February 2021 The Legacy of Brother George Roberson - OUR MISSION To offer life changing hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to homeless men ...
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February 2021
The Legacy of
Brother George Roberson
OUR MISSION To offer life changing hope through the Gospel of Jesus Christ to homeless men,
women, and children through programs to deliver food, shelter, counseling and discipleship
From the “Some wish to live within the
sound of church or chapel bell.
DIRECTOR I wish to run a rescue shop
within a yard of hell.”
—C.T. Studd REX BAKER
The Gateway Rescue Mission family just lost our most of the passing of George Roberson. He was Gateway’s
legendary ambassador. Brother George Roberson passed chief ambassador and historian. We have lost the last link
away recently at the age of 93 after a life well-lived loving between Gateway Rescue Mission today and the Gateway
God, his family, and gospel ministry. Bro. George, as we of yesterday.
affectionately called him, served as Executive Director of
Gateway Rescue Mission for more than thirty years in a I’m writing this letter from the same offi ce that Bro.
career spanning from sometime in the 1950s through the George held in the same building that he helped
early 1990s. construct. He is now with the Jesus he proclaimed to
pretty much everyone he encountered. At Bro. George’s
Bro. George would often drop by to visit back in my funeral, I wondered about men who came to Christ at
rookie days as Gateway’s Executive Director and never Gateway Rescue Mission years ago who have since
failed to impart wisdom and history to my impressionable crossed over that great divide. What a homecoming that
mind. One day, he stood on the steps outside our offi ce, must be for Bro. George to be with them today in glory.
looked me in the eye, pointed his fi nger at me and said
“the gospel to the unbeliever is that Christ died for you. Rev. David Hopkins, who also served as Executive
The gospel to the believer is that you died with Him.” Director of Gateway back in the 1990s, spoke at Bro.
George’s funeral. He shared a humorous moment when
Bro. George literally helped build our main mission Bro. George took him down into “the hole” at Gateway
building at 328 South Gallatin Street. He often related where they both cleaned out a stopped-up sewage sump
stories about how he personally laid the cinder blocks pump. According to Rev. Hopkins, “Bro. George told me
to the walls of the building and how workers from the this is a hands-on ministry.”
electrical union wired the building back in the mid
1960s. He would colorfully describe how God always Some things haven’t changed, as we still have to fi x that
seemed to be right on time in providing food back in the sump pump today and Gateway Rescue Mission is still a
day. Sometimes that meant butchering a cow on a farm hands-on ministry. However, Bro. George no longer has
Gateway operated somewhere near the Pearl River or to worry about sewage pumps or broken people. He is
folks dropping off donations. Bro. George ministered in an now in a place where there is no night, no people without
era when paychecks could be few and far between. hands, no sickness, and no death.
Once he told me of a fellow who showed up at Gateway As I look at the walls in my offi ce made of the cinder
causing trouble. This individual had a hook in the place block laid by Bro. George, I think of the big void George
of a missing hand. Bro. George said “he raised that hook Roberson leaves in the hearts and lives of those who
and looked down at me like he was going to hit me, but he loved him. May all of us who had the privilege of knowing
didn’t. He turned around and walked up the street.” him carry the message of Jesus Christ to a world that
desperately needs to know the peace of God through
I would love to have one more conversation with Bro. Jesus Christ.
George. An old proverb holds that “when an elderly
person dies, a library burns to the ground.” Such is true
Rex Baker
Executive Director
Visit gatewaymission.org Gateway Rescue Mission
for more information on how you
can help someone today.
FEATURE GATEWAY
Board of Directors
One month into 2021, we continue serving quality meals at Gateway Rescue Mission.
Tuna fish, Bruce’s barbecue, spaghetti (both chicken spaghetti and regular, red sauce
Ford Mosby
variety), are some of our weekly items. Laszlo is shown here preparing a chicken-based
President
dish. (I recently sampled some of Laszlo’s excellent jambalaya, flavored with just a bit of
cayenne pepper and other secret ingredients he won’t divulge.)
Beth Archer
Our kitchen provides a training ground for our New Life Program residents to learn the
Vice President
culinary arts. All Gateway kitchen staffers graduated from our program. We continue to
serve three meals a day, with lunch open to the general public. We are currently serving
Jackie Meck
lunch meals in to-go trays for Covid-19 safety reasons.
Secretary
We are also in a time of planning for the future. Please pray for God to give wisdom to
our Board of Directors as our leadership seeks divine guidance for the years ahead. We
Vivian Farris
continue to believe God is preparing Gateway Rescue Mission to be a light in our rapidly
Treasurer
changing world.
Glen Bush
Danny Cawthon
Allen Holiman
Ben Moncrief
Vernon Perry
Marilyn Tinnin
328 S. Gallatin Street
P.O. Box 3763
Jackson, MS 39207-3763
Phone: 601.353.5864
Fax: 601.353.9468
Website:
www.gatewaymission.org
A picture of a floor may not win a Pulitzer Prize for photography, but it’s a beautiful sight at our Gateway Rescue
Mission thrift store. Crews are currently upgrading our store by installing a new floor, new ceiling tiles, and new
lights. And a new paint job to boot. We sell donated items in the Gateway thrift store, with the proceeds going
directly to support our ministry to those in need.
Our thrift store buzzes daily with shoppers plowing through boxes looking for a bargain. Take for instance the
old clock pictured here; I’m not sure if it works, but it’s 9:20 somewhere and you never know when someone is
looking for just such a piece to accent a den or living room.
Our store accepts donations Monday-Saturday from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. We also pickup heavy items such as
furniture. You can call our dispatch office at 601-932-1668 to schedule a pickup. Or you can drop your donations
off at the back dock of our store. You’re always welcome to drop by and shop!
Gateway Needs We wish to thank everyone who continues to respond to our request for
needed items. This month, please consider donating;
• Body wash. This stuff works great as a shampoo/soap • Shaving clippers (for men who have issues with
combo. We need lots of it. ingrown facial hair)
• Toothpaste and toothbrushes. • Small containers of sanitizer wipes to hand out to the
public.
• Shaving cream and razors.
• Masks for Covid-19 protection.
• Magic shave shaving powder.
Follow Us on Social Media
Twitter: @gatewaymission • Facebook: Gateway Rescue Mission • Instagram: gatewaymission
For your convenience you may now donate online at gatewaymission.org/donate
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