And let it begin with me.
Peace. Everyone who knows me, knows I always sign off correspondence with "Peace." If I were to ever get a tattoo, a Peace symbol would be my only choice. In photographs and home movies from my childhood, you will often see me flashing the peace sign. One of my favorite hymns is, "Let There Be Peace On Earth." Yes, praying for Peace is a big part of my life.
It is my belief that if I pray for the guidance to lead a peaceful existence, then I might not wander into the realms of spite and resentment. This is not to say that I never find discord or bitterness in my life, but through praying and singing, I remind myself that inner peace can lead to outer peace.
With Christmas fast approaching, messages of Peace on Earth are all around us. Some churches illuminate advent candles in succession through the four weeks leading up to Christmas as part of their Sunday services for Advent. The first candle is for Hope; the second signifies Joy; the third candle for Peace; and the final candle symbolizes Love. A few years ago, as part of our advent church service, the elders at my church were lighting the advent candles, but as they tried to light the candle for Peace, they could not get it lit, but after trying and trying, it finally illuminated. Isn’t that the way it always is? We can’t just expect Peace, we have to make efforts to kindle the flame.
This Holiday season, we need not look very far to find a concerted effort being made to spread Joy, Hope, Love and Peace right here in our hometown by the Veterans Administration. As the daughter of a World War II veteran, my thoughts and wishes for peace are always with those who serve in our armed services. To me, the men and women who commit to service in the military are the bravest people imaginable and they deserve peace. As such, our leaders must be diligent and ensure that our human resources are putting themselves in harm’s way for a purpose that is true to what our founding fathers aspired our nation to be. Even though I sometimes do not agree with reasons for going to war, I do wish to honor the service of our troops, and I want to encourage those with loved ones in the military to seek peace, seek justice, seek kindness. It’s not a bad idea, this Peace.
But conversations about how peace is to be achieved will almost always end in controversy. The reality is that humankind is deeply divided about what God’s vision for human life really is. As long as there are people (myself included) guarding our own turf, protecting our own interests, believing that we alone possess the truth, then Peace will remain something hoped, longed and prayed for. However, there is a different between reality and resignation. I think we can go one step further, and promote peace in our homes and in our communities. In fact, it is our duty to try. For example, when we teach our children to resolve conflicts without violence, we are seeking peace. When we step outside of our proverbial comfort zones, we can find ways to reach out to others that will give the true Gift of the Season, Love. With our troops in far away lands and many of our veterans struggling just to get by, it is time to leave said comfort zone and show our gratitude.
COATS FOR VETERANS
The Lexington Veterans Administration is collecting coats and other winter clothing for veterans. According to the Office of Public Affairs for the V.A., the VA Clothing Room serves 30 to 35 veterans per day. The Clothing Room accepts new or gently used clothing of all types for men and women in all sizes, but preferably Extra Large for the men’s items.
With the change in weather, the availability of the following items becomes important:
Coats
Thermal Underwear
Hooded Sweatshirts/Jackets
Flannel Shirts
Pajamas
Robes
Slippers
Winter items (gloves, scarves, knit hats)
Sneakers (Sizes 9-13)
Boots
Socks
Underwear
Umbrellas/Ponchos
Homeless Veterans
About one-third of the adult homeless population served their country in the Armed Services. Current population estimates suggest that about 195,000 veterans (male and female) are homeless on any given night and perhaps twice as many experience homelessness at some point during the course of a year. Many other veterans are considered near homeless or at risk because of their poverty, lack of support from family and friends, and dismal living conditions in cheap hotels or in overcrowded or substandard housing.
Right now, the number of homeless male and female Vietnam era veterans is greater than the number of service persons who died during that war – and a small number of Desert Storm veterans are also appearing in the homeless population. Although many homeless veterans served in combat in Vietnam and from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), at this time, epidemiological studies do not suggest that there is a causal connection between military service, service in Vietnam, or exposure to combat and homelessness among veterans. Family background, access to support from family an friends, and various personal characteristics (rather than military service) seem to be the stronger indicators of risk of homelessness.
Almost all homeless veterans are male (about three percent are women), the vast majority are single, and most come from poor, disadvantaged backgrounds. Homeless veterans tend to be older and more education than homeless non-veterans. But similar to the general population of homeless adult males, about 45% of homeless veterans suffer from mental illness and (with considerable overlap) slightly more than 70% suffer from alcohol or other drug abuse problems. Roughly 56% are African American or Hispanic. (Source: www.va.gov Department of Veterans Affairs official website)
In Lexington, a 40-bed homeless transitional program for veterans is operated by Volunteers of America, opened in April 2005 at the Leestown Road Division. This is part of a VA grant and per diem initiative administered by the Volunteers of America to provide housing and rehabilitative services to homeless veterans.
An overview of Lexington’s V.A. facilities
- Lexington FA Medical Center is a fully accredited, two-division, tertiary care center with dynamic inpatient and outpatient programs that manage over 5,700 admissions and nearly 320,000 outpatient visits a year.
- The Leestown Road Division, established in 1931, has 91 beds and is home to the VA’s nursing home care units, hospice and respite services, primary care, home based primary care, prosthetics, optometry, mental health and substance abuse treatment, women’s health and a Post-Traumatic Stres Disorder residential rehabilitation treatment program.
- The Cooper Drive Division, established in 1973, is adjacent to the University of Kentucky and has 100 beds. Acute medical, neurological, surgical and psychiatric in patient services are provided at this location, in addition to primary and specialty clinics.
* Start a collection of the above listed items in your office, church or social group and either drop them off at either Cooper Drive or Leestown Road location, or call Volunteer Services at 281.4930, and the VA will send a volunteer out to collect the items.
* When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:
A Recovering American soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001
Give to The Foundation for Affordable Housing, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization established in 1990, provides shelter and recovery services for up to 38 qualified veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as a safe, clean, drug-free environment for up to 100 other working homeless residents or those who cannot find decent, affordable housing. Please make your check payable to the Foundation for Affordable Housing, and mail it to:
Foundation for Affordable Housing
169 Deweese Street
Lexington, KY 40507
Your tax-deductible financial gift to the Foundation for Affordable Housing goes directly to providing services to the residents of Saint James Place, located at the corner of Elm Tree Lane and Deweese Street in Lexington. Call 252.6642 or go to www.foundhousing.org or www.saintjamesplace.org for more information.
St. James Place is an Outreach Ministry of Central Christian Church. There are numerous ways you can support their efforts by sponsoring new residents, meals, social events, outings (such as Legends games, fishing trips); donating items such as clothing, toiletries, books, computer games, pictures, etc.; or volunteering to maintain landscaping, or painting. Also, through the Gift Card program, 4% of your Kroger purchases go to St. James Place -- it's easy and convenient. Just call 266.4845 for a Kroger Gift card
* There are also all kinds of volunteer opportunities with the Veterans Administration. From drivers for DAV Volunteer Transportation Program (to bring patients in from their homes to the VAMC for their appointments) to clerical assistance to assist the employees with day-to-day operations. Various administrative and clinical settings are available. For more information, contact the Voluntary Service Office at the VA at (859) 281-4930.
Please show your gratitude for the history of courageous service and sacrifice Veterans have made on our behalf! If you cannot volunteer, find some warm clothing that is gently used and drop it off at the V.A. or leave me a message here and I will find a way to make sure they are delivered. Thank you very much.
Peace,
Kim Thomas
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith, but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or a sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill," and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. -- James 2:14-17
1 comment:
Thank you Kim. Peace to you.
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