JPG Magazine: Stories: Photo Essay: Manna Ministries aid Indianapolis homeless population

Manna Ministries aid Indianapolis homeless population

By Caitlin Anne Heath

6 September 2008

Indianapolis, Ind.--With the homeless population of central Indiana reaching critical mass any help given to alleviate the growing issue is welcome and appreciated; The Manna Ministries is one group attempting to do just that.

The Manna Ministry is a Christian based not-for-profit organization run out of central Indianapolis. The ministry is headed by Dennis Blazebrook, yet to the countless number of people his ministry has helped, he is simply called Pastor "D."

Every Thursday night at six thirty, the Manna Ministry bus can be found at the Hurst Bean Company in downtown Indianapolis, and it is usually met with enthusiasm from the crowd.

"Everyone's story is different, but they all have the same bottom line. What we do is bring them onto the bus and ask them what they need, it maybe shoes and pants, or blankets and pillows, just about anything that they might need on the streets; we have here on the bus." Says Pastor D about the ministry

The actual meeting starts at seven pm sharp, and is always opened up with a short sermon and a prayer. Blazebrook tells his story to the crowd; He once battled an addiction to drugs and alcohol, finding God was his saving grace.

He believes that helping the homeless is his calling, and that through God and prayer, he can help people dealing with the same things as he had not too long ago.

The ministry has been active for five and a half years, and started with Blazebrook and his wife driving around the downtown area with a Crockpot full of soup for anyone who needed a hot meal.

Over the years, the ministry has grown dramatically; the van has turned into a bus, and what once was a husband and wife operation has turned into a multi-volunteer mobile unit.

The ministry is run totally off of donations; from the bus to the clothes, all things were gifts to the ministry for their service.

"I figure if this is God's ministry, he's going to handle it, he's going to take care of it, and he's done a good job so far." Blazebrook said of the ministry

"It's a real blessing that these people [the homeless] can come down here and get a good hot meal, they get the Word, and we have the opportunity to show them love. That's the most important thing, they can see Jesus living through us." said a man named "Duck" when asked about the ministry.

Because the ministry works so closely with the homeless population, they are often affected by many of the same issues.

Mayor Greg Ballard recently decided to remove any panhandlers from the city streets. This issue was faced with outrage from many of the ministry members, some said that the government was attempting to "sweep the issue under the rug," and others said that a real plan of action would include a way to create jobs for people who need them.

"If they could provide jobs or some type of skill or trade it would help, a lot of the homeless people are looking for work." said a volunteer named "Gabby" of Mayor Ballard's plan.

Love is a major theme that the ministry tries to portray; they give their hearts and souls to these people just to show how much they genuinely care about them, but 'love' for some of the homeless population has only ever meant sex.

So many of the homeless population define "I love you" as "I want to have sex with you," because many of them think that human contact proves that they love the other.

Gabby voiced concern about the number of females visiting the ministry who were pregnant more than once a year, he said that the government should create a class, or should pass out contraceptives to alleviate the extreme influx of babies born into homelessness.

"If they would set up a program that would help these ladies, and teach abstinence or prevention, so that these young ladies know the true meaning of love, and not "I've got to sleep with you to prove that I love you"."

Even after five and a half years, not a lot has changed. The ministry meets faithfully every Thursday literally 'come rain and sleet and hail and snow.'

Along with meeting the needs of the homeless; Manna ministries also aids them in maintaining a clean appearance so that in the event of a job interview they stand a chance of landing the job.

During the summer months, a volunteer from the ministry will give free haircuts, and inside of the supply packages the ministry includes various grooming items such as shaving kits and feminine products; really any products that a non homeless person would take for granted is supplied through the ministry.

"There is no joy quite like bringing joy to others." Said Michael Charles Peterson; a volunteer musician performing at the ministry.

Along with clothing and food, The Manna Ministry also provides a bright spot in their "customers" day. Music is usually on the menu at ministry outings, local guitarists and singers come out to the bean factory and put on a show for the people as they wait in line for food and clothes.

Michael Charles Peterson, a local guitarist/singer is a frequent visitor of the ministry, he heard about Manna Ministry through word-of-mouth, and has been playing songs and donating for some time. The music that is played usually has a good message attached to it; it creates a shining moment in someone's day, and provides them with food for the soul to accompany food for their stomach.

If smiles were a way to gauge just how much the ministry is helping those that they serve, then they are doing an outstanding job. When the masses arrive, a smile is on their face, and they leave the same way.

For so many people, the Manna Ministry has become an extended family of sorts, it gives the homeless a sense of hope that somebody cares about them, and in turn the Ministry receives a sense gratification because they feel as though their life's purpose has been fulfilled.

For central Indiana, The Manna Ministries is just a drop in the bucket of the many aid programs dedicated to helping the large homeless population, but what sets them apart from the rest is the heart and spirit that they put into their work.

Businesses and people interested in donating materials or time to The Manna Ministries can contact Pastor D through the ministry's website, http://mannaministriesofindy.org , and all donations are appreciated greatly.