By, Christine Holloway
It’s been awhile since I’ve walked next to a homeless person. Daily life monopolizes my schedule and I too often forget the suffering of the poor……this study has helped me to remember again. I was recently in Seattle, WA. There were a fair number of people living on the street that I encountered as I walked around the city. This study and the daily devotions helped me to be more cognizant of my over abundance and their barely enough. Each day I would take an early morning walk along Lake Washington, a fairly well-to-do part of the city. On my route there was a bench in front of a very nice condominium complex that a man slept on. He had all of his possessions in bags around him and only a thin, tattered sleeping bag to cover him. I noticed other walkers and runners would leave the sidewalk and move to the street to avoid going past him. Although alone, I forced myself to be unafraid, to stay on the sidewalk and to look him in the eye, offer a smile and a ‘good morning.’ Candidly I’m not sure he always registered that someone was talking to him, but if he did I wanted a smile and a small greeting to be the first thing he saw and heard that day. And yet I know I could have done more; maybe sat down with him for a quick chat, offered him a few dollars or a cup of coffee, but more courage will come to me through this study. The right words will be on my lips next time. He will whisper them to me and His hand will guide me.
By, Anonymous
This past Christmas she was a single mom with two girls and working full time but not making enough to afford Christmas gifts for her girls. When I first spoke with her by phone she told me of the needs of the girls 10 and 5, what sizes they wore and how winter jackets were really needed as the 10 year old was wearing her jacket to school. When I tried to ask for other ideas she was very reluctant and said that this was very hard for her to even ask for jackets for the girls. I asked her to think about it a little and call me back in a few days.
I had no qualms about giving out our phone number.
A few days later she did call and we talked about her girls what their likes were, I learned the 10 year old loved to write and the 5 year old had some challenges but what also interested her.
I shopped for their needs but then started to look for things that might bring smiles to their faces.
I have always delivered the gifts in large black plastic bags so no one would see what was inside along with wrapping paper and bows. This delivery happened after church one Sunday at the place of her employment.
I was greeted warmly by a co-worker whom she had told I was coming and why.
When I met this mom she was so very grateful and thanked me for being their angel. I explained whose bags where whose and handed the gift wrapping and bows and expected to leave but she asked if she could look inside and would I stay? I was pleased to sit and watch this mom open the boxes for each child, I explained there were exactly the same number of boxes for each child. As the mom opened the boxes and reacted to each and every gift I felt like I had been given the best Christmas gift, the smiles and comments were priceless for me. She said "some day my girls will know your name and what you have done for us." Well it doesn't matter if they ever do, but a few days later we received a Christmas card with pictures of the two girls and a note saying I want you to know my girls and wishing us a blessed Christmas.