A Message from a Revolutionary...A Story of what the DRR is all about...

The Dirty Roots Revolution offers voice to our volunteers any time they want to share their stories and experiences of our weekly homeless outreach. Hannah Groves has been on many outreach trips and has built a relationship with a homeless man who is mute and cannot speak. After observing their last beautiful interaction, I asked Hannah if she would share her some of her experience with her friend and some of what it has taught her. -Ryan Mifflin

BY HANNAH GROVES

I have learned recently that the incarnation of Jesus should be our model of ministry. We shouldn't invite people to come where we are comfortable and they are not. Instead we should go... we should face discomfort in the knowledge of the glory of heaven that Jesus Christ left on our behalf. With this in mind I struggle through the time that I spend with my friend that I affectionately call Friend- Brother- Cousin. I don't feel like I do a very good job at being his friend, but its a process and I know that the Lord loves this man very much and I want him to know that love.

This is an entry from my journal the first day that I spent with friend-brother-cousin.

For the first time I feel like I am beginning to understand the gospel. Yesterday I went to ST. Louis with Dirty Roots. There was a man who was sitting alone so two of us walked over to him. I started to ask him questions, but he couldn't talk, he sorta hummed- obviously trying very hard to communicate with us. I almost left because how were we supposed to help a guy who couldn't talk to us? Honestly I was a little creeped out. The Lord gave courage and I asked (just to be sure) if he could talk to us. He hummed again and so I asked him if he would like us to go away. He forcefully shook his head no.

We told him a few things from our lives and then began to ask him questions... yes or no questions of course. We played a lot of guessing games. We eventually found that he didn't have family or friends around. At one poing I told him about grandma dying (she died this past semester) and how before she died it was really difficult to communicate to her, but that never stopped us from trying and those times became little victories and really special memories with grandma. I told him that although it was hard to communicate with him it was wonderful to try and I told him we weren't going to leave.

At that point he got out his incredibly worn Bible and came over and sat by me with his leg resting against mine. I almost pulled away - I mean he was a grown man and I'm a young girl, he is homeless, he is dirty - so I shouldn't touch him. But I felt that this man just needed to have another human's touch. I tried to imagine going even one week with no one touching me. That would be awful. So, I didn't pull away - thank you for your courage, God.

We read Psalms- he picked some, we picked some. One of the Psalms talked about God as the provider and the protector and I asked him, "Is it hard to read these words, it it hard to trust God when you read these words?" He shook his head no. What incredible faith and trust in God! He can't talk, he is homeless, he owns next to nothing, he doesn't have family or friends around and yet he trusts God, he knows that God is his provider, he knows that God loves him- incredible. Lord, may I be like this man.

One Psalm that we read ended like this, "the poor and homeless will not be forgotten." I told him that I would really like to know his name so I got out
y notebook and asked him to write it down- he didn't. I asked him if it started with an A, a B, a C... and so on through the whole alphabet. He shook his head no to all the letters except M and N. We decided to call him friend-brother-cousin.

Andie wonders if he hasn't been called by name in so long that perhaps he has forgotten his name. That would be so so sad. We read more together and then we sang a few songs. Before we left we prayed with him with our hands on his shoulders.

Our Homeless Friends Have Asked For Our Help

Revolutionaries:

I am writing this evening to ask you to consider attending tomorrow’s Citizen’s Committee For Justice meeting.

Due to work requirements, I will personally be unable to attend. However, the folks who have organized this meeting are many of the same folks that we see, know, serve, and visit with every Saturday in St. Louis. They have asked us personally to have a presence at their big day.

The meeting is being held TUESDAY, JANUARY 5TH at 1:30 p.m. in Room 306 of the Central Branch of the St. Louis Public Library, which is located in the heart of downtown St. Louis at 1301 Olive St. If you’ve been on our homeless outreach before, this is the same library in front of which we conduct our weekly care pack distribution.

