The warmer temperatures are a welcome relief to those who feel the cold in their joints and muscles. However, those who are homeless feel the chill in every season, and at every age.

Samaritan House Ministries facilitates a 41-bed safe and warm shelter, and averages 30-35 visitors each night now in these cooler months.  "So, with that we are maintaining our occupancy in being below that 41 number," says Executive Director, Barbara McNish.

"I think more than anything else I'd like to say about that is that whether it's winter or not, the weather is really the thing, like it can get chilly and rainy, you can get chilled to the bone," she explains. "Some of our clients are more elderly and I know I speak for myself, when the weather changes my joints ache!"

"So, I can certainly see how people who are out in the elements, whether it's hot, whether it's cold, whether it's wet, and you sleep in rough, that's hard on the body.  And as we're getting older you don't even have to be much older than 40 to feel that."

McNish laughs as she shares what her adult children are saying to her.

"I have a couple of kids over 40 and they say, 'Mom! My joints hurt!' and I say, 'Welcome to middle age!'"

"So, for a lot of the people out there, the weather is really a hard element to live in, regardless of what the season is." she adds.

Knowing that Samaritan House is the hands and feet of Jesus, a mission after God's own heart, is what continues to drive this ministry forward.

"He calls us to be that," shares McNish, "and so I always have to remember to give Him all the praise and glory and to thank Him, and to thank all the people who help us, because we don't do this alone.  Because I've got God in my life, my mantra has always been, 'we're not alone in this because of the donors and the many people who come along, whether they're volunteering, whether they're donating, or whether they're praying for us, because we all need God's covering!'"