Pacific Garden Mission — Attraction in West Chicago Township

Every organization in America is built upon some sort of foundation. At Pacific Garden Mission its foundation is based upon faith. Faith in Jesus Christ the Saviour and the love of God whose commandment is to love our neighbors as we do ourselves. According to the Bible, The Heavenly Father Our Lord Jesus Christ and Saviour takes very seriously, and does not play when it comes to the poor. In fact, he insist that if even the rich wants to enter into the kingdom of Heaven they must sell all they have and give to the poor. So giving to the poor is not just helping them but it's also a mission that the children of God are called to. Therefore, those who run Pacific Garden Mission have a major mission to accomplish for God's Kingdom in helping those in need. However, as apart of accomplishing the mission they accept donations, give generously themselves their time and efforts to make sure they provide what is needed to the thousands of people who come through their doors looking for help on a daily basis. Pacific Gardens Mission does not only provide food, shelter, clothing, church services, and educational/employment programs to those in need, but they also care for the sick, and those who are in prison which is all apart of keeping and doing God's Commandments. Nonetheless, church services are offered several times throughout the day for those who would like to worship, serve, and seek The Most High. Also, church services is open to those who have no where else to turn, who are possibly lost, and need some sort of guidance, healing, answers, and love from The Most High who is very much so real. Unfortunately, some may not believe he's real and may never know it because they never tried seeking him for themselves. God is a loving God who accepts everyone just as they are so there's no need to try and run or hide from God, nor do you need to perfect yourself before coming to him, because he loves you just as you are no matter who you are, where you've been, and what you've done wrongfully. In fact, the Bible says Jesus disciples were once all sinners of all sorts whom God chose to serve in his Kingdom and follow Jesus Christ. God does not look for perfect righteous people he looks for the broken, the poor, the lost, and the sinners. Therefore, as a part of "the Mission" at the Pacific Garden, they're also called to invite people not only to church, but primarily to come to know or acknowledge Christ as well. Sadly, that some people take it as they are "forced to attend church services" when this is not ideally the case. There is also a thing called "Structure" which is always needed when trying to run any organization, especially a large organization like Pacific Garden Mission that tries its best and makes every effort to do an excellent job in providing services and basic essentials to thousands of people coming from all over the U.S. The structure in this organization consist of scheduled times and services to invite or lead people to God as apart of the organizations mission giving structure in order to function properly and keep things running smoothly so that it doesn't fall apart. All of this (The faith based foundation and structure) is put into place to properly help the thousands of people in need. More importantly, "the mission" is to remember that Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we might be saved and have eternal life which is God's Love for the World as well as helping the poor. With this in mind, whenever I think of helping people in need, I instantly think of partnering with this place and other faith based homeless shelters with similar values to help them continue to provide food, clothes, and shelter to those in need. However, Pacific Mission Gardens always seem to offer the most essential care to those who have no place to go, no food to eat, or clothes to wear. I have been given a tour of this awesome clean and well kept facility and have volunteered here a number of times. I have met some awesome humble people here who have a true love for the poor with a heart after...

09/14 Update: Black owned shelter. That should tell you all you need to know. Nuanced as a BIPOC-preferred shelter, generally tolerable staff, and a place to sleep. That said, there is really weird things happening since I started staying here 4 months ago. Watch. your. back. Even if it is a mission-based shelter, people have often been disrespectful, ignorant, and have stolen: my shoes, one of my wireless earbuds and left the ear cushion where I can find it, my skincare products, my medication, my eye contacts, and one of my shoe insoles that I use when walking everywhere. Stealing is a huge issue here. If it’s not on your body or in your locker, apparently it’s free game and people are not sorry. Place picks up a lot of these types of people that weaken others and then they have a man give “sermons” worshipping money and earthly things above God while condemning himself as an “idiot” instead of actually intellectualizing the Truth in the Gospel and Ministry of Jesus Christ. This affirms the farce and enforces the plot that people are to weaken others in the eyes of God eluding to the fact that they who operate and preach at this establishment do not believe in an almighty God in my opinion.

