Wednesday is Veterans Day – a day set aside to honor the men and women who fought for our freedom. Many communities will host ceremonies and most ceremonies will involve flags and parades. I recently read an article by Paul Davis (“Veterans have earned better care than this”, Valley Voices – Fresnobee.com) and he reviewed the ideals represented behind each fold of the flag in the flag folding ceremony. I must confess, I didn’t know the significance and I was sobered when I read them:

The first fold stands for Liberty

The second fold stands for Unity

The third fold stands for Justice

The fourth fold stands for Perseverance

The fifth fold stands for Hardiness

The sixth for Valor

The seventh for Purity

The eight for Innocence

The ninth for Sacrifice

The tenth for Honor

The eleventh for Independence

The twelfth stands for Truth

It’s hard for me to reconcile that so many men and women who were willing to give their lives for these noble ideals are now homeless and struggling for survival on the streets of our cities. The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that between 23 and 40 percent of all homeless adults are veterans. What may be surprising is that most homeless veterans are not homeless because of factors related to their military experience. They struggle with the same issues most homeless victims succumb to – poverty, lack of support systems, personal characteristics, and mental illness. And like all those struggling with homelessness, our veterans need a strong, compassionate, and responsible support system. It’s past time for the Christian army to rally around our fallen heroes and lift them back up. What better time to start then Veterans Day!

For information on how to volunteer and serve homeless veterans, contact The City Mission at http://www.thecitymission.org/.