March Newsletter
March 1, 2026
The Face of Jesus
When we describe someone as poor, the meaning can vary greatly. Does it refer to a lack of material possessions, a poverty of spirit, or poor health? A person may be rich in worldly goods yet still feel empty or troubled in spirit. One of the first lessons we learn in our ministry is that poverty is a complex reality, encompassing far more than material need alone.
Many of Mother Theresa’s followers would ask her, “How can you keep serving the poor, the sick, and the dying with such passion? What’s your secret?” Her answer was both surprising and profound: “Whenever I meet someone in need,” she said, “it’s really Jesus in his most distressing disguise.”
One of our regular hospitality volunteers, Laura Martin, once shared a comment that deeply resonated with us: “Every person who enters the doors of Romero House is the face of Jesus.” Is Jesus the elderly gentleman who lives in his vehicle and arrives late each afternoon for our hospitality? Is he the middle-aged woman who comes to Ames Romero House (ARH) daily to eat and take a shower?
Laura’s words have stayed with us ever since. In each person who enters our home, we encounter Jesus.
Scripture shows us that Jesus often appeared in unexpected ways. Should we treat every individual as Jesus, regardless of appearance or temperament? Dorothy Day was adamant about treating each person with radical dignity and unconditional love, seeing them as individuals made in the image of God, not merely as beneficiaries of charity.
The beauty of the Romero House is that it allows us to embody the central message of Jesus: to love our neighbors without judgment. In loving our neighbors, we are, in truth, loving Jesus Christ.
At ARH, we offer a unique opportunity to witness the beauty of genuine human connection and to experience the Holy Spirit working through you as you offer words of encouragement, listen to untold stories, and provide hope to our guests.
Categories
Upcoming Events
MASS & COMMUNITY DINNER
6
FEBRUARY
- 702 Clark Av. Ames, IA
- 9.00 AM - 11.00 AM
PRAYER SERVICE
26
FEBRUARY
- 702 Clark Av. Ames, IA
- 4.00 PM - 5.00 PM
Our Community
Lenten Almsgiving
As we know, Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. How we go about that is different for all of us. We may pick up a daily Rosary, go to confession regularly, fast from dessert, or put coins in our rice bowls. These are all commendable acts to add to our lives, especially in Lent. Yet, do we not feel like we can do more? Why is it that every Lent, despite our desire to grow closer to Christ, it can feel more like a chore than like life-giving repentance? I think it is because we are called to more: more challenge in our prayer, more challenge in our fasting, but– especially here in our relatively comfortable community–more almsgiving, and true almsgiving.
The USCCB defines almsgiving as “donating money or goods to the poor and performing other acts of charity.” We could simply put our spare pocket change in the rice bowl we receive at church every year, barely noticing or requiring us to make a change in our lives. In his book, Happy Are You Poor, Thomas Dubay fiercely claims, “when [they] used the expression ‘we could afford,’ they meant ‘without changing significantly our level of consuming.’” This Lent is a great time to reconsider and change our levels of consumption and, with that, the amount we give.
We may often be distracted from the suffering of our neighbors by the pursuit of small pleasures–an afternoon spent watching TV or scrolling through social media. But we could find Christ reflected in others if we left our comfort zone to take on a monthly or weekly volunteer shift here at ARH. That might mean sacrificing that Sunday show, that afternoon in the student lounge, or many other leisure activities. But to truly make a sacrifice, one must give up one’s own comfort.
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HOST Team Delivers
Our partnership with the Homeless Outreach Support Team (HOST) stands out as one of our most impactful advancements in recent years. HOST–which includes members from Ames PD, Mary Greeley Medical Center Mental Health, and Alternative Response for Community Health (ARCH)–proactively supports individuals experiencing medical and mental health challenges, often stepping in before situations require police or hospital involvement. Their efforts have been essential in serving our unhoused population and delivering timely interventions that prevent crises from escalating.
Each Thursday, HOST visits ARH to offer support to individuals in need. The team also provides outreach at the Ames Public Library and other strategic locations, serving marginalized members of the community. During the development of the Ames Warming Place (AWP), HOST played an integral role and continues to provide on-call services on nights when the AWP is open.
The creation of HOST exemplifies our community’s commitment to working together for the greater good. Our mission would not have reached its current level of impact without this vital partnership. The collaboration between nonprofits and strategic agencies serving those in need has truly demonstrated the power of unity in supporting our most vulnerable neighbors.
KHOI Radio 98.1FM – A Community Partner
Community radio plays a vital role in Story County by connecting residents with local content and events through public service announcements, news stories, and targeted talk shows. The Ames Romero House produces a monthly podcast, “Voices of Change,” which airs on the second Saturday of each month at 11 a.m. to spotlight issues affecting marginalized members of our community and how our diverse community can work together to solve tough local issues.
KHOI Station Manager Mike Murphy has been an advocate for the marginalized community in Story County, helping us share this message with KHOI listeners. When we launched the Ames Warming Place (AWP), Mike promoted our cause through PSAs, allowed us to host a two-hour show about the unhoused population in Ames, and featured us on a local morning show to discuss the AWP.
KHOI is having a book, music, movie, and puzzle sale from March 26-29th at their studio at 622 Douglas in Ames. Please support them at this event or by visiting www.khoifm.org. And if you see Mike around town, be sure to thank him for his ongoing support of our community.
