Today I worked my Saturday at the freestore. How sad it is that is such a busy place and grown in such need in just the time that I have worked there.
We had a case of a homeless elderly couple that came in that had been living week to week in a hotel, but now had downsized to their car. The gentle man came in and when I asked if I could help..if he would like a drink and a doughnut, he said yes, but he thought his wife would really like one too. I encourage her to come in also!, but he explained that she couldn't walk well and that couldn't see good because of cataracts. We went to help her in and saw quickly how very sadly she needed really a wheelchair and realized that they both were sitting in their own soil.
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Just last month many of OUR resources...the names WE give out to these people for help, shut their doors and asked us to no longer give out their numbers. That they had run out of funds and could not help any longer. We are just a church that runs on donations, and the need seems so great.
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Social Services was closed for the weekend. We couldn't not leave them. We called the police who came and I think treated them very nice. The lady left in a stretcher. There was doubt and controversy over this because people were concerned that this was not help, and that they would just be put back out on the street. I know this to probably be true, but I felt good knowing that for today they were cleaned up and helped. What could we do?
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Mixed in with of the sad there is such hope though. Such good people working and doing God's work. Sweet stories of wonderful people. I met a lady today who was in her 60's with twin sons in their 20's. One had been born handicapped. Here she was in her 60's still trying to make due. She had come looking for men's ties. Her healthy son had gotten a job! He needed them to keep looking nice everyday! I showed her the few we had and she beamed and took them all! LOL~Good luck to him!
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I met an elderly gentlemen who's sole purpose was to find himself a suit. He wouldn't take the bag of food (though he probably could of used it just a bad as anyone else). I couldn't believe my eyes when in the mish mash of jackets and pants I found a 3 piece suit in his size! I told him it was like it had been placed there for him! He was thrilled and left with only his suit :)
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Tonight, as I am so very blessed with my health and family and home, I ask God to please watch over these sweet souls out there that are no different than me, and deserve no less than any of us...and to thank Him for this opportunity to be his hands and feet for...and to remember to do it every chance I get!
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