I don’t know a great deal about this meeting. I know they’re anticipating several St. Louis city officials to be in attendance, and I know they intent to talk about maltreatments and social injustices suffered by the downtown homeless community. And I know there have indeed been maltreatments and injustices.

I am confident this will be a constructive meeting.

But, most of all…I am absolutely thrilled because this is a beautiful example of someone getting out there and DOING SOMETHING with the hopes of making a better world and a better tomorrow.

Will tomorrow’s meeting end homelessness or even make a dent in the injustices suffered by the “least of these”? No, I’m sure it will not.

But neither is us not going to do anything. We’re already not doing anything. If we keep that up, nothing will happen.

When we formed the Dirty Roots Revolution and started our Homeless Outreach, we made a lot of mistakes. We fumbled a lot. We made fools of ourselves a lot. And then we got better. We learned. We kept trying. We’re still learning and we’re still trying.

When people tell me they have a dream, I tell them to GO DO IT! It WILL be messy and you will make mistakes. Count on it. But if you’re already not doing something, isn’t fumbling your way through your best efforts better?

These people have unified. They’ve come together. They’re trying.
They’re DOING SOMETHING.

I wish I could be there. Unfortunately, I was very ill before the holidays and am in debt to the “sick day bank”. I simply cannot leave work.

But I am begging you to attend this meeting. Maybe it’ll go badly and you’ll wish you hadn’t made the drive. That’s certainly a possibility. But, maybe you’ll learn something. Maybe you’ll be inspired. Maybe, just maybe…you’ll be part of a historic occasion!

If you are off work…if you are a stay-at-home mom…if you are a student on break and are near St. Louis…if you are a college student and are out of class in time to get to this meeting, PLEASE GO.

Wear your Dirty Roots Revolution T-shirts and hoodies, so our homeless brothers and sisters know who you are and know that we turned out. But the day isn’t about us. It’s about THEM. It’s about their effort and what they’re doing to try and make a difference for themselves, their friends, their families…their community. if anyone asks you about the DRR and/or wants info, please direct them to me and/or our website and/or our Facebook page (www.DirtyRootsRevolution.com).

If you cannot attend this meeting, please at least keep the event and everyone in attendance (on both sides of the issue) in your thoughts and prayers around 1:30 p.m.

For planning purposes, I would not assume the meeting would last much more than an hour. However, I’m also sure if you needed to duck out at any given time, it would be perfectly fine. The Dirty Roots Revolution will NOT be providing any kind of a ride system to this event, unfortunately. Anyone interested in attending is responsible for their own transportation to St. Louis.

If you have any question, or need directions, feel free to email me at info@dirtyrootsrevolution.com. You can also call Jay W. who is an organizing member of the Citizen’s Committee For Justice at 314.750.6840.

IF YOU DO GO TO THIS MEETING, PLEASE CONTACT THE DIRTY ROOTS REVOLUTION AND LET US KNOW HOW THINGS WENT AND WHAT HAPPENED, ETC.

Thanks for your consideration,
Ryan Mifflin
Director
Dirty Roots Revolution

A Supporter's Experience

By DRR Supporter Cheralee Volken:

We were at Children's Hospital today for our kids ear appointments and as we left, in the cold drizzle stood a man in the median, a young man who couldn't have been more than 25 or 30 with a sign that read "Homeless with Wife & Kid, Willing to Work". There was more, but I couldn't read it.

As the light turned green and we were moving down the interstate my heart ached. This man was my age, likely with a child around the age of one of mine, and it is getting so cold and nasty out. It was all I could do to hold back my tears. I simply cannot imagine what this must be like.

I wanted so desperately to whip a U-turn and doing something to help him. What to do, I don't know, I had no cash on me and nothing in the vehicle that even resembled something that could be useful to a homeless family, but all the same my heart ached to do something for him.

