Let’s Stop Homelessness
in Alamogordo

by Ken Larson

Rest assured that I have been homeless a number of times and this is what fuels my anger at America and the way we respond to the homeless problem we have. What I learned is that homelessness is a national disgrace for the homeless and for those who work on the other side, who volunteer at shelters and soup kitchens in America. What I have found, is that homelessness must become a thing of the past if America has any chance of proceeding into the future. Americans are scared of speaking out against homelessness. I think that they want the problem to just go away, but they are not willing to roll up their sleeves and find out why homelessness even exists in America. I say let’s get rid of homelessness without getting rid of the people who are homeless.

Welcome to the world of homelessness: Where social workers lie to the public and make them think that homelessness can be solved by tolerating it and throwing taxpayer money at it. Welcome to the world of really lazy, homeless people, who are just leeching off of the goodwill of others. Jesus Christ gave me this ministry “KMT Mission 4 Life” to be an advocate for the homeless so that I might tell the truth about the corruption and profiteering that goes hand in hand with homelessness in America.

Homelessness is dragging down our local economies. Let’s admit it: No one likes to see a fellow American sitting out in front of the local mall, begging for change so that they can “get something to eat.” I was homeless a number of times throughout my life due to my addictions to Meth and other drugs. Most of the people beg on the streets in America, are using that money to buy alcohol or drugs. Face it, homelessness is a terrible way of life, and no one gets anywhere by living in perpetual homelessness. So, why do we put up with homelessness in America?

We tolerate public begging and “skid rows” in America, because we don’t connect this behavior to the stability of our local economies. We don’t understand that large retailers like Wal-Mart and Costco prohibit the homeless from begging on their property, and that’s one reason why consumers choose to shop there, so that they don’t have to be hassled for change like when they visit local businesses, who often tolerate loitering and begging for change right in front of their stores. Local businesses are afraid to clear out the homeless from their storefronts, because they don’t want to be perceived as callous and cruel to the poor.

How would you like to have that, without having to work for it? Wouldn’t it be great if you could do nothing all day, except walk around and socialize with your friends, and then at the end of the day, someone would be there to take care of your food and lodging? Well, that’s what is happening all over America today, cities and towns are willingly providing free food and lodging for homeless people who neither appreciate what they get for free, nor want to give back in some to American communities.

The time is now to stop homelessness in Alamogordo. The churches and local agencies need to come together and start community action programs that involve the homeless who want help and to encourage the people who refuse to participate in changing their lives in return for the freebies that we give them. Please understand that I am not against helping the homeless people, but rather I am against being a part of the problem instead of working on a solution to homelessness in Alamogordo and America. It is a demeaning, social problem that we can no longer tolerate. Places where homelessness is not tolerated, lazy people and vagrants are urged to move along unless they want to improve their lives by working at it and contributing to the city in some way like volunteering. All these people are really doing is refusing to re-integrate into American society while demanding that the taxpayers feed and house them? I personally know of a handful of homeless people, that if given a chance to get off the streets and give back, they would do it. Community service, road clean- up crews, repairs to churches and businesses in the surrounding area in return for a safe place to live. Affordable housing, life skills, job search etc.
KMT Mission 4 Life will provide a hand up and not a hand out. Funding for projects like this is non-existent. I will continue to pray for direction and a common solution to changing the homeless problem we have in Alamogordo. Let’s help stop homelessness. Let’s help prevent the American public from being swindled by professional, non-profit agencies that take large donations for the poor, but use that money instead for their overpaid, salaried professionals, who are simply not getting the job done. When I was homeless hitchhiking, going from homeless shelter to homeless shelter, I found out that Christian agencies were doing far better in helping the homeless than their secular, social service counterparts. Christians just can’t stand to see another human being suffer, and without hesitation, they will try to help the poor with donations, moral support and especially with prayer.

Here are some ideas that I really believe will help change the stigma and promote real change. I have got few ideas of my own and help from others also.

1. Contact your politicians and tell them you are a local advocate for the homeless. Once people know that you are standing up for the rights of homeless, you will be asked for your opinions about what to do about the homeless. You cannot stop homelessness in America, unless you consider yourself an advocate for the homeless. It doesn’t matter what your political affiliation is: You have every reason to become an advocate for the homeless. Homelessness is a pit on society, and we need a better solution than vagrancy for the homeless. We are the solution to Homelessness.
2. Refuse to volunteer with social service agencies that directly give food and temporary shelter to the homeless. You might wonder how you’re going to help the homeless if you don’t do what is traditionally accepted by local communities for an advocate for the homeless to do. Remember, local social service agencies are typically abusing the average American’s kindness, by asking for donations and then profiteering on the side from being the only agencies that “help” the homeless. Tell the people that you are trying a new approach to solving homelessness, and that since the current way of helping the homeless doesn’t really help them in the long-term (with a permanent solution for securing housing and food), you are going to break away from the failures of yesterday in order to find a way that stops homelessness. And you will accept nothing but a real solution for those who live on the streets. Phony people in social service agencies who pretend to help the homeless are unacceptable.
3. Pray for an end to homelessness in your town or city. I know that the strongest way to change the world is to pray for it. Whether or not you believe in God is immaterial: The fact is that prayer works, and that if you pray for a solution to homelessness in your local area, that solution will be presented to you. Again, there is no way you can achieve anything substantial in life, without praying about it first. So, pray for an end to vagrancy, so that your work as an advocate for the homeless will be that much easier for you.

