Thank You for Keeping Me….a Tribute to Mothers
We never know for sure how today’s actions will influence tomorrow. Sometimes it’s not until years later that the impacts of our decisions are fully understood… Over the years I have had numerous opportunities to speak to students ranging from elementary school to college. Many times I have been approached afterwards by a student expressing…read the rest
Leaving a Legacy: Leonard Johnson (1925-2013)
It hasn’t been long since the Topeka Rescue Mission said goodbye to a longtime servant, friend and Board member of 54 years. Leonard Johnson passed from this world into eternity on February 14th, a day that was filled with much sorrow for those left behind but also much rejoicing in the knowledge of a life…read the rest
Tamara
Tamara came to the Topeka Rescue Mission with her mom and sister as a small child. Though the reasons behind their stay are still unclear, she knew her mom was having difficulty raising her children on her own and making ends meet. While she doesn’t have a lot of memories of her stay, she does…read the rest
A Former Guest Reflects
Dear Rescue Mission, I lived in the Topeka Rescue Mission for about six months when I was a little girl, probably six or seven years old. That would have been about 20 years ago. What I remember about my experience is not much. I do remember happy, cheerful people that smiled a lot. There was…read the rest
A Personal Encounter with a Hungry Child
Studies show that over half (52%) of Shawnee County students qualify to receive free and reduced lunches. For some, the meals served at their school are the only ones they receive… One morning, while preparing to leave for work, a Mission staff member spotted a young boy in obvious distress. Mark walked down the driveway…read the rest
A Mission Love Story
A Love Story Tim and Peggy came separately into the Mission when they were in their fifties. Both had spent the majority of their lives feeling unworthy and unloved. There was nothing impressive about Tim. He had a slender build but the rest of his appearance was far from ordinary. His tattered clothes always sagged,…read the rest
The Face of Homelessness
Childhood Poverty Increasing in Shawnee County Childhood poverty is at an all-time high, both nationally and in the state of Kansas. Out of the 105 counties in our state, Topeka/Shawnee County is ranked at 96, with 1 being the least severe and lowest rate of childhood poverty. Sadly, leading experts from around the country are…read the rest
The Best Christmas!!!!
The parsonage my wife and I lived in during Christmas 1980 was cold and drafty. It was also located in a rough, impoverished and crime ridden area of Kansas City where we knew no one. In all of our lives, I’m not sure we had ever felt so alone. We had little income, no food,…read the rest
From our Family to Yours
Each year, hundreds of individuals call the Topeka Rescue Mission “home” during the Christmas season. As a staff, we do everything we can to try and make the season special. While we cannot solve everyone’s problems, we hope to always give each one the gift of love, joy, peace, and the recognition of the reason…read the rest
Beauty and the Beast
I first met Bobby and Sue on Thanksgiving Day-my first at the Mission. I had no idea what this day was supposed to look like but I did know that we had no money for any extras. A turkey to feed the 30-some guests we were anticipating had been donated and I asked the guys…read the rest
Breaking the Mold: Working Together
Five years ago, I received a special invitation to meet with some well-intentioned leaders of our city. When I arrived, they were quick to the point. New developments for potential redevelopment of the North Topeka area were being explored. Sadly, a homeless shelter centered in the middle was not part of the blueprint. To them,…read the rest
Where Can I Be Safe
The summer of 1986 was a hot one, but not as extreme as the temperatures that we have faced this year. It was my first summer at the Mission and I could never imagine someone in need passing up the comforts of shelter and air conditioning. I had just walked out of the old Mission…read the rest
Saving Lives … A Letter from Jordan
My name is Jordan and I lived at the mission for about three months. I ended up at the mission by choice, a decision most 18 year old girls would not condone. But my mother was living there, and I wanted to be close to her. So I packed up all of my personal…read the rest
A Reason to Smile! A Letter From Shelia
I am a guest at the Topeka Rescue Mission Hope Center. My name is Sheila. On the weekends I have custody of my granddaughter, who stays with me at the Hope Center. This has been one experience I shall not forget. What led me to be here is that I was trying to take care…read the rest
Walking by Faith
Twenty-five years ago I learned a huge lesson in how to walk by faith in spite of what the circumstances seemed. Today, as needs continue to increase and resources dwindle, I hold fast upon what it was that I learned so many years ago… When a local hospital was preparing to close, a call was…read the rest
How We Got Here
I heard the following story in 1986 while attending my first Director’s Meeting through the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions (AGRM). The current president relayed it to us in attempts to share the foundation of the AGRM and who the man was that was responsible for the shelter ministry consisting currently of near 300 Rescue…read the rest
Soldiers of Compassion – Walking into the Trenches of Despair
While visiting with one of our elected officials, I was recently asked the question, “With all of the people you are seeing who are coming to the Topeka Rescue Mission as well as those you are finding who are un-sheltered and living outdoors, are you surprised?” Honestly, I was more surprised that he actually asked…read the rest
Motivated by Love…A Mother’s Journey
Jennifer showed up at the Topeka Rescue Mission’s Hope Center late one Friday evening. She was accompanied by her two young sons and was pregnant with her third. More than hopelessness and despair, this young mother was filled with anger. She was appalled at the idea of staying at a homeless shelter and resented the…read the rest
Is there really hope?
When going through difficult times, we often hear the familiar words – there’s always hope. When we look at the lives of those suffering around us, do we believe it? Is there really hope in the situations that seem impossible? In the lives that seem so lost? For me, it was a man named Johnny…read the rest
There is Really Hope
I am convinced that no child ever says, “I want to be a drug addict when I grow up,” or “when I get older I hope to fail at everything I do.” Many people like Johnny have had challenges and tragedies in their lives that have contributed to some of the poor decisions that they…read the rest
Looking Back…Against All Odds: A Journey of Faith
Over the course of the next several months, we will be sharing about Operation NET-Reach and the progress in developing a new intake facility, which will provide shelter for approximately 180 additional men, women and children. Because such an endeavor is a huge undertaking, it is tempting to question and wonder how such a vision…read the rest
The Toy
Nearly 20 years ago, I spent a lot of time working with a family who was struggling tremendously. In attempts to offer support, I would visit them in their home on a regular basis. Throughout the majority of those visits, the youngest of the three siblings made it very clear each time I came that…read the rest
From My Family to You
Dear Staff of the Hope Center, I wanted to take this time to let you know how thankful we are for the help and kindness we have gotten since coming here. Our family has gone without so much in the past year, that it has felt like living as royalty during our stay. To have…read the rest
Christmas Memories
I’ll never forget our last day of Christmas gift distribution a few years ago. Working long hours for weeks, our staff were running on empty late on the last night of distribution before Christmas. I watched as one limped through the corridor of the Distribution Center while another collapsed onto an empty box that she…read the rest