Help us create a "Wall of Hope" at Union Gospel Mission!  

Through this wall with hands of faith, hope and adoration to Jesus, we will encourage both of our resident recovery programs, street guests, staff and volunteers, that they are not forgotten in all this terrible virus crisis. 

A few creative ideas might be: 

How about tracing around your hands and sharing scriptures or your own words of hope?

How about submitting pictures of hands…paintings…art work from children and artists?

How about uplifting poetry that aligns with scripture?

How about musicians sharing a song?

THANK YOU EACH ONE IN ANTICIPATION OF YOUR CREATIVE SUBMSSIONS.

I missed an opportunity to bless someone on Saturday by being too slow, too selfish. 

An elderly gentleman was with an empty shopping cart.  He approached me in a cleaning aisle.  He saw I had been blessed to ‘secure’ a package of toilet paper.  He asked where I had found it and I directed him to the spot where I had seen one remaining, warning him it may be gone by now.   Within a moment…my conscience challenged me.  “Give him yours…”,….or not quite so noble a thought,  “at least split the package with this man”.  He seemed deeply concerned in his search.  It was an opportunity to act in kindness and share the love and hope in Jesus. 

With renewed intention, I went in search of this man in the store.  Just as he had appeared, he was now gone. Vanished. I looked down every aisle. I dawdled. I hung around outside the store, in vain hope of blessing this man.  He was gone.  Ashamed and disappointed in myself, I left with my package of toilet paper.  The moment had passed. 

At UGM…the moment to act is now!

Richard has been looking for his daughter for the last 17 years. Just when he thought he might never see her again, he found her on Facebook. Everything seemed fine, but only two days after he discovered her, Richard learned that his 21-year-old daughter was homeless.  She's battling drug addiction and alcoholism and also has a 1-year old son. Richard went to Kamloops and brought her back to Brandon Manitoba where he signed her up with multiple programs. Still, it was not going to be a quick and easy road to recovery. His daughter left the program and hitchhiked to Winnipeg. But soon she begged him for help as she was desperate and very afraid.

Richard left his girlfriend in Brandon to come to Winnipeg to help his daughter. He found her in a safe shelter and they both started attending the Chapel services at Union Gospel Mission. During this time, they went through some counseling sessions with a Chaplain which brought them closer to the Lord. The support and prayer have been a life line for both of them and has transformed many areas in his daughter’s life. However, she has not yet made a total commitment to the Lord.

Walking this road with the UGM gave Richard peace and more understanding of his daughter’s struggle and real needs. Richard’s prayer is that both of them will make a wholehearted commitment and surrender to the Lord. He desires for his daughter to be happy and free from the heartache.

Please pray for Richard and his daughter, that the Lord will give them the breakthrough they need in their lives.

“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 41:10

HANDS – Which ones do we have?

Hands can be the agent of disease, riddled with bacteria. 

Hands can be clasped together in front of a praying soul. 

Hands can be raised in a fist, portent of anger and possible violence to come. 

Hands can be stretched out in love, a signal from the heart. 

Hands can be raised in rude offensive gestures. 

Hands can soothe the fevered brow of a sick friend or patient. 

Hands can write something that which is offensive or scaremongering. 

Hands can be Gods writing instrument for encouragement and love.

Hands can clutch and grab- a sign of selfish greed.

Hands can be open and give a gift to feed the soul, feed the body. 

Hands can signal contempt by refusing to shake a hand or limply being offered half heartedly. 

Hands can signal “You are welcome here. I am pleased to meet you”. 

Hands can cover our eyes to that we don’t want to see. 

Hands can be used as blinders to keep us focussed on the purpose Christ has called us to. 

Hands today need to be clean – constantly.  Hands protecting the body and offering peace of mind.

AT UGM WE ARE APPEALING FOR  LOVING OUTSTRETCHED HANDS.

Thank you to the churches and individuals who brought to our Mission some hand sanitizer and dispensers.  We are very grateful!  Unfortunately…..we do not have enough to maintain safe servitude and living conditions for the many we are still reaching out to for an extended time.

The more people that can find it in their hearts to donate hand sanitizer to UGM, the less we draw on alternative supplies and leave that inventory available to others giving of themselves and serving community.

Please prayerfully consider us to be your hands. We love you!  We love those whom we serve. Clean hearts, clean hands.  

We are grateful for all donations of hand sanitizer, which can be dropped off at 320 Princess St.  God bless you each one!