All day this has been on my mind. In fact, I prayed for his family on more than one occasion today, but I can't help but feel like I should have/could have done more.

This just really hit me hard today and I struggled greatly with my response, or rather lack of response, in this situation.

I donate supplies, money, and time as I can, but I couldn't help but be disappointed in myself for not taking an active step.

So, I have decided that while I cannot change today, I will change tomorrow. I am going to make a few of my own packs to keep in the vehicles and I am going to commit to getting someone to keep my kids before the end of January so that I can go on a DRR Homeless Outreach day.

Please pray for this man and his family along with your other homeless friends.

The Dirty Roots Revolution Needs YOUR Help - Read on to see how you can make a difference!!!

Revolutionaries:

This is a lengthy message, but our needs are increasing. Please take a moment to review…

A COUPLE OF EXCITING NEWS BRIEFS:

#1 – Did you hear??? Bubbles, the three-year-old girl who stole everyone’s heart this summer, is not living on the streets anymore!!! Her mom has chosen to remain on the streets, but she has sent Bubbles to live with family. Please remember to pray for Mom – BUT PRAISE THE LORD FOR THIS NEWS ABOUT BUBBLES!!! Many prayers have been answered. Thanks to each of you for the love you poured into this situation, in so many ways.

#2 – THE OFFICIAL DIRTY ROOTS REVOLUTION WEBSITE IS NOW UP!!! A few portions of it are still “under construction”, but it’s up and running! Check it out: www.DirtyRootsRevolution.com. Be sure to share that web address with all of your friends and family – far and wide – and let them see what the DRR is all about and why you believe it in and support it!!!!

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First things first, many folks have been asking what we need right now. We have supplied as many coats as we are able to at this point. THANK YOU for your donations of coats and winter clothes, however we would ask that all coat donations at this point be taken to the local thrift shop, to BCMW, or the Pregnancy Support Center. Additionally, the DRR does NOT do any clothing distribution to the homeless folks we serve. They have those needs met at the homeless shelters in St. Louis. Again, please take clothing donations to the above-listed organizations.

We DO accept contributions of new socks (which are ALWAYS appreciated), new men’s and women’s underwear, and new men’s T-shirts. ALL SIZES L & XL

We’re currently running short on the following items and are in urgent need of them:

TOILETRIES (always travel sized, please):

*Toothbrushes (but NO toothpaste)
*Shampoo
*Deodorant (men’s & women’s)
*Antibacterial wet wipes OR hand sanitizer
*Shaving cream AND razors
*Toilet paper (travel sized packs – NOT rolls – we have learned that the homeless shelters do NOT provide toilet paper in their restrooms)
*Soap (full sized bars OR travel size body wash)
*Lotion
*Feminine hygiene products
*Chap Stick
*Q-tips (travel size ONLY)

FOOD

*Tuna or chicken (foil packs)
*Peanut butter crackers
*Beef jerky
*Tuna/chicken salad cracker packs
*Cookies
*Raisins
*Nuts

OTHER NEEDS

*Our homeless friends also always ask for durable tote bags they can use to carry their belongings in.

***Financial contributions are also accepted, to help offset the expense of these items.

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We are looking to streamline some of our distribution processes.

In the summer, we take cold drinks to give to our homeless friends (they have access to water, but nothing else…juice, Gatorade, etc. is a REAL treat for them).

Now that it’s cold, we’d like to share hot drinks with them, too (coffee and hot cocoa). We’ve done this on a small scale, with carafes and thermoses, but this is impractical.

We would like to purchase two large, insulated containers that we can use in the summer AND winter to keep drinks hot/cold. If anyone would like to contribute one of these, please contact Ryan Mifflin at info@dirtyrootsrevolution.com or 618.267.5436.

***Financial contributions are also accepted, to help offset the expense of these items.

*Additionally, we will be in need of bulk cocoa and coffee (NOT individual packets) and paper cups.

