…received yesterday…
It is Thursday morning, and I’m so grateful to God for such a beautiful gathering yesterday evening at Tim’s House! Our good friend, Dave, (Sweet Baby Ray) brought a delicious meal and, as always, spent time visiting with old and new friends. There is truly a family experience at Tim’s House that only God could make possible among our group as well as volunteers, and it’s easy to see that people are so happy to see each other. Loneliness is something many people experience, especially for those who struggle with homelessness, and I love that God created this community.
We read from the Book of Acts, Chapter 1, last night and the conversation around the Scripture was powerful and people were saying with smiles on their face, “I feel something here! I feel God’s love here! This is God!” I was talking to a 77-year old man (newer to our group) at the end of the evening and told him how happy we were that he was there with us, and then a few of us gave him a hug. He has been homeless for years and doesn’t smile and often has his head down and doesn’t talk much, but he broke into this very sweet smile and said, “I’m a loner and keep to myself and I was taking it all in during the Bible Study and listening and it feels good to be here – I don’t feel alone and I’ll see you on Friday.” We are helping him apply for subsidized housing and it’s unimaginable that at age 77 he is outside.
Having a safe place to call home is one of the most basic human needs. It is more than just a roof over someone’s head. People experience stability, dignity, rest, safety, hope for rebuilding. It is difficult for someone to take care of their physical or mental health or work when they do not know where they will sleep each night. But, through God’s help, one person at a time, doors for housing are miraculously opened.
A young woman who has been homeless for years and has tried to keep a part-time job (but lost it) is finally going to be moving into Mercy Housing (a room with a kitchen and bath in a building) in a few weeks, and she is so happy and said she has a hard time really believing that she will finally be living in her own place. That’s the experience of most of our friends–that they can’t let themselves believe it will really happen until the moment they open that door with their own key! I’ll keep you posted regarding what she may need to get set up. We are all so happy for her at Tim’s House.
And yet, another man shared last night that he is now homeless again because of a paperwork ‘glitch’ that happened at the place where he was staying…but we’re helping him, talking to the people in his building, making arrangements for emergency housing because he is disabled, and he has a family at Tim’s House and we have God. “With man these things are not possible, but with God all things are possible!”
Thanks to you, also, for all that you do to help us provide for our friends.
Everyone loves to see our good friend, Sweet Baby Ray, who comes to Tim’s House each month.
Love, blessings, and happy Mother’s Day
Marian
The Porch of the Lord 