4. Try to avoid personal contact with the homeless. This one is really hard for me. I love the homeless. I have been there. They are angry most of the time, because being homeless is dehumanizing. Now, maybe this seems cruel to you, but I assure you that you do more good for the homeless by setting the example that their lifestyle is not acceptable to you. Don’t reinforce their social deviance by helping them personally with food and lodging. It doesn’t do anyone good to take pity on the homeless – remember, these are people who have choices, just like everybody else. If they want to truly get out of homelessness, there are enough genuine opportunities for them through county and state welfare programs, to help them get proper shelter while they get back on their feet.
KMT Mission 4 Life is in the process of opening a shelter in Alamogordo. Please help us make this reality.
5. Talk about your spirituality to people as you are working as an advocate for the homeless. If you believe in God, you know that the power of asking God into your work life is vital. If you don’t believe in God, then all you have to do is tell people what you believe in, your work for the homeless will go much smoother if you acknowledge that we as humans are all connected by a life force that sustains all of us. You don’t have to preach to others about what you believe in like I do. Just let them know why you feel the need to help the homeless.

Change can come from one person doing good things in their community. Let it be you. It’s time to change our minds about how America deals with homelessness. To me, it’s all about God. This is why I believe everyone deserves food and shelter
1) God created all human beings to need food and shelter.

2) If all human beings have these needs, then all human beings should be given food and shelter, no matter what their financial situation is at the moment.

3) What we should do in America, is give every homeless person a permanent place to stay, where they can be a part of American society.

4) Then, we should require these formerly homeless people to give back in some way to the communities that they would live in.

5) Then, we should adopt vagrancy laws based on local vagrancy laws from around the country that already work. Then, we should pass federal vagrancy laws.

6) We should then enforce the new, federal vagrancy laws, and have no tolerance for begging, sleeping on the streets and living off the public dole without giving back to society.

7) Finally, we should never forget that only God can truly end the nuisance that is homelessness, and that we should always treat homeless people with love and compassion.

Our prayers go out to everyone who lives in America without knowing where they’ll sleep tonight; and to all the good people in America who still care that there are still fellow Americans who are mercilessly neglected in our country today.
Please help KMT Mission 4 Life make big change in Alamogordo. Call Ken at 575-442-5668 to volunteer or to help with building materials.

WHY Homelessness HERE, AND WHY NOW?
Structural, personal, and political factors influence the level of homelessness and determine where it will occur most often. Structural factors in the United States that have fueled the problem include:
• Changing housing markets for extremely low-income families and single adults are pricing more and more people with below-poverty incomes out of the market.
• Dwindling employment opportunities for people with a high school education
or less are contributing to the widening gap between rich and poor.
• The removal of institutional supports for people with severe mental illness, epitomized by drastic reductions in the use of long-term hospitalization for the mentally ill, are leaving many individuals with few housing options.
• Racial, ethnic, and class discrimination in housing, along with local zoning restrictions that exclude affordable housing alternatives, persists in many areas.
If housing were inexpensive, or people could earn enough to afford housing, very few individuals would face homelessness. But housing costs have risen steadily across the country, poor person more susceptible to homelessness, including limited education or skills training, mental or physical disability, lack of family to rely on and alcohol or drug abuse.

 We believe that bringing to homeless to the table is vital to ending chonic Homelessness. Mission 4 Life was founded in 2009 based upon freedom, and the right to make choices,whether they are right or wrong, and will always continue to run as an open program. Nothing hidden and nothing undisclosed. The other reason, and the most important, God runs things around here, That’s why we help all in need. No one deserves to suffer,or to be alone and feel unloved. I pray that people soon wake up.

 Every dollar you give goes directly towards helping the homeless. The Mission will be run by the homeless with no paid staff including our Director. We work for God with benefits that are priceless, so your donations are respected here.

Mission 4 Life sactuary  serves all men, women, and children. Private property, portable buildings with beds and tenting will also be available.  We will have shower facilities, a building for A.A. and N.A.meetings and church.  There is a discipleship program and access to healthcare and Drug and alcohol recovery programs. Counselors will be available at an on-call basis. We will have beds open by 12-2010. God is so good.

We do not force religion as a requirement for shelter, food, or services.It is also not a requirement for employment or volunteers. While we encourage the Gospel , and believe in salvation, we turn away no one in need if possible. Child molesters, or those wanted by the law are the exception. We encourage all God loving churches to give our residents spiritual help and guidance as most want the help. We also ask them for transportation when needed. We are expecting are own van for transportation soon. For those who do not want religious teachings. We are to be their light and lead them to Christ through prayer and example. Forcing religion only pushes the less fortunate away. We must show them that God has a plan for their future.

