Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah and John Snow.
Deborah andJohn, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always had an interest in the homeless, been curious about their lives, wondering how they got there and how they survive. I’ve always hurt for them but was often afraid of them. I wondered if my dollar would be used for drinks or drugs so I rarely gave money and was often skeptical, but still, my heart hurt for them.
I work in Brockton, MA and I’d daily pass the same people living out of trash bags or grocery carts, huddled in doorways sleeping. My heart would break but I didn’t know how to help. God had plans for me, He kept tugging at my heart nudging me to listen to Him.
For 2 years I’d wrestled with God, waiting to find someone else doing ministry that I could tag along with. I didn’t feel qualified to do this work, didn’t feel qualified to lead others and didn’t feel I could afford to do it. I finally gave in. So in December of 2010, my husband (under duress) and I took a team of 5 people to serve the homeless in Brockton. God prompted me to make enough food for 20 people so I made baked potatoes. We packed up toiletries, clothes, blankets, and coffee and headed out. I was humbled as we drove around the city trying to decide how to ask someone if they were cold or hungry – we wondered if they’d be offended or grateful. No one was offended.
That day we served many who were drunk and high, but many were people like us – they’d had jobs, homes, and families that they’d lost for different reasons. They’d had dreams that had been shattered. That day we were humbled. We’d prepared 20 of everything, but we fed 25. We were blessed to experience the miraculous provision of God.
From that point on every month, we would pack homemade hot meals, toiletries, clothes, drinks, bedding and hit the streets. We’d go into tent cities, right in the heart of Brockton, and love on those we met. We have always offered choices since they rarely get them, we always ask their names since most people don’t really care to know them, we always offer a warm handshake or hug since healthy human contact is a rarity in their worlds. We offer prayer and conversation. We started out thinking we were simply feeding the hungry but over time we’ve learned that the food was just the vehicle for developing relationships.
This population has gotten used to being considered part of the scenery, invisible. We try to bring love, compassion, and humanity. They’re used to being shunned, ignored and hopeless. We try to share the love of Jesus in simple ways – a look in the eye, a gentle touch, an ear to listen and a smile. We always promised to come back each month and we’ve held to that promise. Since December of 2010, we’ve only missed one month despite injury and illness among our teams.
In 2012 we launched to serving in Attleboro and in 2016 we launched into Taunton. We have trained volunteer team leaders to serve in all 3 cities, and are now serving 300-400 people monthly collectively. We have over 200 volunteers from 10 communities that help with collecting and sorting clothing, cooking meals, packing supplies and serving. We are proud that 100% of all outside monetary contributions go directly to serving the homeless population that we serve. We are blessed to have a relationship with a local professional football team, 8 local churches and the support of city officials.
What does all this mean? We want to raise awareness, to help people understand the struggles the homeless face every day. We want to help them realize that we have no right to judge, that this population is not an unfortunate part of the landscape. They have hopes and dreams, names and emotions. They are someone’s child or spouse or sibling. We want people to believe they can impact the world for good. We never know the effect one act of kindness can have. We want those we serve to know that they still matter and that someone cares, we want to break down the barriers that separate God’s children from each other.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Our journey has been long, difficult, challenging. We have loved our homeless friends – those riddled with addiction and mental health problems – deeply. We’ve committed our lives to loving them as they are with all their challenges. We’ve shared a great joy in seeing them succeed only to see them fall time and time again.
We’ve lost so many to death through exposure to the elements, to overdose, to health decline due to years of addiction and abuse. We’ve welcomed them into our home and into our families, into our church life and personal lives. It is painful to see them move out of addiction and find homes and jobs only to succumb to relapse when the loneliness and isolation of leaving their old friends behind (and not yet establishing new healthy relationships) becomes too great.
Another challenge for us is that because the ministry is based 20 miles outside of the cities we serve we can’t interact with them every day. Helping them establish those healthy relationships and belong to a new community, is something we’ve struggled with. We have found it difficult helping them find local faith communities to welcome them and mentor them.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about LYNN Ministries – what should we know?
LYNN Ministries is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization which focuses on serving the homeless and at-risk populations of southeastern Massachusetts. We are a Christian organization which does street ministry in the cities of Brockton, Attleboro and Taunton and the surrounding areas.
We hit the streets to provide hot meals, clothing, bedding, toiletries – items of necessity – but more importantly, we bring prayer, love, and community to a lost and isolated people. We meet them where they are, we love them as they come. We are known for going to the people, not having them come to us – being present with them in their circumstances – and for giving those who serve with us the opportunity to see the “invisible people of the streets” in a new way.
The number one thing we are known for is bringing joy and a sense of community to those we serve.
We are unique in that we offer normal, everyday services that others take for granted to those who can’t afford them, such as haircuts and makeovers (with professional photos that they can share with loved ones), weddings, baptisms, and funerals. We share in their joys, we share in their pain. Additionally, we are unique in that we serve on the streets in all weather. Every month regardless of rain, snow storms, blistering heat or freezing temperatures we are on the streets because our “friends” are on the streets.
We are most proud of the barriers that we’ve broken down – seeing those we serve and those that serve on our teams develop true friendships, bridging the gaps across socioeconomic divides, and seeing how our multi-generational team members change the way they look at the underprivileged of our piece of the world.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
We believe that our faith is the most crucial part of our success. Faith that God can change people, change their hearts and change their circumstances. We believe in the power of prayer, we believe in compassion and humility that comes with the love of Jesus. We believe in consistency and in the willingness to be active parts of the lives of those we serve.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2 Allens Way Foxboro, MA 02035
- Website: www.lynnministries.org
- Phone: (508)353-7842
- Email: debbie.snow@lynnministries.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LYNN-Ministries-Inc-274877749195433/
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