Shower Ministry up and running

When you come home after working hard and sweating all day at work, doesn't a hot shower feel great? Imagine being able to take a shower because you live in a tent in the woods or under a bridge. Or, imagine not having the money to pay your water bill or only having cold water because you cannot afford the electric bill to make the hot water heater work.

All of those scenarios are reality for many people, and Love In Action is providing a way to help through our Shower Ministry. A hot shower can go a long way in helping people feel better about themselves. I often tell people that the homeless really do care about their hygiene. They care about if they smell or not. But, when you don't have a place to go to take a shower, there isn't much you can do about it.

That has changed now in Dothan as our Shower Ministry began yesterday (Oct. 8) at the Love In Action Ministry Center. George, our volunteer plumber, finished installing the shower yesterday, and four men were able to take hot showers. You should have seen the smiles on their faces as they felt good to be clean and to have such a nice shower to get clean in.

We want to thank George for his hard work. He has re-worked the entire plumbing system at the LIA Ministry Center. Thanks to George's expertise and dedication, and people donating the finances for us to purchase all of the plumbing supplies, we are now able to wash people's clothes with our Laundry Ministry and provide a hot shower with our Shower Ministry. Praise God!

These are real needs and we thank God we can help meet them. These two ministries are more ways we can spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through acts of compassion. When people see you care about their needs, they are open to listening to what you have to say. And, if you are showing the love and compassion of Jesus Christ to them, then they realize this Jesus we talk about really does love and care for them, too.

The Laundry and Shower ministries take place every Saturday at the Love In Action Ministry Center from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Of course, if the homeless need help on a different day we will certainly help them.