Not only were my things stolen, but my skin quality has never been worse since I started staying here. I noticed a sign on a push-pin board that says "Do not take the push pins", implying that people steal the pushpins and the staff keeps supplying them with new ones. I started to break out due to an overwhelming amount of stress that deranged BIPOC people cause to others. These are big scarring pimples that are taking weeks to heal from, even with facial care products. I am under the impression that people are stabbing my face in my sleep with dirty push pins because I openly do self-care and wash my face.

Moreover, I have been having allergic reactions breaking out on my arms near my religious tattoos, something I have never faced anywhere, not even in shady Air Bnbs around the city. On top of that, I have been suffering from an impression that seems like someone applied some sort of corrosive on my ankle, causing dryness, a visual impression scarring my ankle, and constant itching. I believe this is due to the fact that I have what they call a “red card”, a shelter ID that allows for later entry due to work scheduling. People in this place take that as a game, like a foul in soccer, and punish those with these colored IDs.

The structure of the shelter also needs attention. When it rains hard, there is no drainage for the main walkway to the men's side of the shelter. So if you arrive after it rains, you are forced to get your shoes and socks soaking wet since there's no way around the huge puddle that gathers. Not only that, but the locker room is frequently flooded when it rains.

Additionally, more often than not, there is tension in the locker rooms due to pocket watchers. By that I mean sheltered people are watching you to see what things you have in case they would like to rob you or judge you condescendingly based on the things you have. As a person who has been blessed with a job and has modern work tools, I feel as if people are targeting me because I am a functional member of society who has earned the respect and ability to make decisions that affect the lives of others.

This black-owned establishment just feels like a spit in the face and a deceptively oppressive environment for anyone, more so for non-blacks. Yes, you get a bed and breakfast but the hard truth is the degenerative tradeoff due to just being around these types of weakening people is NOT worth your spiritual, mental, and...

I stayed from Friday, September 23, 2016 through about six fifteen a.m. Monday, October 31, 2016. When I phoned in to inquire about the Pacific Garden Mission in September 2016 before I got there, I was told that 'reservations' were for thirty days and that if I worked full time, went to school full time or was on housing lists that I would be given a thirty day renewal. That was the story at the beginning of my stay for about ten days. Then for some reason shelter reservations started being extended capriciously and not at all for an additional days but just for about seven to eight days if that. I actually sent by certified mail twice and also hand delivered to a women's program staffer at the Pacific Garden Mission a bunch of housing applications that I made to the Cook County Housing Authority by both certified mail and by facsimile. Guess what? It is too much for these fake Christians--strange revivalists that they are--to take someone who does what they are supposed to do--in my case, to make housing applications--and to not get into brawls on the premises of the shelter and also not to smoke, drink or do any street drugs or wrongfully take prescription drugs. These fake Christians would rather celebrate the felon any day of the week who will break into one's backpack when it is under lock and key, as was mine at this mission shelter, and steal contents from the backpack. Such a thief will be greeted every day of the week at the altar during chapel service with open arms and a sort of "come to Jesus" rally while those of us who are honest and homeless and not the sort of "Once I was blind, but now I see...hopeless wretch like me" types that this place houses again and again and spends money on even while they thieve, lie, steal and commit armed robbery or break into area cars as I heard was done by some participants of some of the programs at this shelter during my most recent stay from September 23, 2016 to the early morning Central Time of October 31, 2016. This place advertises to those that it "serves" in its shelter that it receives no public funding at all from government entities like Cook County or H.U.D. Why, then, were my Cook County Housing Authority applications--at least some of them--stolen on this place's premises while they were under my lock and key in what is supposed to be a room for one's backpacks, purses and luggage that has a security camera in it? Does this shelter, in fact, get any money from Cook County or the City of Chicago or H.U.D.? I would like to know. In any case, stay and/or donate elsewhere. Don't let what happened to me...