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And, finally…One of the main goals of the Dirty Roots Revolution for 2010 is to convert the garage at the home of Ryan & Amber Mifflin into the official DRR headquarters. This is going to involve us clearing, rearranging, and organizing the garage. We are going to need the following for this project:

**MANPOWER

**DONATIONS OF CONTAINERS (PREFERABLY DURABLE, RUBBERMAID-STYLE CONTAINERS)

**FOLKS WHO KNOW ABOUT CONSTRUCTION (TO PUT UP PANELING AND BUILD SHELVES)

Please stay tuned for more information on this project, after the start of the New Year.

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Finally, we will be holding a fun event for everyone involved in the DRR soon after the New Year to commemorate our 6-month anniversary and the completion of a calendar year and to announce some of what’s coming up in 2010 for the Dirty Roots Revolution - including more local projects, to change the world right here at home!!!

***Don't forget - one of the easiest ways to support our cause is the CHANGE the World program! You can donate the loose change you have sitting around, unattended, in a jar. You're already not using it, so you won't "feel" the donation...other than in your heart. And just like all of our little efforts add up to something large, all of these donations of change add up to something huge!!! Contact us to arrange pick-up/delivery: info@dirtyrootsrevoltuion.com or 618.267.5436

THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN OUR CAUSE!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THIS REVOLUTION!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR WORK – IN ALL WAYS…PRAYER, FINANCIAL, PHYSICAL, ETC.

EACH OF YOU ARE TRULY INVOLVED IN CHANGING OUR WORLD – ONE DAY AT A TIME, FOR ONE PERSON AT A TIME

THE DIRTY ROOTS REVOLUTION IS POWERED BY THE GENEROSITY OF OUR COMMUNITY!!!!!!

A Tale of Some Socks...

I gave my socks to a homeless woman Saturday.

I don’t say that for any kind of glory.

Quite in fact, it wasn’t my idea…

You’ve heard me say that each of us have our “favorite person” that we deal with regularly on our weekly Homeless Outreach. My wife’s “person” is a lovely Haitian woman named Marie.

This past Saturday, Marie was wearing backless shoes with no socks. And it was COOOOOLD.

Amber, my wife, pulled me aside, and said “Marie is asking for socks…”. I told her that most of our friends were, but we didn’t have any to distribute that week. “No, Ryan…Marie’s not WEARING any socks! Should I give her mine?”

I told Amber to keep her socks on…I’d give her mine. I have a MUCH higher tolerance for cold than Amber does.

I had relatively new, thick tennis shoes on my feet. I was concerned my feet would sweat. In fact, I knew they would. I’m just a sweater. The last time I wore tennis shoes and no socks for any length of time, the shoes wreaked and were irreparable. I was concerned this would happen this time.

Marie HAD NO SOCKS ON HER FEET and I was concerned that my semi-new shoes (which are accompanied by probably 3-4 other pairs of shoes in my closet) would smell bad.

What a jerk.

I spent another hour to hour-and-a-half on our Homeless Outreach, and as Amber and I and our daughter got in the car, my first thought was to head somewhere that I could get a new pair of socks.

Now…let me state…

I’m not in favor of suffering for the sake of suffering. I know people who won’t take Tylenol when they have a headache, for no reason other than that there are some people on the earth who lack access to such medicine. With all due respect to folks of that disposition, I think that’s silly.

We shouldn’t be excessive or wasteful, but if we do have means and resources, then we should use them. Wisely, of course, but we should use them.

So…we happened to be heading in the direction of several department stores and we had the finances to purchase new socks. The plan was to purchase a package. One pair for me…the other seven (or so) in the package would go toward the Homeless Outreach next week.

My point is, I don’t feel that I was wrong for getting new socks.

My point is that I was wrong for how I FELT prior to getting those socks. How urgently I WANTED to get new socks.

