sharing space with homeless shelter??

[Lone-Scout 10]

Didn't I already mention....not in a million years...

[Crossramwedge 10]

A church has a mandate from God to minister to people. This church has decided to minister to homeless men by providing them a place to stay. They are doing God's work.

 

Lone Scout is the father of his kids and has a mandate from his Creator to protect them. He stated that in no way would he let his kids be subjected to the circumstances surrounding This GS Troop on a regular basis. Thats his decision and it needs to be respected.

 

There are to many down sides to this situation on the Girls part. All it takes is ONE incident and a girls life is ruined or worse over. Lone Star is not willing to take that chance with his daughter. Even the best screening sometimes does not work. Look at the situation last week with the "underwear bomber".

 

My wife is pretty lenient in these areas, but even she said that to many things could happen, not worth the risk of subjecting our daughter to an enviroment such as this on a regular basis.

[HobcawChaos 10]

As a leader of young Cadette girls (mostly sixth graders aka 12 year olds), I'd be looking for another meeting location. This age girl is just tasting her freedom. They wander around. Even if you're sending buddies to the bathroom...same floor? different floor? locked doors? Who else is meeting in the space when the GS troop is there? I'm not the paranoid type so I'd actually worry about getting complacent. Like someone said it only takes one incident. Empty churches can get kid of cavernous and dark.

 

If the space that the BS troop uses across the street is available at the meeting day and time, that would be my first choice. It's close and stays with the church but provides physical distance.

[WAKWIB 107]

John-in-KC asks "Anyone have insights on how the Baptists, with their AWANA organization or Royal Rangers, handle youth working with social ministries these days?"

 

I can answer in part. Our Baptist church has a group go to City Union Mission (John will know where that is at) and serve a meal once a month. It's an inner city mission. Our ministry group is a mix of adults and teens of both genders. Often we have up to 10 teens with us. Whether there is a specific mandate/requirement in our AWANA club for service, I don't know. Most of the kids that serve at the mission are in AWANA. There definately is a specific mandate in Scripture to serve the less fortunate, so that would trump AWANA anyway.

 

Nearly all of the men I see at this facility, both the transients, and the ones going through "the program" don't generally fall into the stereotyped category of stumble-bum drunks or addicts. Many have fallen on hard-times through lay-off, messy divorce, health issues etc. Many of them take the time to thank the kids for their service.

 

In the case of this particular facility, I would have no problem at all taking Boy or Girl Scouts there to work. As long as you had at least two-deep leadership, and stayed only in the part of the shelter where you are allowed.

 

Now, this is a very well established and very secure facility in the inner-city, so they have had a lot of practice in their field, and it may not relate on all points to the situation described in the original post.

 

Some of the comments posted sort of tick me off in that they seem to go way beyond concern for scout safety and paint the homeless as sub-human. Remember, you may need a hand of friendship and warmth someday!

 

I have a little joke with a friend of mine about my service at the mission. I tell him I'm putting in my "sweat-equity" cause in tough times like this, it wouldn't take much for me to find myself in need of the mission's help.

 

[Crossramwedge 10]

Some people are not willing to take the chance with their kids in a situation like this. We to as a troop have gone and helped feed and cared for the homeless . But this is a completely different scenerio. Week in and week out week there is a possibility for a tradgedy (that is avoidable) to take place. Lone Star and others prefer that their daughter not be a part of that tradgedy. If a person wants to shelter their kids in this matter then its their business.

 

I personally believe that the BSA troop should switch meeting places ( if Possible) with the GS Troop and solve some of these problems to a certian extent. That would be the Scout like thing to do. Just my two cents.

 

 

[Flyingfish 10]

Thanks for all the input. It is not an easy decision when you are entrusted with the safety of someoneelse's children.

 

Based on your comments, here is some additional information.

 

1. The leaders are meeting with the pastor and then the pastor, leaders and parents are meeting to discuss and decide what to do.

 

2. The leaders have gone to the GS Council. They say, "Are we living the GS Law?" No Committment. Safety-wise is vague.

 

3. The space is "temporary" Even a 9-year old asked what do these men do after it closes. What if they are confused and come back?

 

4. They have 30+ girls there each week... from Daisies to Cadets. (Usually at least two adults per group.)

 

5. The local mental health agency is working on this project. I don't think these are college-educated, recently divorced men.

 

The scouts do recognize this is a new ministry for the church. One person we spoke with is in a larger city - in another state. She said their church has grown to understand that you have to a HEART for the homeless to be involved in this ministry. The church has to have a HEART and so do the people that decide to come to that church. You cannot be critical of people that do not have a HEART for the homeless. They may have a HEART for somethingelse.

 

One question that has been asked is this... If the shelter was there first, would the church even been considered as a viable meeting space? Would the discussions be the same?

 

 

 

[Basementdweller 608]

I find it really alarming that it is being managed by a mental health agency, that sends a huge warning up. At least to me, are these men on meds to help regulate their moods. Who manages the meds?

 

If the homeless shelter was there first????

 

Depends

 

You could evaluate the residents and how it is run. Are the men just hanging around outside, is it clean, well kept and staffed. You could speak with the residents and make a determination of the type of clients.

 

With that said it is then you choice to meet there or not.

[Lisabob 13]

There are certainly a lot of questions to be asked here, but I do not think the involvement of a mental health agency is a guaranteed problem. It is not uncommon for mental health agencies to be involved in the provision of service at shelters. The better questions are, who are these men, and also how will the shelter be run and managed? Those are not things we on a discussion forum can know about your local community.

 

Good luck with your decisions.

 

 

[Flyingfish 10]

UPDATE: Right after the troop decided to try it for one week, the girl scout council stepped in and said "NO"

 

The troop would not be allowed to have any meetings on the grounds as long as the shelter was there.

 

The end result was mad leaders, parents and church.

 

While I was happy with the coucil decision, they could have made a decision earlier that would have saved the troop leaders a lot of heartaches.

 

The troop will be returning to the church after the shelter closes.

[Engineer61 19]

Overall, the GS Council is probably correct in their decision.

 

I would not have permitted my Scout (boy or girl) to continue in the scenario that was described.

 

The issue is not what the Church controls/tests/maintains within the walls, but what the environment outside the walls degrades to.

 

 

[ScoutNut 147]

Since the council owns the Troop, it was their decision to make. To bad it took the council so long to make it's decision.

 

Hopefully your Troop has found an alternate meeting location.