Please Start!

I get a phone call last week saying that our short bus is having some issues and won't start! So, yesterday I was able to get our mechanic department, also know as Ernie Johns, to the bus to get it in driving shape. We paid a total of $1,300 for it early last year, and it has turned out to be a good investment. However, anytime you pay $1,300 you can't count on it to run forever!

So, a majority of my day went to fixing the bus, or should I say "supervising" Ernie get the bus going. It took a couple of hours to even get the batteries charged to get it started the first time. Than we set off for the local Carquest to make sure the batteries were still good. They were put out a good charge, but when we shut it off it wouldn't start back up. We (Ernie) than decided that there was too much starter drag and changed out the starter in the Carquest parking lot. I have always heard stories of these types of things happening, but never part of it. The bus immediately started right up! I was excited that the bus was back in action!

I drove the bus back to our building, and started to back it in to it's parking spot when all of the sudden it started driving funny! One of the caliper's clips broke and now we had to fix that. After H.O.P.E at the 302 we went back out to the bus, and Ernie was able to get a new caliper on! If you look closely at the picture on the right you will see two people. One is Ernie and the other is his son, Keegan, who is 3. He was right there beside his dad saying "What is that?" or "How does that work?" It was awesome! I can see 20 years in the future, and it will be Keegan as our new mechanic department at The Lot Project.

So, that was my day, and I want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to all of our volunteers just like Ernie and Keegan, who God has given gifts to use. With out you willing to give your time and talents things would never be where they are today!

Keeping going!

There are times when doing the things that we are doing really take a toll on you. However, when you receive emails like this one from someone who comes to HOPE at the 302 it makes everything worth it, and gives you the drive to keep going! Here is what she had to say:

"OH! How I love Jesus!!! I had no plans yest to go to the Lot. My friend that volunteers there came by and reminded me I could go yest to get some clothes for my son. My husband and I are divorcing after 25 yrs of marriage. He has wanted a divorce since he began dating a woman. He moved in with her in July. Our 12 year old son was devastated and it's been the most painful time we have ever experienced. I had been thinking that I needed to get my son involved in a service organization. I decided to stop by The Lot and look for 2 shirts for my son. Well, Praise the Lord Kat told me I could help serve. My son and I signed up. Some boys came in that looked my son's age. My son said, "Mom, I'm not getting anything for me until they get what they want". OH!!!!! Praise Jesus Christ for that experience last night for both of us. We've had our minds so fixed on our pain and helping those people find clothes made us FEEL GREAT! If it's the Lord's will, we will come next Mon and Tues. I attend the Sanctuary of Praise Pentecostal church here in Anderson. I'm going to ask my church for donations. I will pray for you, the volunteers, and the people that come. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Donation Center

The Donation Center was one of my idea's when I first came to work with The Lot Project. The idea came from having to drive all over Anderson to pick things up for people to donate, and also having to go to the building all times of the day to open it for people to drop donations off. It was just a real hassle, and thought that it would make for better time management to set up one night for everyone to bring the donations to us, and allow us time to set everything up for the next day when we were to give it all away. I remember looking back on the very first Donation Center when Kat Laun, and myself were the only one's there. We didn't get much accomplished, and their weren't any donations. To be honest I was a little bit frustrated. However, the next day everything we clean and in order. Now there are usually anywhere from 5 - 15 people who show up to help. Its really pretty incredible how much people really enjoy and want to be involved in something as simple as organizing donations and putting them on shelves. It is pretty amazing to see how it impacts peoples lives, and the friendships that come out of that time. It makes a huge difference when we are able to be organized and makes the next day so much easier. If anyone who helps at the Donation Center is reading thing I want you to know how much I appreciate your help, and have enjoyed getting to know each of you over the past few months! You have had an impact on my life, and are helping impact those in your community! If you would like to get involved by helping put away donations or if you would like to donate your old clothes, shoes, furniture, and appliances we meet at Building 302 every Monday from 5-7!

God Bless~

Andy

Made a new friend Today

So, today started out just like most other days at The Lot Project. Matt and I went to workout, and then came home to get the day started. I had to make my daily trip to Staples to make some copies. Little did I know what I would find. A guy was hitchin a ride, and I rolled down my window to see where he was going. He said that he just needed a ride downtown. So, he got in my car, and we went to Staples. I called one of our board members that invited us to lunch. Chris and I headed to lunch, and you could tell he was very uncomfortable. You could tell he just wanted to leave, but he stayed. We ended up to taking him to our building to get some clothes because everything he had was stolen at the Greyhound. He wasn't very talkative, but was very appreciative. I dropped him off at Pappa T's here in town, and he is supposed to come back to the building tonight to try and get him a place to stay tonight. Please pray for Chris, because it appeared that he was commin off of something, and that he will come back tongith!

God Bless,

Andy