LIFE ON THE STREETS

May 2012

"If following Jesus cost you everything, would it still be worth it? - Kyle Idleman

These things we do That others may live!

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO DIE

"Hoka hey!" If you spend a day or two hanging around The Relief Bus staff, you are sure to hear this phrase being tossed around. What does it mean? It is an Indian phrase meaning "it's a good day to die." We believe every day is a good day to

"Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23b
When I'm not busy doing outreach, you can nd me in my ofce buried under volunteer applications and sticky note messages! On the more exciting side, our fundraising banquet is just around the corner, and we have some special video projects in the works! Every day is a new adventure, with unique opportunities and challenges. The daily challenge for me is to remember that it is not I, but Christ in me; not my strength, power, or wisdom, but His. Hoka hey!

die to ourselves and to live for Christ. With the busy summer season upon us, we will have plenty of opportunities to live out this motto. Personally, I will be spending a lot of time over the next few months with the multitude of volunteers we have coming to serve with us on The Relief Bus. In addition to serving with them on the bus, nearly every Thursday evening this summer I plan to lead a group of volunteers into Penn Station in NYC to engage with people who live there by handing out yers, sharing meals, and just making friends.

I'm staying busy producing video projects, training volunteers, serving on the bus, keeping up with ofce work, and more! Hoka hey!

CONNECT WITH ME ON THE WEB! Website: katiemorrisurbanmissionary.weebly.com Facebook: Katie Morris - Life on the Streets Twitter: @katiereliefbus

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HERE AM I, I WILL GO

"I am the new face of homelessness."

She is well spoken. She is clean. She has an education. She has never done drugs, abused alcohol, or been in prison. She is also homeless. I rst met my Rita a few weeks ago in West Harlem when she came to The Relief Bus looking for a place to stay. She had never seen the bus there before, but she knew God had turned her in our direction. The more I listened as she told me her story and all the places she's gone for help, the more my heart broke for this sister in Christ. Why has it been so hard for Rita to nd help? The answer is simple: She's too clean. If she used drugs or alcohol we could have sent her to a rehab. We have a whole list of places that help those who have been imprisoned. But because she is considered "general population," the only place for Rita to go was into the public shelter system - a system in which she has been molested and stolen from. Rita has been struggling to nd steady work and permanent housing for the last six years, ever since her mother, who she was taking care of,

Rita and I at The Relief Bus

passed away and her husband left her. As she sat in the bus pouring her heart out, Rita announced "I am the new face of homelessness." I wish I could say everything worked out ne for Rita. The truth is, there are limited resources for people in her situation. However, our God is not limited. Rita was still homeless when she left The Relief Bus, but she was not hopeless. Because on that day God used a couple of ordinary people in a big white bus to remind one of His beloved daughters that He hasn't forgotten about her. "For the rst time in a very long time I feel you gave me what I deserve. Thank you so much."

This October, I have the opportunity to fulll the Great Commission in a new way as I travel with The Relief Bus staff to Haiti. We see poverty every day in our work on The Relief Bus, but this trip will give us the opportunity to experience poverty on a whole new level while growing as a team and serving the least of these in another land. During our time in Haiti, we will be serving with the Foursquare Haiti base in Port-auPrince. As we step out of our comfort zone and onto this new mission eld, we will be serving in a variety of ways, from assisting with construction projects to spending time with orphans. As an urban missionary, I need people who are willing to partner with me nancially to help send me to Haiti. The total cost of the trip is approx. $1,500. Would you be willing to partner with me to help our brothers and sisters overseas? To give visit donate.reliefbus.org and designate your gift to Katie Morris - Haiti. You can also send checks to The Relief Bus, 295 Walnut St, Elizabeth, NJ 07201. Please include a note "Katie Morris Haiti. Thank you!

Rita came to The Relief Bus looking for a place to stay and left with a renewed sense of hope.

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