Andy's Updates - 1/2010
by Rev. Andy on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010, Filed Under Rev Andy's Blog | View Comments
Dear Friends,
I’m compelled to weigh in on “the letter” circulating around the community and apparently headed toward Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s desk.
I received the letter, and was invited to sign on in agreement with the conclusions and corresponding actions it outlines. Instead of signing on, I alerted some LAPD commanders to what I believe to be yet another attempt by some to remove the helpful police presence from Skid Row, and return this area many of us have worked so hard to change back to the deprived, predator & drug infested hopeless state it was in less than a decade ago — depicted so accurately in the tragic scenes featured in “The Soloist”.
Among the disturbing sentiments made in the letter is the statement that since crime has been reduced by 33% on Skid Row, it is therefore time to move police away from Skid Row and to more dangerous parts of our city. The police presence is the reason for this crime reduction and an absence of police would be followed by a return to lawlessness. As it is, there is still far too much crime and violence on Skid Row, especially against women, and some of the crime has moved into the permanent-supportive housing projects of some of the letter’s signers. There have been documented cases in the last year where leaders of gangs heading up drug sales move in, take over several apartments, require residents to package and sell drugs under the threat of violence. And it has been reported by reputable sources that some leaders of these housing groups actually dissuade their employees from reporting the crimes or cooperating with police.
I have met people on the street, displaced from their permanent-supportive housing units by the violence inside of these poorly managed complexes. When we gathered for the annual memorial of those who had died on the streets of Skid Row, the longest list of names of those who died came from within these permanent supportive housing complexes. Don’t get me wrong. I am all for permanent-supportive housing for the people most impacted and devastated by years of homelessness, but we need well-managed, safe permanent supportive housing complete with the much needed services that will help people live a hope filled life. That is not possible when gangs and drug sellers are allowed to occupy the housing units, and it will take a continued strong police presence to keep Skid Row and the housing units safe.
I do agree with this statement in the letter;
“First, SCI should shift towards community policing. The police on Skid Row should engage residents in a partnership aimed at developing solutions to problems and increasing trust in the police.”
I am all for this kind of engagement, and partnership with police and residents to develop solutions. However, it is unfortunate and insincere of some of the writers to ask for this shift of engagement, partnership and development of solutions when they have unfairly criticized, exaggerated the facts, and even dissuaded their own residents and staff from reporting crime and cooperating with the police.
I also take issue with another statement in the letter;
“Second, policing should focus on serious crime, and stop issuing routine citations for such petty offenses as jaywalking, littering, and loitering.”
Jaywalking is dangerous for all, and especially deadly for those who’ve been left on the streets. The writers should better study the “Broken Windows” approach to policing that has helped bring about the transformation on Skid Row. I wish this effective approach would be taken in my own neighborhood, where illegal parking goes unchecked, leads to drug sales, and eventually violence and shootings. Are the writers already forgetting that it was two of LAPD’s officers on horseback, stopping and apprehending the killer of beautiful young Lily Burk because he was drinking in public on the streets of Skid Row? In the words of Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz of the LAPD, “Samuel was seen drinking beer on a Skid Row street and arrested for investigation of possessing narcotics paraphernalia because he allegedly had a crack cocaine pipe” Diaz said.
One of the final requests of the writers of the letter has already begun in a strong way;
“Third, SCI should prioritize connecting residents to services.”
Agencies like Volunteers of America, PATH, Union Rescue Mission, Midnight Mission, the Weingart Center and others have already been active in an SOS program that provides the option for the residents of Skid Row and other neighborhoods who have been arrested to choose a 21 day program instead of jail time. The LAPD and City Attorney’s office have been active players in this option as well.
I am one of the few social service heads to join the LAPD in their community policing and time after time I have seen them assist people in need with appropriate services, from expectant moms to whole families to men ready to give life another try, the LAPD often refers people to the help they need.
I will say it one more time, the LAPD has done and is doing their part to clean up the streets of downtown LA and to transform Skid Row, but their part is only about 10% of what needs to be done. The rest of the transformation lies on the shoulders of the social service providers and the politicians, those who wrote and received “the letter”. We need to step up our efforts to provide the resources to build more housing opportunities and services throughout LA, regionalize the solution to homelessness, and after we’ve built the housing, provide the supportive services and management to sustain it and move towards the day when not one precious person will be left on the streets of our city.
As always, I welcome your comments and feedback and pray that those who can will join us in the fight to end homelessness as we know it in Los Angeles. Click here to send a message directly to Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa urging him to maintain the police presence on Skid Row.
