T.H.O.R.N. Ministries is a spiritually inspired humanitarian outreach that serves the Homeless of Tampa Bay and the needy of Samoa. The purpose is to evangelize by example, thus sharing Christ with all we meet.

The Heart of Tampa Project

IF YOU ARE HUNGRY, PLEASE CALL 653-4496.

People often ask why anyone would want to spend each Sunday wandering the streets of Tampa feeding homeless people. I wonder why anyone would want to do anything else.

If you seek, you will find.

I believe we have truly found a concrete way to love and serve the Lord. This ministry is totally reliant on Divine Providence for everything from the food to the volunteers. There is no meal plan, no organized volunteer list. It is simply people inspired by God to go out each Sunday to lessen the suffering of the poor.

We serve 600 homeless each Sunday food, offer prayers, a loving and kind word, sing songs, offer haircuts, first aid and gift clothing and hygiene supplies.

We know our mission is to LOVE, not condone, nor condemn.

For those who question why.

The best way to really find the answer is to come out one day and see for yourself.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

On Thanksgiving, '97 ~ Kristin and her children set out with a friend to do something special for the Lord. They cooked eighty dinners and set out seeking the homeless to feed. They literally looked under bushes, behind buildings and under bridges. This act of kindness has since spread into a full blown ministry whereby 500 men, women and children are fed, offered clothing, first aid and more importantly friendship and prayer support each Sunday. Week to week~ without any organizational meetings or preplanning,~ volunteers have shown up with food in hand, willing to serve. Since day one, we have never run out of food. Praise the Lord!

The very first 'home' we entered, Kevin and I wrote on the wall

Little did we know that 5000-7000 thousand homeless live in our county alone. From the first meal... they went from being strangers to new friends, whose lives were in a state of utter caous. There is no clear plan... to cure homelessness and may never be. But we are not asked to look at our success rate for a cure, but rather we are to work towards learning how to love unconditionally.

THORN Branches are encouraged. We train people to go out and serve the LORD through serving the poor. Picture above are some shots of the TLC Group in Clearwater, Florida. This group feeds every Monday night... and has consistently for well over a year now. God's grace is sufficient for many, many other branches... He is simply looking for the ones who will say "YES".

Hands of the Homeless

It's true, a picture paints 1000 words!

This is one of Kristins best photographs

This photo was taken in 1999. How precious those first few years were.

Current feeding schedule begins at 2pm every Sunday

To find out feeding locations and schedule, please call the office at 741-0116.

Amazing Grace

Under the Bridge

Story of Kenny

Homeless update

Those of us who have been involved in this from the beginning can look back now and see how the Lord has blessed us.

I stood in awe as 50 people arrived with food in hand to serve this past weekend. Some, from as far as four hours away. Lloyd hugged me Sunday and said, "Look at what you started." At times I can hardly believe my eyes. I think back to the days when I wondered how I would afford to buy the plates and the food for the week. Now, they are all donated by friends of Jesus.

It is so awesome to see the friendships that have formed between the homeless and those who work in the ministry and the friendships that have developed between those who serve.

Youth groups, religious and laity of all ages are showing up week to week. Each week varies, thus keeping it so new and always a riot. We have added a stop - PUBLIX - where we all spend a few minutes taking a break and snacking. This is junk food break for those of us tryin 'not' to eat those big, juicy homemade meatballs that Helen brought and a pit stop for those with weak bladders, not to mention any names.

I sat with a young man at the last stop and he was a very clean cut nice fellow. He kept questioning me as to why I would ever want to do this for them every Sunday. I shared how I would give my right arm for a place like the Good Samaritan House so that we could really organize efforts and make a true dent in the homeless problem in Tampa. But for now, we go out into the streets as God has intended, and pray for His Will to be done. He looked at me and asked, "I hear you have a lot of children too and also travel overseas. You must have a huge heart for people?"

I never have looked at it that way. Seriously speaking, I have always felt that reaching out to those in need was to be the responsibility of all those who profess to be Christians. Am I wrong? Yes, my heart has been graced with a love for the needy. I know that grace is given to those who show mercy and love to others. The readings Sunday spoke of the Master who forgave his servants debt., only to find that servant refused mercy on his own debtor. The Master grew angry and punished him. I do not want to be that servant.

I wish to show everyone I meet mercy and grace so that when I am in need of forgiveness and mercy, the Lord will be kind and merciful to me. I believe what we do to others we will see returned to us.

