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"Why are you anxious about clothing?
Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow
. . , and are not two sparrows sold for a penny
. . . You are of more value than many
sparrows. Therefore, do not be anxious,
saying, 'What shall we eat' or 'What shall we
drink or 'What shall we wear?'."
(Matthew 6:28, 31 and
Matthew 10:29, Revised Sandard Version)
Some people do worry about a meal, a roof
over their heads, They have no time for iilles
or sparrows.
The men in the caterpillar-like line that
starts forming about 8:30 a.m. In front of
Lincoln's city mission worry. The men crouch
against the wall, arms folded, waiting for on
of the 33,000 meals the mission serves each
year.
These men range in age from 19 to 98, but
many of them have a common problem,
according to Pastor Jerry Dunn, director of
the city mission the problem of alcoholism.
The People's City Mission, Lincoln's
counterpart to skid rows in other cities,
provides for the emergency needs of
transients. It is, according to an introductory
pamphlet which describes the city mission,
"an oasis of God's love in your desert of
needs."
Younger alcoholics
The age of the skid row population Is
decreasing. When Dunn first began his
ministry 20 years ago, he said the average
age of alcoholics was between 50 and 60. Now
it's between 30 and 40.
The Increasing number of young transients
reflects a national trnd. In Seattle the
average age on skid row has dropped from 50
to 30 in the past years, Newswesk Magazine
said, and the number of young down-and-outers
who come to the Union Rescue
"Mission in Los Angeies has Increased from
The new alcoholics are . younger, Dunn
said, because they start drinking younger.
'!They start drinking when they're be
tween 11 and 15 years old. When thsy start
drinking that early, some of them lose their
perspective by the time they're young
adults," he said.
Dunn the 'spiritual thrust'
To ut)6Qr$tmd the city mission is to know
Dunn. He has been the spiritual thrust
behind the mission for the past seven years.
Before he came to Lincoln he headed the
Island of Hope city mission In Omaha. j
Dunn said the problem In reaching skid
row alcoholics is an "I can do it myself"'
attitude. ,
. ' "No matter how many times they havo
failed in the past, when they are sober they
think they can lick their problem," he ald.
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"They come in dirty off a train wondering,
'Where can I get cleaned up?' or 'Where can
I get a job?' But one drink and they're back
on skid row in some other city."
Dunn should know. While he. was a young
adult, he said he attended Ohio Wesleyan
and Northwestern Universities and the
Newspaper institute of America. Then, he
said he "lost everything because of drink. ''
After leaving his wife and three children,
Dunn said his life "merry-go-rounded into
destructivencss ' skid rows in Philadelphia
and Baitin Then prison In Huntsville,
Tex.
- ... . 'Had to rift fonmf hliwi .
While "broken spiritually, physically and
morally" Dunn said he realized his desperate
condition and knew he had to do something.
Dunn's action was a spiritual one. He said
he "embraced Christianity," This spirit, he
said, caused him to leave his newspaper
publishing job in Lamar, Colo., to enter the
ministry wh'cft vefually led to his position
at the city i!'-'.
The men's uonmtory at the mission Dunn
said, has 48 stacked church camp-style.
Usually, 35 o? those beds arc filled each
day, Dunn slid. But there were not too many
men around last Thursday afternoon, ho said,
. because 30 of them had hopped a freight
train to Chicago the night before.
Daily routine.-
A day in th; !:' c? a city mission resident is
a day of boot camp-like structure. A
', 1 ' '
pamphlet describes the routine: breakfast at
6 a.m., lunch at 11:30 a.m., supper at 5:30
p.m. The men are assigned clothing every
morning. At 9 p.m., tfiey sign up for their
bed, take a compulsory shower and receive
nightshirts. 1 ,
The men's clothing are locked up tor two
reasons, Dunn said: to guarantee the men are
not smuggling in liqifor or cigarettes and to
keep the men from stealing each other's
clothing.
Dunn entered the kitchen, painted in
bargain basement greens and moany whites.
He Introduced his wife Greta who he said had
stuck bv him durina his "colleae of hard
knocks 4
Outside, Dunn Indicated a cooler of
donated food. In addition, to donations, the
city mission is financed by' the United Fund,
Lincoln churches and' fsus charged to the
residents when they begin working.
Two men returned from work and sat on a
bench, smoking cigarettes, waiting for
supper.
"Hey, Duffy," Dunn said. "I hear it's your
birthday. Go on In and have a cup of coffee
before supper."
Duffy held back, but Dunn insisted.
"Aw, come on, Duffy," he said. "Mrs.
Dunn would be upset if you didn't go in and
have some coffee with her. "
The prodding worked, Duffy smashed out
his cigarette, stood up and shuffled inside for
his birthday cup of coffee.
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