around you with the love and grace that God has given us.
Pray this week that God will show you opportunities to serve him and where your ministry is in your life. Every action and conversation you are a part of can be ministry if you just have the right mindset. Pray for your co-workers and friends. Pray for the staff of your church. Let God truly guide you and reveal what your passions and talents are and how you can use them to serve your fellow mankind. Ask God for the desires of your heart to be shaped around the compassion and grace of Christ. It’s not easy and at times we fail but the beauty of God and Grace is that after we confess and repent every day is a new day. Every opportunity is a chance to put God first in our life and others before ourselves.
“Even if this world expects that you strive for success, give yourselves the means and the time to follow paths of fraternity, to build bridges between people rather than walls” and to take part in the building of a more just and humane world…” – Pope Francis
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21
My Dad, the Man, the Myth, the Legend

My Dad has always had a heart for people and ministry. He’s a former Hospital CEO who started his own Healthcare recruiting company years ago. He’s volunteered in all different aspects of ministry. He’s served on church boards, been a deacon, and faithfully studies the Bible every day. He loves to give back to the community and supports many missions and organizations. He’s also been a wonderful father.
A few years back a couple of transient homeless Punk Rock Kids were squatting in an abandoned house in Kansas City. I had befriended these kids a number of years ago when I was living in the camper and carrying the cross in different cities. These kids traveled a few days with us and the next time they were in Kansas City I told them to hit me up. At the time my Dad was getting ready to drive across the country to Atlanta to visit his mother. My friends were needing to get to North Carolina so I asked my Dad if they could ride across the country with him.
My Dad willingly accepted and was happy to have the company. My Dad loves to talk and I can only imagine the conversations he had with them on that long drive. What amazes me to this day was that my Dad was willing to help them get home. He could have said no. He could have made excuses but that’s not my Dad. He is a man whose heart desires to serve and follow the Lord. My Dad has always set the example of what a Christian and good father should be. I am thankful in my life for everything he has done for me and the love he’s shown to me and my friends.
So many of our guests at Morning Glory are fathers. Many of them don’t have relationships with their kids or families. I hear stories time and time again of how they hope to see their kids again or be a part of their lives. I can’t imagine what life would be like without my Dad. Pray this week for the fathers at Morning Glory. Pray they feel loved. Pray that they feel the love from our Father God in Heaven. Pray for their children and their families. Pray that those who have lost touch with their children don’t feel like a failure. Pray for reconciliation.
“But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” – Isaiah 64:8
“Fathers must be patient. Often there is nothing else to do but wait; pray, and wait with patience, gentleness, magnanimity, and mercy.” – Pope Francis
Happy Fathers Day!!!
Morning Glory Needs
Bulk Coffee for Breakfast and Lunch
Volunteers for Breakfast Tuesday – Friday 6:30-8:30am
Men
Walking Shoes
Jeans
Briefs/Boxers- M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL, XXXL+
Women’s
Underwear
Bras
Shorts
Plain Blouse/ Shirts
Emergency Assistance
Backpacks
Vienna sausage
Spaghetti sauce
Fruit cups
Hamburger helper
Draw string bags
Right Place Right Time

This week I was sitting on my porch enjoying the cool breeze with my roommate, when a lady approached timidly and said “Excuse me do you have any gas because I just ran out in front of your house.” It was late enough that that we were just about to go to bed. This lady said she heard us talking and hoped we would be willing to help. She told us she was a little scared to approach strangers and she had her daughter in the car but she didn’t have any other options. We were able to help her out and even sent her along the way with an extra gas can.
As Christians God calls us to look for every opportunity to serve and show kindness to others. These moments come unexpected but we should always be ready. My roommate and I did what we would like to think anyone would do.
