These last
few days at Hope House have been all about “reminders” for me. You know, those
moments when the situation in front of you “reminds” you of God’s love, grace
and mercy? I’ll admit I don’t always pay enough attention, so sometimes; He has
to be very clear!
Reminder #1: As Amy Grant sings, “The honest
cries of breaking hearts are better than a Hallelujah”. One morning this week, I
sat helplessly watching a women silently weep as we did her intake and
discerned her needs. As I assured her we are a safe place, and we would love to
help, her tears continued to flow. Did she doubt us? No, she was upset at
needing help, relieved at getting it, and overwhelmed by the compassion
offered. By the time she left, she was smiling through damp eyes, and promising
to come back for Christmas assistance. We
are God’s hands on earth.
Reminder #2: Like the Little Engine That Could,
some never give up. I talked today to a young man who is currently homeless and
living in a tent in his mother’s yard—with
his 5 year old daughter, who he has full custody of. They have been homeless for about a month, she
is in kindergarten and is having fun “camping” with her daddy, and he is trying
desperately to find work and shelter for them. Today we were able to help with
the paperwork he will need to get housing through the local housing authority. He
told me he was a foster child, and would never let his daughter go through that
system. He referred to her as his shining star. We are God’s eyes on earth.
Reminder #3: Gloria Gaynor’s song “I will
Survive” says all you need to know about Linda. A single mom of three beautiful
girls, working in the healthcare industry here, but unable to afford the cost
of living, she came to me in early summer with a plan to move her family to
Oklahoma to a town with jobs and housing. I encouraged her, set her up with
financial aid from several area churches, and cheered when I received this
email about her: Linda has a job with good wages and benefits, has a 3 bedroom
apartment for $500 per month and is doing very well. She expressed her thanks
to all who helped and asked that I be told how well she is doing. We are God’s ears on earth.
We are the human and physical
representation of God here on earth, members of His Holy body, and we all need
to reach out with love to each other. Together, we can weep, pick up the
pieces, and move forward.
