Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64“E verybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die!” declared for- mer Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chrétien. When we lose people in the rescue world, particularly our guests, the reality of the service we provide each day hits home. We do our best with each person the Lord brings through our doors. But many are snatched from this life all too soon. So what is the neighborly response? Here are a few things you can do to make a community impact when one of your guests passes away: • Offer a location for a memorial service or reception. • Offer for one of your chaplains to do the funeral. • Encourage staff and clients to attend. • Invite your volunteers and donors via social media to attend. • Send a personal card to the family. Consider holding a time in your regular chapel service to say a few words to those in attendance, and even allow- ing others to share. Use the opportunity to present the gospel and why the hope of heaven can get us through a difficult life here on earth. Benjamin Franklin said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” For our guests, even the “taxes” part is iffy! But death is inevitable, and allowing people to die alone or without some- one acknowledging their existence, is to miss a great opportunity for service. By participating, we are making a difference: • We foster a sense of community. • We have a chance to show love. • We have the perfect occasion to share the gospel through the realities of heaven. • We connect with families in crisis. • We teach our clients that we value them and life is precious. One of the most difficult losses in this world is the loss of life. Even with the assurance of salvation, death can wreak an emotional toll on those who mourn. We should be aware of this and encourage people to process a loss. One of the biggest takeaways on our staff teams after a death has been the urgency of the call. Yes, we feed, clothe, and shelter people. Yet serving the daily physical needs of our guests often usurps our number one priority— the gospel. But death that can bring us back to the main point. It’s death that has us searching for meaning, and it’s death that gives a perfect stepping stone to speak about the love of Christ and how He will accept us as one of His own. Ĩ 50 WWW.AGRM.ORG JULY/AUGUST 2016 DAY-TO-DAY ACROSS THE STREET Michelle Porter Even in Death Serving your community when a guest passes away Michelle is the founder of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she currently resides. Contact her at mporter.rescue@gmail.com.