Every day I am amazed at the willingness of our guests to help out at Morning Glory Ministries. They stack chairs, clean, unload deliveries, and help in any way they can. They want to give back. They’ve told me many times that it’s the least they can do for us because of everything Morning Glory Ministries has done for them. They have the right attitude. It’s their willingness and thankfulness that encourages the staff of Morning Glory and our volunteers. This week I want to challenge you to do a “Random Act of Kindness.” Buy the meal for the car behind you in the drive thru. Pay for your co-workers lunch. Offer to buy someone’s gas. Serve the Lord in a way you might not have thought of.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
– Colossians 3:12
“I believe in the kindness of others, and that I must love them without fear.” – Pope Francis
Morning Glory Needs
Bulk Coffee for Breakfast and Lunch
Volunteers for Breakfast on Fridays 6:30-8:30am
Men
Walking Shoes
Jeans
Briefs/Boxers- M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL, XXXL+
Women’s
Underwear
Bras
Shorts
Plain Blouse/ Shirts
Emergency Assistance
Backpacks
Vienna sausage
Spaghetti sauce
Fruit cups
Hamburger helper
Draw string bags
I had nothing more

Very few times in my life have I ever felt truly scared. There are 2 moments in life that come to mind. The first moment was the first time I ever spent the night on the streets in Hollywood, CA with my homeless friend Joe. I was 22 years old and slept behind a restaurant on the cement. I had nothing more than the clothes on my back and I hadn’t really planned to stay with my friend but he was suicidal and it was the least I could do to be there for him. As I tried to sleep I was cold and had a fear of being robbed or woken up at any moment. It was one of the worst nights of sleep in my life and I actually had forgotten my wallet the night before. I woke up exhausted, hungry, and I truly could relate to those who face the daily struggle of homelessness. I often think back to that night when I see the faces of our guests at breakfast in the morning.
The other moment was when I worked as a firefighter in Neodesha, Kansas. The local Dairy Queen had gone up in flames on New Year’s Eve and it was 13 degrees outside. My partner Ross and I were first crew in to make entry after we had broken out the glass in the front entrance doors. As we entered I was the front man on the hose with my partner right behind me. It was pitch black and neither of us could see a thing as we worked our way toward the heat source. When we were just about to the fire we heard the firetruck sound the horn for us to evacuate. Although, you train time and time again for these moments when an evacuation is called it means the building is most likely fully engulfed; its time to drop your hose line and get out because there is the possibility of the building collapsing.
As we turned to evacuate my partner and I lost track of each other and there was a moment of panic because I was alone. I yelled as loud as I could, my partner grabbed my shoulder, we retraced the hose line and made our way back to where we had made point of entry.
I share these stories because when you’re facing the daily struggle of homelessness and living on the streets every day and night has an aspect of fear. When you’re a women they struggle with the fear of being raped of abused. The fear of being robbed of what little you have is always at the forefront of your mind. It’s stressful and I can’t imagine the toll it takes on one’s body and mental health to go through this battle each and every day.
A majority of the guests I talk with at breakfast will tell me their happy just to be alive. They wake up and thank the Lord for another day and are grateful that Jesus died on the cross for their sins. They know that one day they will have a permanent home in Heaven and that their time in this broken world full of sin is only temporary. They encourage me and remind me that most of my problems in life are not that big of a deal. I have a home, a loving family, and friends who have always been there for me. I am truly blessed.
Pray this week for the safety of those who sleep on the streets. Ask the Lord to protect and bless them. Ask the Lord to keep them healthy. Each and every one of us has been given the ability to make a difference in the lives of others by praying for them. Even when you feel there is nothing you can do for someone or change a situation, God can make it happen.
Nate Smith
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:40
“These days there is a lot of poverty in the world, and that’s a scandal when we have so many riches and resources to give to everyone. We all have to think about how we can become a little poorer.” – Pope Francis
Morning Glory Needs
Bulk Coffee for Breakfast and Lunch
Men
Tennis or walking shoes
Jeans, shorts, and belts
Boxers or briefs M, L, XL, XXL
Women’s
Bras
New underwear
Emergency Assistance
Healthcare for the Homeless

One of the biggest challenges those struggling with homelessness face is access to healthcare. When your average person gets sick we call the doctor and get checked out. We have no problem filling our prescriptions and making follow-up appointments. When we’re sick we can stay in bed in the comforts of our homes. The Federal government defines chronically homeless as “either an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has been continuously homeless for a year or more, or an unaccompanied individual with a disabling condition who has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years.”
