Homeless with cancer

Being homeless in freezing weather would be terrible. Living that way while fighting cancer would be unthinkable. However, that is reality for one homeless woman in Dothan, Ala.

Love In Action board member Brian Turner called me a couple of weeks ago and told me about a married couple who were homeless and that the wife had cancer. I told Brian to call David and Teresa and tell them that Love In Action would put them up in a hotel room.

They came to Dothan from Panama City, Fla., in hopes of receiving quality medical care as Dothan is known for its outstanding medical facilities. Teresa has an appointment toward the end of February. Hopefully that will lead to the proper treatment she needs.

David has been pounding the streets daily looking for work. He has raked leaves, trimmed shrubbery ... doing anything and everything he can do to earn a living. He is a hard-working man with some great skills. It's just work is hard to come by these days. He's an experienced welder and heavy equipment operator. He can also do carpentry work. He's applying tomorrow morning with a company that is hiring welders. We're praying that he gets that job. It would mean a regular income for him and Teresa. She's applied for work as well.

They are very involved in church. They both want to be in church every time the doors open. Their pastor has really done a good job of ministering to them and helping them the best his small church can. They have great hearts and I know God will bless them. Their pastor picks them up in the church van and brings them back to the hotel.

The amazing thing about Teresa is you would never know she has cancer. She has a great attitude. She's always upbeat and laughing. She doesn't have a "feel sorrow for me" attitude. She knows God is in control. She's a strong woman.

They are determined to make it, and they know Jesus is the One who will lead them through everything.

Thanks to those who support Love In Action, we have been able to help them with their hotel rent, food and clothes. We've also been helping them look for work. It was someone on our ministry's e-mail list who gave us the tip about the welder's job. Thanks Todd.

Please keep David and Teresa in your prayers. Pray for Teresa's healing and for David's job. Once David starts working, then the next goal will be to help them find permanent housing and to purchase them a vehicle. Right now they walk everywhere they go.

If anyone wants to donate a vehicle, they could certainly use it.

Please give to Love In Action. It's your donations that make it possible for us to help people like David and Teresa; good, hard-working people who are struggling right now.

I'm going to blog about other homeless people God has led us to, so you can read how real people are facing real serious issues. My prayer is it will lead more people to help. This is what Love In Action is all about ... Proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ through acts of compassion.