Sincerely,
Rev. Andy Bales
by Rev. Andy on Friday, January 15th, 2010, Filed Under Rev Andy's Blog | View Comments
A friend of mine asked me about Haiti and Pat Robertson’s claim that Haiti had signed a pact with the Devil. While I do not believe Mr. Robertson’s unfortunate claim, I have seen evidence in Haiti that Satan is alive and well. I attribute that to a lack of hope, a tremendous lack of opportunity, a lack of basic infrastructure, structure, and weak greedy leadership.
During a mission trip to Haiti in 1999, I learned that in desperation, all of the fruit trees had been eaten bare, many of the trees had been burned as firewood for warmth and there were no birds because they had been eaten too. Aid to the Government from other countries had been pocketed by greedy leaders instead of invested into working water systems, electric plants, or sewer systems and people were often on the edge of all-out riot in response to the difficulty they were living in. When we traveled we would see tires being placed in the road and lit on fire to protest the conditions and the lack of government response. We learned that many of the men had several wives and households, and they would sit and play dominoes while the women and children went hungry or depended on charity as there were not many prospects for employment. I tried to use an outhouse at the Missionary compound that we stayed in and when I walked in it was filled with large tarantulas-over 100. I did not stay to use the facilities! I saw evidence of voodoo worship throughout my visit, Mardi Gras parades filled with raucous crowds and violence, and at one point I was even threatened by 10 spear wielding men who had painted themselves with tar and colorful paint. I still have the video. It was a very scary, hopeless place that appeared to be on the edge of violence at all times.
Recent news reports from Anderson Cooper on CNN show that not much has changed since my trip in 1999. Haiti is so troubled that while thousands of people were trying to rest in an open park, others were screaming, “Flood, Tsunami” causing the poor resting souls to panic, run, and drop what little goods they had. Then the opportunists would run in and take the dropped precious goods.
Haiti reminds me of the condition Skid Row LA was in when I arrived, but on a much larger scale. When I came to Skid Row there were over 2000 desperate people on the streets and Commander Andy Smith of the LAPD described it as Mardi Gras on crack. Skid Row had not signed a pact with Satan, but was severely lacking hope, opportunity, structure and strong selfless leadership. The change brought about on Skid Row through the investment of resources, the Safer-Cities Initiative of the LAPD, the building of new permanent supportive housing, the renewed outreach efforts, our own welcoming of over 600 more guests into URM, and some self-less leadership gives me hope that things can change in Haiti, even after this devastating earthquake.
What I learned early on in my work in difficult neighborhoods, Haiti, and Skid Row LA is that the desperation, misery, hopelessness, and even destructive behaviors present were not caused by the sins of the people in these areas, but the sins of all.
Romans 3:23 (NIV)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
This includes Pat Robertson and me! Most folks on Skid Row LA have been abandoned and forgotten by the world. Some have actually been dumped on the streets by others, including hospitals! Others were born into circumstances without opportunity and were never given a chance of success, while many of us took every opportunity to care for ourselves and not look back. This is true regarding the world’s relationship with Haiti as well. Likewise, I left Haiti in 1999 and did not have the courage or wherewithal to return to try to offer hope and change things. This is more a reflection of me and the rest of the world’s shortcomings than the people of Haiti.
If we leave one precious person on the streets of Skid Row, or if we turn our back on the people of Haiti, in their time of need, the sin and shame of that will be on us.
Charity alone will not change things. Charity alone has left the people on Skid Row and in Haiti dependent on others for daily sustenance just to survive. We must move beyond that. We at URM are pursuing the creation of a grocery store, business center, and the building of additional housing on Skid Row, in a pursuit of our 3 year goal to cut the number of people living on the street of skid row by 90%. We need to have a holy discontent and not tolerate one precious human being left on the streets of our city. We need to have that same holy discontent and no longer tolerate the conditions that the beautiful precious people of Haiti are living in. Before this devastating quake, 80% were living below poverty, 50% were illiterate, and they were living 5 persons to a room. I can’t even imagine the conditions or numbers now. This is the time to take action and make sure that no one in our hemisphere has to tolerate these unbearable living conditions.
Like we are seeing on Skid Row, the transformation of Haiti will take someone, some entity to come in with capital invested in opportunities that will both provide servant leadership, needed resources, and the hiring of the people themselves to build the needed homes and services. Haiti needs someone to come in with resources, hire the Haitian people, and build affordable safe housing, electrical and water infrastructures, and restore the food infrastructure.