For the individual that’s chronically homeless the daily struggle is survival and finding your next meal. Many are constantly sick and it can be quite a challenge to receive the proper healthcare they are in need of. Recently, Research College of Nursing reached out to Morning Glory Ministries to see if they could bring some of their nursing students to provide wellness checks to our guests. This past week a team of 10 nurses provided blood pressure checks and vision testing to our guests. They educated them on next steps they could take and encouraged them to come back the next week to be retested.
My Mom was a nurse for 37 years and my whole life she pounded into me the importance of always staying on top of your health. Her dream before she passed was to travel to third world countries on medical mission trips but she never had the chance. For 27 years she worked in the Oncology Department at Children’s Mercy with kids who had cancer. She attended countless funerals with her
co-workers, rarely talked about work at home, prayed for the kids she worked with, and was passionate about helping and caring for others until the day she died. I learned from her the importance of taking care of yourself and serving others.
One important aspect of the Emergency Assistance Program at Morning Glory is we give bus passes to guests for appointments and pay to have their prescriptions filled. In 2017 we helped fill over 200 prescriptions for the poor, needy, and homeless in downtown Kansas City.
Pray this week for the health of the homeless. Ask God to heal and bring health to those in need. Take it one step further and pray for their spiritual health as well. Be thankful for your own health and take care of those around you who are sick.
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
– Psalms 73:26
“The one who helps the sick and needy touches the flesh of Christ, alive and present in our midst.
– Pope Francis
It takes partners

For Morning Glory Ministries to continually meet the needs of those struggling with homelessness there is a lot of things that happen behind the scenes. It’s often not glorious but we couldn’t help and do what we do without the help of volunteers, local organizations, and businesses. This week I wanted to highlight a few of those.
Every week one of our volunteers picks up pastries, donuts and desserts from Hy-Vee and Sun fresh. The Downtown Chipotle donates 5 to 10 pounds of steak each week that we use for various meals we serve on the weekends. Gus’ World Famous Chicken (http://gusfriedchicken.com/) brings us leftover chicken every week that we feed our guests.
A majority of our hygiene products we give out in Emergency Assistance come from Giving the Basics (https://www.givingthebasics.org) . This non-profit receives hygiene products from businesses and hotels and redistributes them to agencies all over the Kansas City Metro Area.
About 85% of our food comes from Harvesters. Each week we order food at a minimal cost and are also able to shop at the Harvesters facility (http://www.harvesters.org). Harvesters covers a 26 county area and we would be unable to provide the 82,000 meals a year we cook without their support.
We have partnered with Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral for over 30 years to feed the homeless in downtown. They helped to start Nourish KC (http://episcopalcommunity.org/) an organization who provides us with deli meat for sandwiches every week. They also provide us with interns from their culinary program who come and serve at Morning Glory for 5 weeks as part of their job skill training.
Each week we have volunteers who shop at the various thrift stores to purchase clothing items like jeans that we are constantly in need of. We have also partnered with Savers Thrift Store (https://www.savers.com/) who donates us backpacks and other various clothes items.
We also partner with Enoch Magazine (http://www.enochmagazine.com) a non profit media movement that helps us with videos and design, and social media.
Other volunteers shop at Sam’s club to pick up our orders for food and cleaning supplies we use each week. We employ 4 people who are in Catholic Charities ( https://www.catholiccharities-kcsj.org/) Seniors Back to Work Program. This program pays their salaries and provides support for our staff. Many businesses and schools volunteer regularly which includes JE Dunn, Colliers, Baldwin Clothing, Mazumma Credit Union, The Smile Salon and Day Spa, Rockhurst University, UMKC, Research Nursing, St. Teresa’s Academy, Notre Dame de Sion, Rockhurst High School, O’Hara High School, Bishop Ward High School, St. Pius High School, St. James Academy, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, and Shawnee Mission Easy Junior Board, and Serve KC. Over 40 different churches and parishes also volunteer on a regular basis.
