Quoting “Saints and Monasteries in Ethiopia” written by Kessis Kefyalew Merahi, pages 6-7, (minor paraphrasing my own)
“In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church there is an Institution, if you will referred to as “The Gate of Peace” or (Dejeselam). It is a hall used as a dining hall for the priests and the needy. It is the tradition of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewehedo Church followers to give their offerings in kind, especially as food and drink. Therefore, anybody who is hungry can go to the “Gate of Peace” to get a free meal and drink. This is practiced in every parish church and Monastery to this day.

Currently the EOTC is fully involved in assisting the needy people who are affected by man-made and natural disasters. Besides distributing food and clothing to the affected people, the church participates in rehabilitation Programmes, collaborating with the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission of the Ethiopian Government….”
“The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewehedo Christianity understands nature in a holistic manner. Nature includes among others, human beings, forests/trees, water, micro-organisms, air other land features and political structures as a whole. In general, this Holistic approach has favored the respect and veneration of nature, enriching and systematizing ecological preservation along with humanity and the rest of God’s creation.” – “Saints and Monasteries in Ethiopia” written by Kessis Kefyalew Merahi, pages 6-7

Now, according to friend and fellow photojournalist, there are almost 300,000 churches in the United States. I am seeking to verify these numbers but in the meantime lets suppose there are literally 300,000 churches in the United States. Could you imagine how many lives would be changed, how many people under duress and in need would have their lives significantly altered if every church had “A Gate of Peace”, and made those services available to every human being in their midst who needed them? Made available without question or judgment, without a strict list of qualifications, or prejudice.
Is it not possible we could end homelessness in America and quite possibly other parts of the world where people “claim his name” and claim to be adherents to the Christian faith, if we simply made the commands of Yesus Christos/Jesus our primary motivation and basis for our morality? Is it an “unrealistic pipe dream”? Or is it a reality not being lived in the west because the definition of the Gospel, the Christian mission and levels of personal responsibility towards fellow man are largely skewed and misunderstood?

As tomorrow starts a new day and true repentance starts a blank slate and the means to true empowerment to do the will of God, so can all “Christian” efforts to keep the commands of “Christ” begin to transform the world with the first rays of a new day. People are hurting, people are dying and its truly within our power to stop it 10,000 times over.