Despite the despair and hopelessness I witnessed during my trip to Haiti, what has stayed in my mind is the tremendous beauty of the people and the hope, courage and strength they possessed.
I am compelled by Jesus Christ and the Gospel to do all I can to act now to help these precious ones. My heartfelt prayer is that many will join me. Together, we can bring hope to their land.
Job 31:16-40 (NIV)
16 “If I have denied the desires of the poor or let the eyes of the widow grow weary,
17 if I have kept my bread to myself, not sharing it with the fatherless–
18 but from my youth I reared him as would a father, and from my birth I guided the widow–
19 if I have seen anyone perishing for lack of clothing, or a needy man without a garment,
20 and his heart did not bless me for warming him with the fleece from my sheep,
21 if I have raised my hand against the fatherless, knowing that I had influence in court,
22 then let my arm fall from the shoulder, let it be broken off at the joint.
23 For I dreaded destruction from God, and for fear of his splendor I could not do such things.
24 “If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’
25 if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained,
26 if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor,
27 so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage,
28 then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high.
29 “If I have rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune or gloated over the trouble that came to him–
30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin by invoking a curse against his life–
31 if the men of my household have never said, ‘Who has not had his fill of Job’s meat?’–
32 but no stranger had to spend the night in the street, for my door was always open to the traveler–
33 if I have concealed my sin as men do, by hiding my guilt in my heart
34 because I so feared the crowd and so dreaded the contempt of the clans that I kept silent and would not go outside
35 (“Oh, that I had someone to hear me! I sign now my defense–let the Almighty answer me; let my accuser put his indictment in writing.
36 Surely I would wear it on my shoulder, I would put it on like a crown.
37 I would give him an account of my every step; like a prince I would approach him.)–
38 “if my land cries out against me and all its furrows are wet with tears,
39 if I have devoured its yield without payment or broken the spirit of its tenants,
40 then let briers come up instead of wheat and weeds instead of barley.” The words of Job are ended.
Isaiah 58:6-12 (NIV)
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter– when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Blessings,
Rev. Andy Bales & Team
by Rev. Andy on Monday, January 4th, 2010, Filed Under Rev Andy's Blog | View Comments
I don’t know about you, but I made more than 1 New Year’s Resolution this last week. I started the first one this morning. When I arrived at Union Rescue Mission, I took the stairs rather than the elevator – good for my heart and my waist line! I was fortunate enough, or unfortunate enough, to battle an illness and busyness through the Holidays that helped me lose 15 lbs! I have resolved to lose another 15 lbs by March 1st. I am avoiding desserts, fried foods, and I am determined to eat more vegetables! I am going to make time to ride my bicycle enough each week to strengthen my heart as well. I also re-committed to taking time each day to read a couple of Read Through the Bible programs and daily devotionals, something I committed to last November 1st, after hearing my friend and mentor John Perkins say, “How did I persevere? By being discipled in the Word of God!”, but I let that one slip on too many days.
However, my biggest resolve this year is to do what I can and say what I must to change the heart of this great city of Los Angeles, and help us live up to the title of the City of Angels by ending our reign as the Capital of Homelessness in the U.S. I know hearts can change towards people who are experiencing homelessness, because I had my own change of heart 24 years ago. One day, one of my students mistreated a “weaker” student and it broke my heart. So I preached Matthew 25 verses 31-44 to them, where Christ returns, separates the sheep from the goats, and He says, “come and take my inheritance prepared for you since the creation, for I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. For whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did it unto me.” It was the best sermon I have ever preached! The following Sunday, just days later, I was eating in my booth at the parking lot that I worked at on the weekend. A man who was homeless asked me for my sandwich. I said, “No, I need my sandwich.” His face dropped with disappointment as he walked into the darkness and out into the snow. Immediately, I heard that still small voice. “Andy, here was your chance to practice what you preached, and you missed it.” I prayed for another chance. I found the man and fed him dinner. That’s the day God truly changed my heart. I’ve been working in Missions and with people who are experiencing homelessness ever since.
Today I would strongly suggest that it is impossible to be a true believer or a faithful religious person if we practice spiritual disciplines like prayer, bible study, worship, even fasting, but do not respond with love in action to human beings, brothers and sisters who are living on the streets of our city. These struggling people represent Jesus Christ on earth, and our response to them is our response to Jesus himself. Matthew 25:31 sums it up well, but it finds its root in Isaiah 58:6-11 (ESV):
6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,
10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.
11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Will you resolve with me, to work toward the day when not one precious human being will be left sleeping on the streets of our city? Learn more about how you can take action at youarethemission.com