Every month over 400 volunteers choose to donate their time at Morning Glory to help serve and prepare meals. They also help to fulfill the Emergency Assistance needs of guests during the week and sort all the incoming clothing donations and organize the EA storage areas. Volunteers are the heart and soul of Morning Glory Ministries. We count and depend on them so we can continue the mission of bringing dignity to the poor, needy, and homeless in downtown Kansas City.
How can I help?

If you spend time in any major city there is a good chance you will have an encounter with someone struggling with homelessness. In 2017 The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development presented their annual Point in Time report that showed we have over 553,000 homeless individuals in the United States. Roughly, 1 out of every 588 people are struggling with homelessness. Do those numbers surprise you? In Kansas City in 2017 our report showed almost 1,700 individuals are struggling with homelessness. This bring the age old question of “What can I do to help?”
I get asked that a lot. I always tell them the same answer. You don’t have to give them money but treat them with dignity and respect like you would a friend or coworker. If you feel led to buy them a meal do it. I never give out money but there is one thing I always offer and we can all offer; prayer. Ask them their name and if you can pray for them. Very rarely do they turn this down. It builds an instant connection between them and you. It’s a simple way to show you care.
Throughout my years of working for Enoch Magazine I’ve had the chance to interview many different bands. We always ask them if they have had any experiences with the homeless. When you spend your life on the road going from city to city you’re bound to have experience with them. Then we always follow up with the question “A lot of homeless are at the lowest point of their life but I’ve found they often claim Jesus as their Lord and Savior. What is your perception of Jesus?” It opens up a dialogue with the bands about what they believe and makes them think.
I have a place to live that’s filled with stuff I probably don’t need. I have food on the table and a job. It’s easy for me to feel comfortable every day. I’m not facing the struggles the individuals struggling with homelessness are. Every time I pray with a homeless person it reminds me that no matter who we are and what we have we all have the same opportunity to receive love and grace from our Heavenly Father. Sometimes, when things go wrong in my life I don’t always seek God first. I’ve complained, blamed others, and blamed myself when I really need to open my heart and lay it before God. I’m often encouraged by the faith the guests of Morning Glory have. It encourages and humbles me. It makes me realize that my problems are not always that big of a deal. They challenge me to seek the Lord every day and be thankful just for another day of life. I’m reminded that Jesus died on the cross for all our sins regardless of who we are or what we’ve done. He has the same love and grace for each and every one of us and no one can take that away. Our relationship with God is our own; unique and special for every individual.
Take some time this week to pray and thank God for the things you are blessed with. Thank God for another day of life and let yourself be reminded his love and grace is bigger than anything we can imagine.
“Not to share one’s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs.” – St John Chrysostom
Morning Glory Needs
Men
Tennis or walking shoes
Jeans and cargo shorts and belts
Boxers or Briefs M, L, XL, XXL
Women’s
Bras
New underwear
Stretchy pants/ yoga pants
Emergency Assistance
Allergy medicine
cough drops
Totals April 2018
Meals served – 8,010
Guests helped with emergency assistance – 344
Volunteers – 467
Totals 2018
Meal served – 28,167
Guests helped with emergency assistance – 1,761
We all make mistakes

We all make mistakes. Sometimes, they’re small and fixable. Other times the course of our lives are changed forever. I’m just as guilty as the next person. When I was in elementary school the church I grew up in was building a new sanctuary. The construction crew had already dug a deep base for the basement foundation and there was mud and puddles of water everywhere.
My friend and I thought it would be a great idea to make a bunch of paper airplanes and throw them out the second floor window into the construction pit. When you’re little sometimes ideas seem like good ones. Looking back, I can’t even tell you how many apologizes I had to make and what embarrassment I must have caused my parents. My dad was a deacon at church.
Looking back years later I realize how dumb and stupid this was. We’ll all heard the expression “kids will be kids.” I laugh now but I’m sure I was grounded. It was a mistake and the first of many I made in my childhood. People often ask in conversation how most of guests came to be struggling with homelessness. Was it choices in life? Was it drugs? Sometimes, this is the cause but no one ever imagined they could end up living on the streets. The loss of a job, the death of a spouse, a work injury; these are all things I hear regularly from our guests that helped to contribute to where they have ended up in life.
