Monday, December 19, 2011

What's next???

January 22 we will be going again to Uturn Life Center. We will be taking duffle bags and backpacks. We are collecting them now.
I am not sure about the hot drinks, we took 4 gallons of hot chocolate and had about 2 gallons left. We also had 3 gallons left of the 5 gallons of coffee that we took.
Any ideas on what we should do?

Second time - December 18, 2011

This time, besides serving hot drinks and baked goods, we gave out Christmas gifts. We had gift bags of toys for the kids and personal care kits for the men and women. The kits included toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, razor, deodorant, lip balm, hand sanitizer, bandaids, hand lotion, and comb.
Right after we came, the pastor told us about a mom, named Debbie, who was crying because she had nothing to give her 11 year old for Christmas. We talked to Debbie about her son's sizes. Two of us left to go shopping at KMart to buy clothes, boots, and a few toys for the 11 year old. Debbie was so happy. We also found out that Debbie has a 17 year old who has been diagnosed with cancer. Debbie and her two sons live with and take care of her 89 year old father. She has no job. We drove her home to her dad's house because it was halfway across Springfield and the bags of gifts were heavy.
I saw King David again and talked to Kirk again.

First time - November 27, 2011

On saturday, I checked with area shelters to see where we should go. Was told that most of the homeless congregate at a place called Uturn Life Center. I stopped by and talked to the pastor there about coming the next day and he was very receptive to the idea. We had about 30 people volunteer to go. We set out baked good and hot drinks, gave away socks, scarves, hats, and gloves. Many of the volunteers played with the kids, visited with the adults and started building relationships.
I met a man who called himself King David. He is blind from what looks to be a cataract. I found out he loves chocolate cookies.
I also met a woman named Lori who is bi-polar, had an abusive father during her childhood, has an 18 year old daughter who was abused by grandfather, is also bi-polar, tried to commit suicide, and is currently in a psychiatric hospital. Lori asked for prayer for her and her daughter. She would like to see her daughter and wants her to get her meds regulated so she can get out of the hospital.
While handing out socks, Kirk asked if we had diabetic socks. I told him we didn't, but that I would bring him some. I went back later in the week and took socks to Kirk.

Introduction to Serving Up Warmth

October 2011
We began a new series at church called "outlive your life". Part of the sermon came from Ephesians 2:10 For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time. And from Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. ” 
Key words
You - ordinary people, you and me, manual laborers, low standing.  We are His witnesses now! I am the hope of the world because of what Jesus has left me with.
Witnesses-testify to the truth by the way we live as Christians. 
Power-power to love the person next to us, to give of ourselves to the people around us.
You will receive power and you will be my witnesses everywhere! Everywhere... Our neighborhood, our town, our county, our state, the United States, and into foreign countries.
During Sunday school we watched a short Video of people who stepped out and started serving others. Often times these people stepped out of their comfort zone to serve.
I decided to start taking hot coffee, hot chocolate, and some baked goods to the homeless in Springfield. I set a date to start, asked people at church to go along, and started collecting hats, gloves, scarves, and socks to give out as well.
Many people at church were willing to help and to go.