As I said, Marie had no socks on her feet. In the past, Marie had socks on. Quite in fact, we’ve given her socks. So, the socks she had were either stolen or given away by her to someone she felt was more deserving (we’ve seen both happen many times in the time we’ve been visiting our brothers and sisters on the streets of St. Louis).

Either way…I have no way of knowing how long Marie had been going with no socks. In backless shoes. In VERY COLD weather.

I had no socks on for an hour and couldn’t wait to run to the nearest store and buy new ones.

You get what I’m saying…

OUR HOMELESS BROTHERS & SISTERS NEED YOUR HELP

Revolutionaries!!!

In case ya'll hadn't already noticed, IT'S COLD!!!

This winter marks the first time we've done our Homeless Outreach on any kind of consistent basis, so it's already been a learning process and will continue to be so, we're quite sure.

People have asked all fall if we're going to continue traveling to STL weekly to visit our homeless brothers and sisters through the winter. The answer is a definite YES!!! We're sure the Homeless Outreach will look different over the next couple of months than it has over the summer and fall (we may not spend much time playing guitars and singing together in the park in January!), but we'll still do it.

Our homeless brothers and sisters are out in the elements all day. Many of them can't get into shelters - even during winter months. Sometimes, they get a brief respite from the cold by stepping into public buildings such as the library, but for the most part, they are out in the cold.

Last week, we were blessed with a large donation of new and gently used blankets. We distributed a few hundred of them to our brothers and sisters who were exceptionally grateful.

This week, we would like to bless our friends with gifts of socks, gloves, hats, and long underwear. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE ANY OF THESE ITEMS TO THIS CAUSE, OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GIVE FINANCIALLY, SO WE CAN PURCHASE THEM, READ ON:

Donations should be dropped off at my house - 615 East Oak St. in Greenville. We need to have these donations in-hand BY 5 p.m. this Thursday, December 10th.

If you would like more info, just respond to this email, contact me via Facebook, or call me at 618-267-5436.

Please know, we fully realize this is short notice. We apologize for this, but we have just now been able to have all our ducks in a row to make this happen for this weekend. The population we serve - our brothers and sisters on the streets of St. Louis live an unplanned, unscheduled, and unstable existence. We've discovered that sometimes our efforts to meet some of their immediate needs also unfold in the same ways.

GOD'S BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!!! A SINCERE THANK YOU - EACH AND EVERY ONE - FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE DIRTY ROOTS REVOLUTION!!!

-Ryan Mifflin
Founder/Director
Dirty Roots Revolution

Homeless Outreach: A Volunteer's Perspective

BY ANDIE KINCAID, DRR VOLUNTEER...FOLLOWING THE NOVEMBER 14TH HOMELESS OUTREACH

Saturday was, for me, the best yet. I feel like I'm getting more and more comfortable every week. After talking to Jay when we'd first arrived this week, I made the personal resolution that it would be better to offend someone by saying something ignorant in my conversation with them then insult them by not attempting to talk to them at all and, thus, ignoring them. After that, I had the opportunity to talk with three different people.

- Nacy, 23 from Mississippi who has a 2 year daughter Jeanay who lives with her grandma. She was sitting behind us on the bench with the pink winnie the pooh jacket. I've seen her before, but I can't wait until next week to go back and remember her name and ask about her daughter.

- I also spent a long time speaking with Colleen. I think she was the woman that Jen Manhart said she'd been speaking with. It was a blessing to play with her precious children who were very much just typical kids who happen to not have a home.

- And thirdly was a man who couldn't speak or respond to us. We decided to call him brother, which he nodded to in approval. He had the coolest bible that I've ever had the privilege of holding and reading from; well warn from travel and study, water warped pages and crinkled covers, but you could just tell it was a dearly cherished possession. We read him scripture that he pointed to, several which were about God providing for/protecting the poor, homeless, and rejected. It was so powerful, a conversation a won't ever forget. He was so desperate for someone to just talk with him, and be close to him...