I can recall a time when my mother used to say, " May you have children just like you then you will know what I went through ." I must have been a great kid! My children, though strong, wild, and moody at times, have grown to be such beautiful people. I know this is because we have raised them to know Jesus, and we have taught them how to be Christ like, hard working, responsible and caring souls. Away from home, I see those seeds have taken root. Of course at home, you wonder where you went wrong as a parent. I feel I am more of a referee than a Mom, breaking up yet another tug-o-war over the shirt or pants and having to jump in the middle of a battle of wills. All for thee sweet Jesus. 12 KIDS!!!! Was I slain in the Spirit??? Sometimes I wonder.

It is most difficult to shower mercy and love on those who aggravate you the most, your family! I suppose by the time I am 80 I may have mastered that one. Until then, I look to the homeless, the poor and broken to teach me how to love and how to give wanting nothing in return, but grace. I pray I may learn to love unconditionally. The most difficult task of all.

Sept 19, 1999

This has been a very difficult week for me. Early Sunday morning my younger sister Jill passed away from a long time heart disease that has plagued her life since early childhood.

Dave, the kids and I were camping midst a Florida monsoon. We were laughing the night away as a river of water flowed through or pitiful excuse for a tent. We were enjoying the challenge of toughing it out through the storm. Funny thing was, we had a VCR, dehumidifier, electric flood lights and all the comforts of home to help us out. None, I might add helped one bit.

Once the tent was so soaked that we were literally lying in a puddle, we relented and headed for shelter in Joley's (Kicker's) motor home. Suddenly, in the middle of the night we received a haunting phone call at 3am. The kind that makes your heart skip a beat. I knew immediately the news would be about my sister Jill. Sure enough, I was told to call the hospital in Indiana immediately.

I had a hard time dialing the phone. I knew in my heart it was going to be bad news and that I would hear that once again I had lost another sister. As the phone rang, I tried to pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, but went totally blank and couldn't even remember the first line. The nurse who answered was very kind and told me that Jill had a rough few hours and that the doctors were working on her. I worked in this very unit in 1979-82 and could visualize everything she was saying. Her husband Don came to the phone and informed me that he had been told she would not last but a few more hours.

I began to think how happy my parents would be to meet her at the gates of Heaven, along with my other sister Kieran and many friends I have lost along the way. At the very same time I was thinking about little Megan, who loves her mother dearly. How would she cope? That sadness was overwhelming.

After the news, we headed out into the rain and began tearing down our campsite. I told the Lord our soggy blankets were anything but funny. Joley and Bob, like angels from Heaven, were there to comfort us and to help us gather up the soggy remains of our weekend. Camping with 12 children does pack quite a mess.

Once I was home, my sister Patti called and shared the sweetest story. I knew that Jill had given her entire body to science and her organs for donation. I believed in my heart that as sad as we were, there were families somewhere out there that were equally as happy to receive the gift of life from our loss. Patti went on to tell me that Jill had been preparing Megan for this moment and told her if they did not accept her entire body that her remains be cremated. She wanted Megan to sprinkle her ashes in the garden, so that in spring when the daisies were in bloom, she would see her face in the daisies. She kidded that her husband couldn't get rid of her that easily.

I thought that was a precious visual image with the daisies. I will never look at another daisy without looking for her face and hearing those words.

Later that day, it was time to feed the homeless. I knew that I needed to go although I felt very weak and almost too sad to smile. I do know that serving God is always the cure-all for any sadness in my heart, so I chose to go.

At each stop I had homeless men and women coming up to comfort me. One told me to lean on him like he has been leaning on me all these months. With all sincerity they came and shared my sorrow. I will never forget it.

Some people would think I was callous and or crazy for spending the day of my sisters' death milling about the streets of Tampa feeding homeless people, but you know, crazy or not, they brought healing and comfort to a very weary soul. Almost half of my family has died, and I have yet to reach 40. I thank God I now have one of the largest families in the world with 12 children, one grandbaby, 500 homeless, and an entire country of people who see me as part of their family. I believe Heaven will be like this, minus the sorrow.

One last thing, the morning before the phone call, I walked down to the river holding little Pudgey. He and I looked down at the water flowing by and noticed the sun's reflection was perfectly glistening under the water. Surrounding the image was a beautiful rainbow. I stood there with tears in my eyes knowing how present the Lord is with me. I am so humbled to feel this love and to have so many loving friends to carry me through times when I wonder if my heart can take another heartbreak.

I truly know my heart lies within the Sacred Heart of My Lord. As I grieve, He grieves. As I love, He loves and I thanked God for the gift of 'sight' (vision), even through the tears. A dear new friend said to me sweetly, She's only a veil away.