Routines That Matter

Most of us go about our daily lives carrying out a series of tasks that we don’t think much about. Wake up, brush teeth, get dressed, have breakfast, get our kids to school, go to work, pay bills, prepare food, take out the garbage, mow the lawn, go to an appointment, go grocery shopping, have lunch with a friend, etc. We have become used to managing our lives and schedules, keeping a job, maintaining relationships, and taking care of our most basic needs. For men and women who are dealing with being homeless, it has been, for most of them, a challenge to carry out the most basic tasks for themselves. They have been operating from a place of survival that is so different from everyone else in society.  Survival doesn’t leave room for pursuing and keeping meaningful relationships, higher education, tending the garden, job training, personal growth, or even proper hygiene. Many of these people have not been taking good care of themselves. They don’t remember what it’s like to wake up in the morning and have a functioning life. They have become used to operating within a constant state of chaos.

This is something I have come to understand about the population we serve here at the Gospel Rescue Mission. When someone comes to check in, they are often so out of practice at living within a healthy framework that it takes some time to adjust. Our Pathway to Independence program is designed to meet our residents where they are, from the moment they walk in our doors. The first 30-days are designed to reinstate a healthy foundation for being self-sufficient. Along with abstaining from nicotine, drugs and alcohol, residents are required to wake up early to prepare them for having a job one day. They must keep their space clean and organized. They must bathe and perform household chores. They are given hot meals at regular intervals. Perhaps most importantly, they are required to attend chapel twice a day and go to church on Sunday. We know that a key component of sustainable, independent healthy living is being connected within a church body, growing spiritually, and learning how to have a relationship with God.

As residents progress through our program, they once again become familiar with caring for themselves, following routines and looking forward to creating a better life. For someone who has only been focused on surviving for so long, that is a huge step forward. Our lives consist of many small routines that to most of us, feel repetitive and mundane. To someone coming off the streets, they are life-giving.

By Laura Smithwick, Executive Assistant