I Never Asked for the Easy Way
by Juliana Vanderberg-Rohlfing
To celebrate our 75th anniversary in 1999, City Union Mission commissioned I Never Asked for The Easy Way: The People Who Shaped City Union Mission. Written in novel-like style, the book brings you the humorous, painful, and challenging experiences of those God used to build City Union Mission.
Here's an example of what you'll find in this colorful, exciting book:
From the Missouri's banks to the heart of Kansas City's business district, drunks literally paved the sidewalks of Skid Row. Flophouses, where a man could rent a mattress in a small cubicle for fifteen cents a night, crowded between busy taverns, cafes and dance halls. Bordering it all, the "Red Light District," protected by police, hawked sexual favors and bootleg liquor.
For the next three years, Dave wrestled with the scene from his window. By 1923, he could no longer contain his yearning to reach out to the lost and heartbroken on the streets. Confidently, he approached Beulah with his plan to live and work among "God's human sparrows" on Skid Row. "Dear, what would you think of selling our home and moving to the North End and becoming Big Brother and Big Sister to the poor families and the throng of forgotten men for whom nobody seems to care?" he asked.
In seconds, Dave Bulkley managed to wipe out any anticipation Beulah had for a prosperous predictable and comfortable lifestyle. Her hazel eyes rose to meet her husband's. Her face flushed to match her hair color. Without a second's hesitation, she exploded, "I think you're crazy! You have given your life for the men down there and now you want to drag the baby and me down there, too? I will not go!"
Days later, Beulah dispatched a letter to her mamma in Bonita. It said simply, "Dear Mamma, David Bulkley has lost his mind. Please send money. Ruth and I are coming home."
This wonderful book is available for a donation of $14.95 each (including shipping). To order your copy of I Never Asked for The Easy Way: The People Who Shaped City Union Mission by Juliana Vanderberg-Rohlfing, please call the Development Department at (816) 329-1477 or order now online.
