Valentine's for the homeless

As the heavy set homeless man read his Valentine's card tears streamed down his face. His emotions were of sadness and joy. After wiping away the tears, a smile shined forth from his face, and he said "thank you."

That happened Tuesday night at Love In Action's free health clinic for the homeless in Dothan, Ala. The man has a small child, but through some circumstances he hasn't seen her in a while and he misses her. Every time we see him, he asks us to pray for her.

The Valentine card that brought tears to his eyes was written and designed by an elementary school student at Providence Christian School in Dothan.

I was invited to the school on Monday for their Valentine's assembly to receive a donation of hygiene products, socks and underwear. The children collected a large amount of items for Love In Action. It filled up my truck. Then they presented me with something I wasn't expecting ... Valentine's cards designed and written by the students. Every class wrote Valentine's for us to give to those in need.

Martha and I looked over some of them that night, and they were precious. We decided to hand them out Tuesday night at the health clinic and at Celebrate Recovery Inside. Like the man who cried when he opened his Valentine, these cards touched and melted the hearts of each person who received one.

Many times we are asked, "can children help your ministry?" The answer is an obvious yes. These children from Providence touched the hearts of the men and women like none of us adults could. For many of the homeless and the inmates in work release, they have not seen their children in a long time. They miss their children and it hurts their hearts not to be able to see them.

Those Valentines weren't from their children, but it was the closest thing to receiving one from them. They appreciated it more than words could say. But that one man's tears said it all.

Thank you children from Providence. You did a wonderful thing. You did God's work and touched the lives of the needy, which is exactly what our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ instructs us to do.

The children have given Martha and me an idea. Next Valentine's Day we are going to ask the children at Providence and some other Christian schools and Sunday School classes to make Valentine cards. Then we will give them out here in Dothan and send them to our contacts throughout the nation so the homeless in cities like Baton Rouge, Atlanta and Memphis will receive a sweet card on Valentine's Day.

God is so good, and we thank God for children. They can touch our hearts like nobody else.