Homeless ministry increases

The more work we accomplish with the renovations to the new Love In Action Ministry Center the more homeless people God sends our way.

For example, there is a couple we have been helping. Donald and Carla were homeless and he was hitting the streets every day looking for work. Odd jobs ... whatever he could find to earn money so they could stay in a motel that costs about $25 a night. Not the best accommodations as you might imagine. But, when that is your only option, you take what you can get.

Carla has some medical issues that we have been able to assist with, along with other needs. Then one evening Donald called me and said, "I have an awesome praise report to tell you." A local businessman had given Donald some work and saw how hard he worked to take care of his wife. The businessman and his wife, buy houses, fix them up, then sells them. So, they told Donald and Carla they could move into one of their houses rent and utilities free for two months to help them get back on their feet. Praise God!

That brought tears to mine and Martha's eyes. I told a group of women from Mt. Gilead Baptist Church who were helping us that evening at the LIA health clinic and they were excited too. In fact, they bought Donald and Carla a bed, sheets, pillows, a table, and groceries.

They didn't have any furniture, and wouldn't you know it, God placed it on someone's heart to donate a house full of furniture to Love In Action. The cool thing about that is if we didn't have somewhere to take it, we would have had to turn it down because we don't have any storage space like we did with the warehouse we rented the past two years.

We loaded up the cargo trailer and my truck and moved it into Donald and Carla's house. Praise God! I love it when God does stuff like that. A need arises, and He fills it.

Then a couple of weeks ago we met a really sweet homeless woman named Hayden. We have been able to help her and she has been coming to our Wednesday night Bible studies. She is a hard worker too. She works at a fast food restaurant and walks to it from her hotel room every day she is scheduled to work. Finding a full-time job for her is our goal.

She is very quiet and doesn't ask for a thing. Martha has really taken Hayden under her wing so to speak. The two of them hit it off wonderfully right from the start. I couldn't think of a better mentor or role model for Hayden.

She feels comfortable at Love In Action. Last Tuesday night a big thunderstorm hit Dothan. We saw it coming and closed down the clinic before it hit. Nobody was in the clinic and our outside table and supplies were about to get blown away.

Martha and I drove back to the ministry center and unloaded our trucks. Hayden saw us and came over just before the bad weather hit. We invited her in and the three of us enjoyed a spaghetti dinner that we were serving at the clinic. It was a very nice time and meant a lot to Hayden, and to us too.

We treat the homeless like family, because they are. That's how Jesus treats everyone, and we just want to follow Him and His ways.

We couldn't do any of this without all of you who pray for us, and who donate financially. And, we are so thankful for all of our volunteers. Together, we are making a difference for the Kingdom of God.