Dear Neighbor,My name is A_ _ _ and I deliver your weekly paper. I also do volunteer work in Omaha every Sunday with my family. We make food for the homeless and we give out toiletries and clothing to those in need.
Now that it is getting cooler we need sweatshirts, tube socks, coats, scarves, mittens, boots, blankets, sleeping bags and tents if you have one.
Some of the people do not get to sleep in a shelter. They sleep in forests – in ripped up tents and under bridges and in parks that look sad.
I give out toiletries every week with my dad. We often run out of stuff. This is what we need: soap, toothpaste, brushes, shampoo, foot powder, deodorant (tons of that as they use it alot). Ladies toiletries, backpacks and plastic bags.
Please call me on xxx-xxxx then we can pick up your donated items. Thank you very much. From A _ _ _ age 8 ½ and her mum and dad.
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The above letter was obviously written by an 8 ½ year old girl. When I saw this letter, I was absolutely blown away. Absolutely blown away. And you know why? Because a little girl gets it. She absolutely gets it. She came down to our downtown corner with her parents to help and went home with the idea that she would write a letter to people on her paper route to ask for help. Rarely a day goes by anymore without something really cool happening within this ministry. But this was so profound to me on many levels. First and foremost, like I said, she gets it. That there are people in need, in “forests – in ripped up tents and under bridges and in parks that look sad.” Lets help them. Seems pretty simple.
From the mind and mouths of children come some of the most wicked cool things sometimes, but that line, to me speaks volumes. One of our friends downtown, Harry, is a Vietnam vet. Harry lived in a “forest” for a while. He’s “relocated” to a shelter for now. Weather is hitting us pretty good right now. But there are still those who resist and stay in tents down close to the river. I don’t know how they do it. I don’t know how a person can possibly survive the winters in this town living outside with a thin tent as their sole protection against the harsh elements. But they do. And when this little girl learned of these folks, she took action. She did what her heart led her to. And in her heart? The love of Christ. The love of our Savior that lives in the heart of children. And the coolest thing about this, to me anyway, is the irony of a child helping a homeless person. A person in need. It’s easy to look at our kids and see them as needy (and Lord knows mine are sometimes) and it’s even easier to look at our friends downtown and see their needs. They are pretty hard to ignore sometimes. Especially today with our first taste of Nebraska winter. Guys standing in line waiting for a hot meal with no coat, no gloves, wet and torn sneakers. Nothing will move me to action quicker than that. Coats? We got ‘em. Gloves? Different story. We need gloves. Our friends need gloves. Boots? They need those also. And this little girl saw the need and stepped out to make a difference. Want an amazing testimony to the heart of a child. And child-like faith. To know that if she took the step, people would respond. And they have. One couple left word that they had a bag of things for her. When she went to pick up the donation, there was a note attached that stated they didn’t have any toiletry items, but they gave her $20 for her cause to pick up some of those items. An elderly couple who have no idea where or who that donation would go to, but who were willing to help out because a little girl asked. In a way that would be hard to say no to. For me anyway. I read her letter and was just moved. That a mission God blessed us with a little over a year ago would bear fruit in this way. That this little girl could be touched and moved to action. That many more are touched and moved to action weekly. Some daily. I’m profoundly amazed that there is such a need in the first place. I mean, we know there will always be those in need. It just works that way I guess. But the sheer fact that so many people are willing to give up their Sunday to help out in so many ways is something else. And that people from all faiths and denominations have listened to the call for help and have jumped on board is even more testimony to the work that God has called us all to.
I can’t shake the verse in James that speaks to helping those in need. I’ve referenced it before, but is simply says that if we tell our brother or sister to go, be well and stay warm, yet do nothing to help that individual, then what are we really doing? We meet people of all races, all nationalities, and all ages. There’s no discrimination when it comes to need. It crosses all boundaries. But some of the folks we meet are so very genuine. And so many of them know and love the Lord. They just are where they are and we are just along for the ride. The ride that includes a letter from a little girl asking others for help. One of the littlest of those seeking to help the least of those. And then doing something about it. Wow. Humbles and inspires me to get out into the “forest” and fix some of those ripped tents. To get out under the bridges and bring the joy of Christ to erase the sadness.
The thing is, when Robin and I felt this call to service, it was obvious that we couldn’t do it alone. We knew that. We had no idea where the journey would lead us. And who else might jump on for the ride. We’ve been blessed from day 1 in that regard. This letter tells me we’ll be blessed for as long as He wants us to continue. I’ve never once felt like this should end. By that I mean that I’ve felt that we’d do this for the duration. How long is that? Who knows? One guy asked me last week how long we’d be doing this. I think he was wondering if we’d be stopping for the winter. Nah. No stopping. I told him that when we see Gabriel stepping out on a cloud to call us all home, then I guess that’d be when we stopped. I don’t know. I just feel blessed to be a small part of what God is doing in that community. And this letter says it all for me. I love this ministry and I love God with all my heart and I absolutely love that He is using people of all races, ages, faiths, denominations, and walks of life to help people of all races, ages, faiths, denominations, and walks of life. Funny how that works. I want to openly thank this young lady for her efforts. I can’t imagine a more perfect letter, through the heart of a child to make a difference in the name of Christ. Thanks young lady and may you be blessed beyond your wildest imaginations. I know I have been. :)
Peace and have a great and blessed week.
..."it matters to that one"... :)
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