What Is A Rescue Mission?
By Hannah Rodgers
As we celebrate 75 years of service to the Lord, we are amazed at all the Lord has accomplished. At the very beginning of our Ministry most, if not all, of the people looking for services were men suffering with alcohol addiction. Now the Lord calls men and women to the Mission with a myriad of struggles and we are blessed to be a part of their journey. Here is a poem that speaks to Haven of Rest and what it was like at the beginning. This poem, written by Mary E. Paul, was published in 1964 in our newsletter, which was then called the ‘Haven of Rest Bulletin.’
What is a Rescue Mission?
It is a haven where storm-tossed sailors
Who have lost their way in life’s sea,
May enter a port of safety
And anchor fast at the quay.
It is a fold where a loving shepherd
Leads the sheep that have gone astray,
And pours on the oil of kindness
As he brings them back the Lord’s way.
It is the place where the drunken beggar,
May cast off his rags, so mean,
And be washed in body and spirit,
Be clothed and every whit clean.
The first mission man was Christ Jesus
Who went to preach to the poor,
And proclaimed the glad tidings of mercy,
And opened to all Heaven’s door.
For the heart of our dear loving Saviour
Was touched by suffering mankind,
And He sought out the lost, the sinful,
The sick, the discouraged, and blind.
What is a Rescue Mission?
It is a church that has gone to work
In the high ways and byways and hedges,
Where the boats of the devil lurk.
It is the church that is seeking the sinner,
Downtown in the crowded streets,
And day and night without ceasing,
The story of mercy repeats.
God’s mercy has indeed repeated every day as we serve Him at Haven of Rest. Please keep the Mission in prayer as we continue to serve those He calls to our doors.
