Every year, our church has a booth at the Popcorn Festival here in Valparaiso. We sell hot dogs, brats, and cold water and pop (or “soda” if you’re my wife). It’s always a lot of fun, and we raise lots of money for really good causes. Last year we were able to give $100 to ShareFest and $600 or $700 to the men’s overnight shelter.

Still… it makes for a reaaaaalllllly long day! I’ve spent half of today preparing for it, and in a few short hours I’ll be getting up again to start loading the truck… then going to the church to pick up more stuff… then going to the booth site to unload it all… then running back out for a second load… and then finally settling in for my 11-hour shift at the booth, outdoors, in 80 degree weather — which should be great for selling ice-cold water and pop! My day will begin around 4:00 am and end around 9:00 pm.

Fortunately, I won’t be working the booth alone. Over a dozen volunteers will be stopping in to work their shifts and make things happen. That’s half the fun: getting to spend time with these guys & gals. The other half of the fun is interacting with the crowds. I get to play like I’m a carnival barker, shouting “Get your ice cold water here! Only one dollar! Ice cold Pepsi! One dollar!” And I get to have the occasional conversation with someone who asks, “So what are you guys doing this for?” And I get to invite lots and lots of people to our church’s Grand Opening Celebration that’s coming up on Sunday, Sept. 20. (You’re invited, too!)

But right now, it’s late. I need to hit the sack so I can get up in 4 hours and start my day. Maybe I’ll see you at the Popcorn Fest!

Many of you probably know (or maybe not) that over the winter a coalition of churches in Valparaiso worked together to provide overnight shelter and three meals a day for homeless men.  At some point in the next few days, I’ll write more about that.

What you might not know is that during that time a group of Christian business men (all from Valparaiso Mennonite Church, I think) decided to do more.  They realized that many of these guys really have no place to go during the day and that they need help if they are ever going to find jobs and escape the cycle of poverty and homelessness.  So they created the not-for-profit New Creation Men’s Business Advocates, Inc. to provide some of that help at the New Creation Men’s Center.

I’m not an official spokesman or anything, but I do volunteer there once a week, doing a quick Bible study and prayer with the guys on Monday mornings.  Also, some folks from our church are going to bring in a couple meals a month during the summer.  Together with a bunch of other folks, we’re hoping to provide one meal a day for the guys to supplement their food stamps or whatever.

Right now, New Creation Men’s Center is open Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm.  They provide a lot of services for men who find themselves without a home:

• a shower
• a laundry room
• a workout room
• a computer lab with internet access
• a place to receive mail and phone calls
• storage lockers
• case management, to help them set goals, find resources, and take steps out of homelessness

In addition to these, New Creation provides a place for the men to meet with people like counselors, nurses, and pastors, who come to the center on a regular schedule and by appointment.

New Creation is also providing some work opportunities for the men, to provide short-term income as well as building some job skills and experience.  They can provide day labor for a variety of tasks (contact them to see if the work you need done fits their capabilities).  And soon they will be opening a second-hand store for large items like furniture and appliances.

You can contact New Creation at (219) 548-3548 or by emailing their executive director, Tom Isakson, at tomi@ncbai.org.  If you have time, resources, or ideas to contribute, this is a good cause and a good team worthy of your support.