Church faces divine dilemma with homeless issues

Mililani Presbyterian Church endeavors to feed, clothe and care for the needy. Such efforts have been underway since the church was founded more than 45 years ago.

So, about a year ago, when some homeless people started causing problems on church grounds, a spiritual dilemma followed.

There have been several incidents of vandalism and confrontations with church staff. But the most daunting and ongoing concerns pertain to homeless people sleeping on the property at night and causing disruptions when the church’s preschool is in session.

John Toillion, an elder who has been a church member for 33 years, said he and other staff are now working with a city homeless outreach worker and police to address the matter.

Earlier this year, in a letter to the editor of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Toillion described the prospect of pressing trespassing charges as “heartbreaking, given our commitment as a church and preschool to serve our community.”

Back in the 1970s Mililani Presbyterian was one of the first churches that responded to the need for child care, which led to the start of its preschool.

“We were one of the first in the community to reach out to low-income families,” Toillion said in an interview. “We have a strong relationship with Kipapa Elementary School,” with the church providing students with mentoring programs and backpacks, he said.

Every other month a group provides a meal and clothing to the homeless at River of Life Mission in downtown Honolulu, he said. The church also allows Samoan, Micronesian and Korean congregations to use its facilities without charge.

The church, at 95-410 Kuahelani Ave., is across the street from Kipapa Park, which is closed overnight. “That’s when a preponderance of them sleep on our property,” Toillion said of homeless people in the area, adding that a few have climbed onto the roof from a rock wall.

On some weekdays, teachers arriving at the church grounds at 6 a.m. have found homeless people on the property. When the problem first surfaced, police had to come a few times a week. Now it’s down to just once a week as the homeless know the police will be called, Toillion said.

“The homeless people we have are regulars. Most of them have medical or drug-related concerns. They show up unannounced and some are very confrontational.”

For example, two months ago a woman was camped out by the church sign fronting the property and “got verbally abusive with the policemen but finally left with her stuff.” Another homeless person barged into a church staff meeting and demanded food after the pantry was closed. And a few times, Toillion said, teachers taking preschoolers to the restroom found homeless people in there, washing clothes.

Toilllion said Mililani Presbyterian has tried erecting fences and locking gates. But such efforts have encountered snags, such as a state law that requires gates to be kept unlocked for emergency evacuation.

Plans are now in the works to install surveillance cameras and take other measures police have suggested to limit reasons for the homeless to enter the grounds, Toillion said. For example, in June the food pantry will open only on weekends instead of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, when the preschool is open.

“Even if we had the money to hire security guards in uniform, it’s something that to me conflicts with who we are as a church,” Toillion said. “The heart of the church has always been outreach to the community.”