What I love about the idea of grace is that Jesus died on the cross for our mistakes. He gave up his life for our sins. He paid for the things I don’t even know I am going to do yet. But, his grace comes with a price. We’re called to believe and be servants of the Lord. We are equipped with different skills and opportunities to serve and set a “Christ like” example in our life every day. Ministry is not a job, but a lifestyle. It’s supposed to drive our motivation and actions each day. The journey is not always easy.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” – James 1:22
Ask God to make the scriptures real in your life this week. Don’t just hear the words of the scriptures but ask God to make your heart open to truly living out what we are called to do as followers of Christ. Don’t be so hard on yourself for your mistakes. We have a chance to change every day but we must let Christ be the center of our lives and the light that guides us.
Morning Glory Needs
Jars of jelly for emergency assistance
Jars of pasta sauce for emergency assistance
Men’s Jeans and belts
Men’s Shoes
Men’s Cargo Shorts
Seeing the good when its bad

I admit it. I like to watch terrible movies. I’m guilty of always checking out what Nicolas Cage is up to and think Keanu Reeves is awesome. My roommates often join me to watch these movies. I often watch these terrible movies, embrace the bad acting, and ridiculous plots will hole after hole. I generally enter into the movie watching experience with an open mind no matter what the movie critics and reviews say. I want to give them a chance waiting for that one perfectly crafted moment that makes it great. You could say I see choose to see the good in the bad or make the most I can out of each movie I watch.
I try to apply this philosophy in other places of my life. It’s not always easy. In times of tragedy it’s hard to stay positive. On the bad days I’m not always thankful for the things I have or the good that’s in my life. My mom did this every day. She never complained a day in her life but worked at Children’s Mercy as a nurse for 26 years with kids who had cancer. I strive to be like her.
With each new guest I met I approach them the same way. I see every person that walks through our doors as another friend to be made. I want to know their story. I want to hear their dreams and passions. I strive to build a real connection. I joke all the time that I love my job because I get to have breakfast with 125 friends each morning. The struggle of homelessness is heartbreaking. I can’t grasp the pain and hurt some of our guests feel who have been living on the streets for years. I can’t begin to imagine what it’s like to live in a tent when it’s snowing or wake up not knowing where my next meal might come from. I am blessed with family, a job, and a place to live. So many of guests deal with the struggle of poverty and homelessness but yet they take the time to thank the volunteers and staff of Morning Glory. They encourage us and remind us to be humble and thankful.
When you come through the doors of Morning Glory you become family. You can check your drama and troubles at the door. For many of guests it’s a place they can feel normal and accepted. I love to watch our guests talk and interact with the volunteers. They share stories, ask about their lives, and I see the friendships and bonds they have.
A good friend of mine, Drew Hunthausen, has been blind since he was 11 years old. He came down with bacterial meningitis, went into a coma, and lost his vision. Life is not easy for him but he is one of the kindest and most positive people I have ever met. He does everything with a smile. Every week he makes video blogs on facebook called “Life of a Blind Guy” which shares his activities and tasks he accomplishes. Often, I watch them and are amazed at his persistence and ability to live as close to a normal life as he can. I can’t imagine making coffee blind but Drew does it every morning? Or going surfing when you’re blind. It’s encouraging and honestly quite special. Drew has never met someone he didn’t like and chooses to speak and motivate others to live life to the fullest. I look up to Drew. He reminds me just how special and each every one of our lives is. Read his story here http://drewhunthausen.com/about-drew/ .
I want each and every one of you to take a look at your life. Is their negativity? Do you complain more than you should? Do you take things in your life for granted. God want’s our hearts to submit to his will and seek him throughout each and every day. He wants our spirits to be filled with happiness and joy. It’s not easy but take a few moments each morning to thank God for your life. Pray that you can be a positive person and set an example for those around you. Ask God to help you change your heart. Be encouraged by his word and love.
“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” – Psalms 121: 1-2
Watch Drew’s Story