During my travels during the day going to some of the places in Atlanta that offers services to people in homeless situations like myself, there are usually negative attitudes displayed. That could be from the homeless people or sometimes even more from the people providing the service.

There comments would often be, you’re lucky to get that, beggars can’t be choosey, or sometimes just the looks from them says it all. They seem to offer service from everywhere other than from the heart and I am learning every day that the only place to serve from, is from the heart.

Not giving grudgingly.

More often that’s also the times when the good deeds go unnoticed.

When there is a place that understands the downfall of people, times of trouble, not passing judgments and most important doing God’s work with a good spirit.

Brings back many memories from what Martin Luther King Jr. was fighting for us back in the day and even then people who struggled, was broke, poor, homeless, and didn’t think it was ever going to change for them.

It has taken many years for some of the work that Martin Luther King Jr. did to go noticed and rewarded.

Which brings me to the next point, Clifton Sanctuary just got awarded by Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award for all they do in the Atlanta community.

I was truly blessed in so many ways to have attended and seen this amazing event with my own eyes.

A homeless shelter being noticed, recognized, and then rewarded for helping homeless men is high on my list of things I never heard of.

Getting awarded anything from Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health is a great honor and for me it just shows that God has his hands over all that goes on.

There were nine other organizations that receive an award and all had great stories of how they do their part helping the Atlanta Community and the years behind them doing it.

Then to hear Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears, as the keynote speaker, tell her story of how she overcame some impossible hurdles and the organizations that she is an advocate for now was truly motivating.

That alone lit the fire in me to believe that God wants me to remove some of the limits in my thinking of what I think I am capable of doing.

So this award for Clifton Sanctuary is not small victory as this puts them high on the list of “Who’s Doing What in Atlanta” and from the looks of it that award will shine with the glory of God’s grace for a very long time.

That award went to an organization that has been damaged by arsonists a couple of times, that right smack in the middle of a really nice neighborhood, and has the nicest volunteers in the world that show up every day with smiles, open hands and hearts, and No smart comments trying to make the homeless feel lower than the ground.

I believe that Community Service would very much include helping a large number of men that made some wrong decisions, wrong choices, and wrong beliefs. Those same men got to the point of surrendering, pushing ego aside and asking for help.

Help that Clifton House is providing with the spirit of God in all they do and will do for the homeless in the future.

I just celebrated picking up my 9 month chip of sobriety that Friday and Saturday is here, New Year’s Eve. I am hearing about all the parties going on that night and all the fun their talking about having. No one is talking about Not Drinking other than in my AA meeting.

This being the first New Year’s Eve homeless as well as being sober will be the challenge of all challenges since I always related this as a holiday to get loose. This is a time every year old emotion and expectations flare up and beat me down a bit.

As I walked through the downtown area on Sat, there were a few spots where the homeless tend to gather and I noticed a few fights or just heated discussions going on, guess the alcoholic behaviors started early that day because of New Years.

I passed the Peachtree and Pine center and the sight was just crazy, even for me, it looked like a scene from a zombie movie. People everywhere but not going anywhere. I was also stopped and asked for change which I gave up my last .50 and told them I would pray for them.

Then on my way back I see these same old men that set up shop for the night by the bridge, with their covers and belongings all in order as they do this everyday.

I then notice a small group of homeless guys in a huddle and a few of them were drinking and yet they seemed happy and were laughing in spite of their situation.

I know most would rather stay outdoors or under bridges because they can come and go as they please, no lights out time, no checking for alcohol in their system, and not letting God be in control of their lives.
But as I was heading back to Clifton House, a sense of calm came back over me knowing that there will be a great meal waiting, after someone saying grace over the food and the servers so that it can nourish our bodies and spirits just one more night. Knowing that there is a time when the door gets locked so anyone just can’t come and go; causing craziness because of being drunk.

Being far from under a bridge knowing that God’s hand is over my whole situation allows me to get some good sleep, and I love sleep!

Author-Homeless But Not Hopeless

Being homeless this Christmas Eve will not be like any other one before, because Hope is what I need Santa to bring me. In the last few months of being in recovery from alcoholism, depression, and just plain self-pity.

I have been giving many opportunities to help someone else in ways that I have never before felt was important.

Being selfish turned out to be one of my main character defects, so helping someone else without expecting anything in return was totally new to me.

But yet everyday coming to waking up at Clifton, getting breakfast, lunch bag, a ride to the Marta as well as a ride back in the afternoon is very humbling to me.

Dinner prepared by Pete, and seeing all the different volunteers that show up every day to serve dinner, wash our clothes, and wear bright smiles at the same time is so crazy to see.

And it happens everyday

That was mind blowing all by itself.

Why, I used to ask myself.

And I don’t have any money to pay for any of these services so I know without a doubt that this is God doing for me what I couldn’t possibly do for myself.

So I don’t know nor is it meant for me to know how Clifton has been doing these great blessings for so many men for so many years.

I can only give credit to God and his plan because only God could move so many people’s spirit to give help to so many other homeless men, like me who never cared for or helped any one. Mainly because I didn’t know him like I am getting to know him now.

This has been the most humbling, confusing, loving, uncertain, greatest Christmas Eve in all my 44 years of living.

For me right now, “a lesson learned is a lesson earned.”