We believe that bringing to homeless to the table is vital to ending chonic Homelessness. Mission 4 Life was founded in 2010 based upon freedom, and the right to make choices,whether they are right or wrong, and will always continue to run as an open program. Nothing hidden and nothing undisclosed. The other reason, and the most important, God runs things around here, That’s why we help all in need. No one deserves to suffer,or to be alone and feel unloved. I pray that people soon wake up.

Every dollar you give goes directly towards helping the homeless. The Mission is run by the homeless with no paid staff including our Director. We work for God with benefits that are priceless, so your donations are respected here.

Mission 4 Life sactuary for the homeless serves all men, women, and children. Private property, portable buildings with beds and tenting will also be available.  We will have shower facilities, a building for A.A. and N.A.meetings and church.  There is a discipleship program and access to health care and Drug and alcohol recovery programs. Counselors will be available at an on-call basis. We will have beds open by 12-2010. God is so good.

We do not force religion as a requirement for shelter, food, or services.It is also not a requirement for employment or volunteers. While we encourage the Gospel , and believe in salvation, we turn away no one in need if possible. Child molesters, or those wanted by the law are the exception. We encourage all God loving churches to give our residents spiritual help and guidance as most want the help..We also ask them for transportation when needed. We are expecting are own van for transportation soon. For those who do not want religious teachings. We are to be their light and lead them to Christ through prayer and example. Forcing religion only pushes the less fortunate away. We must show them that God has a plan for their future.

A man asked me “how can a person be homeless if this really isn’t our home” ? Our home is in heaven. True I said. But, the fact is that the way our economy is today, forces people to Homelessness. Most people our one or two paychecks from being homeless. I am one of them. I am a truck driver by trade. I am tired of the road. Finding work locally is tough. I have made up my mind to open a homeless mission and I will. My passion in life is to share my story and my recovery with others, help the homeless,and figure out ways to offer affordable housing to the poor and homeless in Alamogordo. People are scared and that way the world wants it. Homelessness is not fun. I have been homeless a number of times due to lost jobs and drug addiction. I was never offered rehab, instead, jail. I am getting more personal about this topic and am on a mission here at “Mission 4 Life” to bring the homeless to the table. They should be a part of the solution to homelessness I believe. There stories and there lives are important. Go to: http://www.alamogordonews.com/ci_16087096 to read about my most recent event to bring awareness. Thanks to Elva at the Alamogordo Daily News we are getting the word out.

Mission 4 Life is looking for a building. Out of all the wonderful, loving, caring, helpful people of Alamogordo, this will soon be a reality.” Hike 4 the Homeless”  is a way to get the word out. There is a need for a mission here. I would like to personally thank all the people that made this event possible.  I have learned so much. Spiritually, I have grown leaps and bounds. Homelessness and the poor and needy, is a community problem. I commend all the services that already serve this population. Out of all the vacant buildings around Alamogordo, there should be no problem finding the perfect building to occupy. People in Alamamogordo are afraid that a Homeless mission will atract the homeless, drug addicted, alcoholic population from all the surrounding areas. I say, whats wrong with that? Alamogordo is a great city. Why should we not be known for being a recovery friendly community?

The hike was a success. 200 miles in seven days. What a an awareness I have today. I learned alot. People are fearful of what is happening in the world. The people you expect to help the most where really self-absorbed and came up with excuses as to why they cannot help people passing through there town. Back in the day, communities came together and came up with solutions to the homeless problems.  I called two churches to ask for a safe place to pitch our tents. They both turned me down, said they had to know me better. The way I react to situations like these, dictates how people around me see the Lords peace in my heart. It still hurts. I plan more events and will keep you updated as they come about. Here are some pictures and post more soon. God Bless!!!!!!

The time is drawing near. Six days till the big hike. I would like to thank all that are making this possible. It is for great cause and something I really believe in.

The hike is to raise awareness and is a personal mission of mine. I was homeless and drug addicted and really understand where the problems are and how to fix them. One person and one program at a time, we together, can put a big dent in this epidemic. Whether it be Washington DC and their lack of Christ centered action and their stupid government policies or their lack of effective government policies, one person on a mission to be a part of the change they wish to see in America, can start a movement to help the homeless. That’s what I am doing. It is a problem here in small town America and it will only get worse.

We have to have these programs up and running and spread God’s love to all people in need. ”HIKE 4 THE HOMELESS” is a way to let people see how serious I am about helping and changing peoples lives. I will keep everyone updated on my travels. I will be camping along side of the road. Its is 209 miles and would really dig it if you were to pledge  50 cents a mile or more. Anything would be great. I am already planning my next hike to Portland Oregon.

Blessings to all of you. Thanks for caring.