It's been 6 months since I have been able to send an update out and in that time a lot has happened in Branson in regards to weekly and extended stay motels, homelessness and poverty. In the last 6 months, Branson had a much needed panhandling ordinance pass. I say much needed because those panhandling do not represent the ones truly struggling to make ends meet but often get lumped in with that group. Branson had the tragic death of a child at one of the motels and we have seen the population in the motels rise dramatically since 2009.
I have been an entrepreneur, a corporate employee, a corporate manager and a consultant in my life and dealt with all kinds employees and people, but these past 2 years have been the most difficult of my life. Just in these past 6 months, I have seen the ugliness of humanity. I have seen people openly condemn those that live in the motels. I have seen people openly judge those that may not know how to parent. I have seen people treat the poor as though they are animals. Both Amy and I have been verbally berated because of what we do. Sometimes it feels as though it's one thing after another. Our family has sacrificed, our income has sacrificed, we have lost friends, and sometimes it seems as if our very sanity has been sacrificed. But if you asked me if we would do it again, it would be a resounding...YES from both of us.
Why do we do it? Because when people are condemning the addict because they can't stop their addiction they don't know that it's because at the age of 8 someone, most of the time it's a parent of step-parent, put a needle in their arm for the first time and created a junkie. Or the person that grew up in generational poverty and never had a mom or dad to model what a loving family and childhood was supposed to look like. Or a young girl that was repeatedly molested by a family member for years and as an adult doesn't know how to be a mom. We do it for them.
We do it to show a way out. We believe Jobs for Life is one solution for our community to experience changed lives for the poor. Since we have begun Jobs for Life we have seen lives transformed, families restored and hope achieved.
We have had 14 classes, 106 Students and 76 Graduates. 64 Students are still in the area and 50 of those are currently employed. This is an incredible program that everyone in Branson should be a part of, either through becoming a mentor, a student or financial supporter. Jobs for Life isn't just for the unemployed, it's also for the employee that you believe in but needs to learn some character traits that were not modeled growing up. Our next class starts June 24th. For more information about Jobs for Life contact Ashley Lauer at [email protected] or call 417.337.8103.
44 "Then they will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?' 45"And he will answer, 'I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.' 46"And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life." - Matthew 25
