Northwest Youth Services is a Bellingham non-profit organization serving people ages 13 -24 who are experiencing homelessness in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. The agency provides a variety of different services including housing, help finding a job or enrolling in school, connecting with mental health services, restorative justice for juveniles, and referral to additional services in the community.

One of the ways that Northwest Youth Services delivers support to young people is through a day use center located on the lower level of our church building. The center is called “The Ground Floor,” and youth can obtain food, showers, laundry, and resting rooms. Case management for housing, vocational and mental health services are also delivered on site Monday through Friday.

While construction takes place at another Northwest Youth Services location, the overnight shelter for homeless youth is currently located at The Ground Floor as well. The two programs, day-use and overnight shelter, have different hours and there are times when there are no services available at the church building. On weekdays, the day-use programs end at 4 pm and overnight services begin at 7 pm. Overnight services end at 7 am and the day-use programs don’t begin until 9 am. On weekends, there are no day-use services. Youth who need emergency housing have services provided from 7 pm to 7 am.

Homeless youth don’t have a lot of options as to where to go at times when there are no services being offered. Sometimes they simply hang out at the building, resting on benches or stairs, walking around the parking lot, and waiting. Striving to provide an extravagant welcome to all, the congregation invites youth who are around the building during worship services to come in and join us for worship. I have gotten to know a few of the youth just a little bit through talking with individuals before and after worship. There are others whom I recognize by sight, but do not know, because they have been in the church parking lot when I have been coming and going to and from work at the church.

When we have meetings in the late afternoon on Sundays, there have been a couple of times when youth have rung the doorbell or knocked on the door, asking to use the restrooms at the church. The general policy for staff members is that when we are having public services, such as worship, and church volunteers are greeting at the door, the bathrooms are available to all. When we have small group meetings and the church doors are locked, we do not offer public restrooms. Staff members have discretion to allow use of the bathrooms if they have time to supervise and make sure that guests are not wandering about the building unattended.

As a result, I have been in the position, while being responsible for a small group meeting, of answering the door and having to inform a young person that the restrooms are not available. I simply do not have time or energy to keep track of a guest while I am responsible for leading a group. I do feel, however, that it is important to respond to the door bell when it is rung, so I speak with folks who come to the church with requests.

I have mixed feelings about turning away someone who is only asking to use a rest room. Because I work at the church and have access to the building, I have access to the restrooms. The nearest public restrooms of which I am aware are at Cornwall Park, about a 5 minute walk from the building. I feel a bit silly giving directions to a youth at the door, because I know that the person knows about the restrooms in the park and when you need a restroom, a half mile walk isn’t always your first choice. I’m not in the habit of denying someone access to such an important service. On the other hand, I have participated in discussions about general policy about these situations, and I agree that we should not place ourselves in the position of offering services outside of the service times of Northwest Youth Services.

The Bible is pretty clear about the mandate for followers of Jesus to help feed hungry people and to offer a drink to those who are thirsty. There is a familiar parable in Matthew 25 that speaks of the separation of the sheep from the goats. In that parable, the righteous ask, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?” The same question is asked by the condemned, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and not feed you, or thirsty and not give you something to drink?” I can’t help but think of that parable when I am standing at the doorway to the church informing a young person that we do not currently have public restrooms available. On a couple of occasions the young person has visited our church for worship and knows that there are restrooms just around the corner from the doorway where we are standing. I know that I am acting as a barrier between that person and a service that is needed.

I think that the experience should make me feel uncomfortable. My comfort isn’t really an important factor in trying to be responsible in relationship with people who have need. I have never experienced homelessness. I don’t know what it feels like to need a restroom and not have one available. I take easy access to restrooms for granted. If I am a bit uncomfortable, so too must a young person who is seeking a restroom.

I have seen signs in businesses that say, “restrooms are for paying customers only.” I know that there are other places that do not allow the use of their restrooms by homeless youth.

Conversations with Northwest Youth Services and the church are on-going, and the newly remodeled overnight shelter will soon be open, drawing youth to a different address than the church. In the meantime, I am trying to learn from the experience, to get to know the individuals who come to the church better, and to participate with the community in conversations about how to provide needed services.

When it comes to sheep and goats, I confess that sometimes I am a bit of each. I’ll have to trust God with the judgment on that one.