By Dan T.
I'm settled in for my flights back home and have some time to reflect on the weekend and recap everything we did. It was a whirlwind trip, and I'm incredibly thankful to have been able to take it. As always, the Rennells were wonderful and generous hosts, and we enjoyed each other's company.
Yesterday, Soaring Wings hosted a work day at the ranch, and we made good progress on the addition. I was joined by four other gentlemen from the local church who heard the Rennells share their story and vision, and were willing to give up a Saturday to lend a helping hand. Since the Trinity Bible Church CO:MISSION team installed the subfloor and framed the walls in August, this group of volunteers -- plus others from New Mexico -- have been able to install the roof trusses, hang sheathing around all of the exterior walls, and put the rough plumbing in place. This weekend, we closed in the roof and prepared it for weatherproofing and shingles.
The next steps involve installing windows, which will be delivered later this week, and two sliding doors. Piece by piece, the addition is coming together and slowly transforming into a home.
While we were working on the roof, Todd, Meredith, and Payton assembled two dozen blessing bags from donations they received, and after work on the roof was done we drove to the park in Fort Collins to hand them out. In many ways, the concept of the blessing bags is a reflection of the early church that is described in Acts. The Rennells have been able to combine their own resources with donations from churches and individuals to create the bags and distribute them among the needy. And not only that, but we continue to witness the homeless people serving one another by dividing and distributing these items with each other.
Similar to my experience in August, there were far more people than bags, but even those who didn't receive a bag expressed gratitude. The bags went quickly -- within a matter of minutes -- and even before we left the park we could see people sharing the contents of "their" bags with others.
The next steps involve installing windows, which will be delivered later this week, and two sliding doors. Piece by piece, the addition is coming together and slowly transforming into a home.
While we were working on the roof, Todd, Meredith, and Payton assembled two dozen blessing bags from donations they received, and after work on the roof was done we drove to the park in Fort Collins to hand them out. In many ways, the concept of the blessing bags is a reflection of the early church that is described in Acts. The Rennells have been able to combine their own resources with donations from churches and individuals to create the bags and distribute them among the needy. And not only that, but we continue to witness the homeless people serving one another by dividing and distributing these items with each other.
Similar to my experience in August, there were far more people than bags, but even those who didn't receive a bag expressed gratitude. The bags went quickly -- within a matter of minutes -- and even before we left the park we could see people sharing the contents of "their" bags with others.
Although the days in Fort Collins are still warm, the nights are getting colder. Earlier this week, Meredith was able to pass out sleeping bags that were donated by the CO:MISSION team, and yesterday we were able to hand out blankets that Anita found at an auction recently. As eager and generous as the homeless people were with the blessing bags, they were even more so with the blankets. We had several folks tell us they already had a blanket, and instead directed us to people who had none.
As encouraging as it was to witness this, I was also sad to see so many homeless people in and around the park. We counted more than 20 people in the park, plus a long line of people across the street waiting for the shelter to open, and yet another group further down the train tracks behind the shelter. Last night, I asked the Rennells if they recognized any of the people we saw in the park and they said no. Part of me hoped I would see Steve again, but the Rennells said it has been several weeks since they last saw him. I suspect the threat of tickets and jail time keeps many of the homeless people of Fort Collins on the move, which only makes it more challenging for the Rennells to build relationships with them.
This will come with time, and is a core part of their vision for the ranch.
There is a comforting sense of peace and serenity at Soaring Wings that I hope the future residents will be able to enjoy as much as I have this weekend. It's hard to beat starting the day with devotions on the front porch watching a beautiful sunrise, complete with grazing antelope on the hills overlooking the ranch, or ending the day taking in a fiery sunset over the Rockies with coyotes singing in the distance.
As encouraging as it was to witness this, I was also sad to see so many homeless people in and around the park. We counted more than 20 people in the park, plus a long line of people across the street waiting for the shelter to open, and yet another group further down the train tracks behind the shelter. Last night, I asked the Rennells if they recognized any of the people we saw in the park and they said no. Part of me hoped I would see Steve again, but the Rennells said it has been several weeks since they last saw him. I suspect the threat of tickets and jail time keeps many of the homeless people of Fort Collins on the move, which only makes it more challenging for the Rennells to build relationships with them.
This will come with time, and is a core part of their vision for the ranch.
There is a comforting sense of peace and serenity at Soaring Wings that I hope the future residents will be able to enjoy as much as I have this weekend. It's hard to beat starting the day with devotions on the front porch watching a beautiful sunrise, complete with grazing antelope on the hills overlooking the ranch, or ending the day taking in a fiery sunset over the Rockies with coyotes singing in the distance.
It is certainly a far cry from what those people in the park are experiencing today, and I think it could be tempting to see Soaring Wings as a place of escape, but that is not what it is meant to be. Rather, it is a haven where families will be able to find help, hope, and healing from the trouble and turmoil of homelessness.
In all, this was a good trip for me, and probably one of the most spontaneous things I have ever done. Up until Wednesday of last week, I had no plans to fly out to Colorado. I missed the team and my heart has had bouts of restlessness since we returned in August, but after reading Meredith's newsletter on Tuesday evening and a sleepless night afterward, I knew I needed to give it a shot.
I hope you find these posts helpful and take the opportunity to consider how you can help the homeless in your own community. If you are interested in learning more about how you can help Soaring Wings through financial support, donations for the homeless, or volunteering your time, I would be happy to connect you with Ed and Anita.
Blessings!
Dan
In all, this was a good trip for me, and probably one of the most spontaneous things I have ever done. Up until Wednesday of last week, I had no plans to fly out to Colorado. I missed the team and my heart has had bouts of restlessness since we returned in August, but after reading Meredith's newsletter on Tuesday evening and a sleepless night afterward, I knew I needed to give it a shot.
I hope you find these posts helpful and take the opportunity to consider how you can help the homeless in your own community. If you are interested in learning more about how you can help Soaring Wings through financial support, donations for the homeless, or volunteering your time, I would be happy to connect you with Ed and Anita.
Blessings!
Dan