DES MOINES, Iowa– A Des Moines homeless outreach group is rallying around a man living without stable housing and with a severe medical condition after he nearly gave up hope that medical care was possible.
Pastor Mark Reetz and his “Team Jesus of Iowa” church family spend much of their week helping others in need across Des Moines. The organization welcomes hundreds of people to its food pantry, distributing roughly 40,000 pounds of food every week, according to Reetz.
Every Tuesday, Reetz and a group of volunteers travel throughout the city for homeless outreach, providing food, companionship and fellowship to people living on the streets.
“When we go to the homeless camps, there’s always a lot of different needs,” he said.
It is something Reetz has been doing for years, but during an outreach trip two weeks ago, Reetz encountered someone whose condition immediately alarmed him…