Author-Homeless But Not Hopeless

John & Cindy McConnell spend the night at Clifton each Christmas Eve so they assume their alternate personalities of Santa and Mrs. Claus. They are wonderful volunteers throughout the year, but we (and the guys!) appreciate their hospitality during Christmas.
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John and Cindy McConnell on Christmas Morning

The men of Clifton were showered this year with lots of gifts provided by our wonderful volunteers. The members of Oakhurst Presbyterian made gift boxes for each guest. The Mariner’s Sunday School class at Peachtree Presbyterian made their annual gift of a wonderful new pair of sneakers for each of the men. Then they are the many individuals who dropped off items needed to fill a gift bag for each of our guests. They are just too many of you to name.

Christmas Gift Bags

Speaking of the gift bags let’s not forget our own Alice who together with her husband Bob, Graylin and Mia Covington spent hour on Christmas Eve packing those bags for each guest. On Christmas morning our guests were served delicious breakfast of eggs, sausage, grits and biscuits prepared by our chef Peter.

Breakfast Christmas Moringing 2011

Being homeless in Atlanta or anywhere else for that matter is not easy but everyday gives me another chance to experience hope.

I could and have at times blamed my becoming homeless on everything other than my own choices that I made.

I am learning from my stay at Clifton Sanctuaries Ministry that it’s not how I react that will give me a better chance of a outcome, but rather how I respond.

The blessings that I am receiving from Clifton are all part of God’s plan, whatever he wants it to be.

I see other homeless people and shelters during my travels every day and none of them resemble what’s being offered at Clifton.

The other day, a man was on the Marta train going up and down the aisle asking for money to get something to eat cause he hasn’t ate in 3 days.

I don’t think anyone believed his story because most just looked the other way. It made me think how I used to act the same way and turn my nose up at homeless people.

Never could you have shown me that I too would be homeless one day.

Because of a lot of poor choices I made in life, I was always a couple of checks or business deals away from being without a home but always seemed to keep it going and crediting myself with a pat on my own back.

A fool and his money will soon be parted, or something like that.

Staying at Clifton Sanctuaries, in recovery from Alcoholism, and rebuilding myself from the inside out, seems to be becoming the best laid plan for me by God. Like Joseph being thrown in the well.

As they tell me, keep coming back, more will be revealed.

Author – Homeless But Not Hopeless

Leaving a treatment program on that sunny April day was the first time getting reconnected to the outside that included 11 days in detox and 28 days in an alcohol rehabilitation center.

My ego was bruised and deflated but the sun sure felt good on my face.

Uncertainty and fear for my sobriety that I didn’t care about for over 19 years was now at the top of my concerns, let alone where the Veteran Homeless programs would provide for me to stay.

Under a bridge or some of these come and go shelters in Atlanta was not an option if I wanted to turn my life and will over to God.

But my case worker got a call from Mrs. Gales saying that a bed was available for me which because God’s plan always seem way better than my best plan, it just so happen to be the day I was released from the treatment center.

God also sent me to Clifton Sanctuary that has spiritual programs, AA meetings, rules, structure, privacy, in a great neighborhood and great food.

Oh, did I mention great food.

The list could go on and on, but for this to be the first ever time of being homeless or checking in a shelter, Clifton Sanctuary completely busted my fear and perception of shelters and being homeless.

Being a real estate investor and home owner of many properties in the past, all of them lacked the feeling of caring, encouraging, and the presence of God.

Clifton Sanctuary would get five stars if there was a rating system for homeless shelters and in my opinion, there should be.

That’s just based on their ability to consistently provide a program that, cleans up, builds up, and lifts up the many misdirected men in the Atlanta area.

Stay tuned as we press on in this journey……

Author: Homeless but Not Hopeless.

• Underwear (briefs or boxers) – sizes Medium to 3XL
• T-shirts – sizes Medium to 3XL
• Thermal underwear tops & bottoms – sizes Medium to 3XL
• Black dress socks
• Dress slacks
• Belts – all sizes
• Button-down long-sleeve dress shirts
• Sweaters – pullovers, cardigans, vests
• Winter gloves, scarves and hats
• Bars of soap & travel box soap dishes
• Toothbrushes & toothpaste
• Razors
• Lotion & Lip Balm
• Deodorant
• Odor Eaters for shoes
• Shoe Polish
• Wallets
• MARTA Breeze card holders
• Umbrellas

If you prefer, you can make a financial contribution and Santa will do your shopping for you!!!

Please deliver gift bag donations by December 20th to
Clifton Sanctuary Ministries
369 Connecticut Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30307
Please contact Alice at 404-373-3253, ext. 1, for more information

The items collected will go to support the work of Clifton Sanctuary Ministries, Safe House Outreach Program and Retreat on the Street; three Atlanta based ministries that work with the people who are homeless.

On each Thursday in December (the 1st,8th, 15th & 22nd) these organizations will have representatives at information tables in the Food Court from 7:30 AM until 2:30 PM. If you are in the area be sure to stop by and learn more about each ministry. Also on the 22nd the Clifton Singers will make a special appearance at about 11:45 to Carol with all the mall goers. So be sure to drop by for some lively Christmas music.

We would like to the thank Parkway Realty Services, the management company for Peachtree Center for sponsoring and promoting “Dare to Care”.

Dare to Care Atlanta

Everyone is invited to join with the men of Clifton for thre special nights of Caroling on Wednesday, December 14th through Friday the 16th. We will meet at 7:30 each evening. Hot chocolate, apple cider, cookies and other refreshments will be served afterwards. No experience or talent is necessary; all are welcome. On Sunday, December 18th our guests will present their Annual Christmas Program at 3:00 PM. This is a very special look at the meaning of Christmas through the eyes of our guests. After the program everyone is invited to join with our guests for dinner.

Christmas Caroling
Wednesday, December 14th thru Friday, December16th
starting at 7:30pm

Annual Christmas Program
Sunday, December 18th at 3:00pm.