Hey guys,
I wasn't really planning on writing a blog this morning, but while cleaing my bedroom I wanted to share a story about The LOT Project that has really affected me this week. I got an email this week from one of my volunteers, Tracy, telling me about a lady that comes in. I know this family, but don't know them all that well... but I can tell you don't miss them when they come into The 302 (our building). There is a single mom, who is absolutely fantastic! She is what I believe part of the reason we do what we do! She has 5 children a 13 year old daughter who is so sweet, and 4 rambunctious younger brothers ranging in age from 2-9years old, which I can only imagine what that is like raising them!
We have volunteers that there only responsibility when our guests come in is to play with the children, while their parent(s)look for clothes. It not only meets a physical need, but it also gives the parents a break! We have other volunteers that just talk, listen, love, and pray with our guests. This week at HOPE,Tracy was talking to the mother and she said "The LOT Project has been my rescue" and now she's working on opening a day care here in Anderson! Tracy went on to say "It about brought me to tears thinking I'm part of something so Outrageous!"
Since, I am one of the leaders at The LOT Project, I don't always get to hear first hand all the amazing things that go on. However, when I got this email... well, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it! It's incredible to me how God just continues to bless me! Emails of encouraging stories from both our guests, and how are volunteers are getting their hearts broken for those in need. 3 years ago when I was finishing up my Master's Degree, I would have never guessed that I would doing what I am doing! Living 700 miles away from my family, living off support, or even running a non-profit agency! I am not even sure I can put into words how I am feeling right now? Other than to say that I am BLESSED!
Showing posts with label The Lot Project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Lot Project. Show all posts
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Crown Molding
Below is an email that I recieved from one of The LOT Project Volunteers. I just thought it says alot about how God works in our lives!
Walking with Crown Molding
I'm a newbie volunteer to a local ministry that serves as a conduit for food, clothing, personal items and other various basic living items to the poor and the outcast in downtown Anderson. On Tuesday afternoons, the ministry opens its doors and a hundred or so forgotten members of society come into the donation center and have access to clothing, shoes, toys, and a freshly prepared meal. As a newbie, I am still in the "what am I supposed to do?" stage.
I'm looking around, literally wondering what I'm supposed to be doing. The initial rush of guests had slowed and I notice an elderly gentleman sitting alone, with no items that he has chosen to take home and no food. It's a hot day; surely he could use an ice cold bottle of water. So I sit down next to him and, trying not to feel guilty for sitting, I began to ask if he wanted anything to eat or perhaps water. He quietly comments that he will probably take a bottle of water with him when he leaves. He had me to try and guess his age and I learned he is in his mid 80's. He shares a few secrets with me on how to stay young and how to stay out of trouble. We share a few laughs. I asked him his name and he asks mine. After learning my name is Debbie, he tells me has a daughter named Debbie. So I asked if his daughter lived here in Anderson. "Oh nooooo, she's passed on." He shares this quietly and peacefully. He then introduced me to his friend. There is obviously a strong bond of affection between this man and woman. They seemed quite contented and happy with each other.
Our conversation was cut short when I noticed another elderly lady, alone and trying to juggle her bag of clothes, food and soda. So I say a few parting comments to the lovebirds and let the woman have the seat I had been occupying. I'm looking around, literally wondering what I'm supposed to be doing.
My eyes are immediately drawn to a very tall, elderly person. At this point, I am uncertain if the person is a male or female. I did notice, however, that she is having great difficulty walking and is using a short piece of crown molding as a cane. Both ends of the molding have a cut mitered edge. One pointed edge is pressing into the floor as she walks; the opposite pointed edge is pressing into the palm of her hand. There is a small stepdown that she is trying to tackle. My heart is exploding inside me for I can feel her struggle and I can imagine how incredibly challenging it is use a piece of crown molding as a cane.
Without thinking, I walked over to her and asked, "Ma'am, would you like to have a cane like this?" She immediately responded affirmitively and showed to me the palm of her hand where the pointed end of the crown molding was digging into her flesh. She had a piece of tape on her hand, trying to soften the impact. I helped adjust my cane to the length that would accommodate her. In a state of shock I walked away from her, trying to remind myself to simply breath. At this point, she shuffled past me on the way to the shoes. I looked down at the shoes she had on. The shoes were enormously too big for her. She displayed a torsional deformity with her toes pointing outward, almost in opposite directions. I hoped that we had a better fitting pair of shoes for her in the back and asked one of the more experienced volunteers to help her. I waddled upstairs and into the bathroom to finish shedding the tears that by this time were flooding down my face.
Finally when I had somewhat regained my composure, I reappeared back onto the ministry floor to find a staff member sharing with her that God wants to have a relationship with her. As she is walking away with a new pair of shoes and a new cane, she tells me that her name is Elaine.
How long Elaine has had to walk with the support of crown molding, I have no clue. But I do know that she walked out with more support and stability than she walked in.
How long you and I walk with the support of something less than what is really needed is just as big a heartbreaking circumstance for Almighty God and loving Father to witness. Just as you and I view a disabled person struggling to accomplish the simplest task in life, so the Father sees us all.
Crippled. Twisted. Hurting. Needy.
What do you need from Him so that you can walk with power, with stability and unhindered by the obstacles of life? What have we been holding onto, like the lady with crown molding, trying to hobble along as best we can when the Great Physician has what we need?
Walking with Crown Molding
I'm a newbie volunteer to a local ministry that serves as a conduit for food, clothing, personal items and other various basic living items to the poor and the outcast in downtown Anderson. On Tuesday afternoons, the ministry opens its doors and a hundred or so forgotten members of society come into the donation center and have access to clothing, shoes, toys, and a freshly prepared meal. As a newbie, I am still in the "what am I supposed to do?" stage.
I'm looking around, literally wondering what I'm supposed to be doing. The initial rush of guests had slowed and I notice an elderly gentleman sitting alone, with no items that he has chosen to take home and no food. It's a hot day; surely he could use an ice cold bottle of water. So I sit down next to him and, trying not to feel guilty for sitting, I began to ask if he wanted anything to eat or perhaps water. He quietly comments that he will probably take a bottle of water with him when he leaves. He had me to try and guess his age and I learned he is in his mid 80's. He shares a few secrets with me on how to stay young and how to stay out of trouble. We share a few laughs. I asked him his name and he asks mine. After learning my name is Debbie, he tells me has a daughter named Debbie. So I asked if his daughter lived here in Anderson. "Oh nooooo, she's passed on." He shares this quietly and peacefully. He then introduced me to his friend. There is obviously a strong bond of affection between this man and woman. They seemed quite contented and happy with each other.
Our conversation was cut short when I noticed another elderly lady, alone and trying to juggle her bag of clothes, food and soda. So I say a few parting comments to the lovebirds and let the woman have the seat I had been occupying. I'm looking around, literally wondering what I'm supposed to be doing.
My eyes are immediately drawn to a very tall, elderly person. At this point, I am uncertain if the person is a male or female. I did notice, however, that she is having great difficulty walking and is using a short piece of crown molding as a cane. Both ends of the molding have a cut mitered edge. One pointed edge is pressing into the floor as she walks; the opposite pointed edge is pressing into the palm of her hand. There is a small stepdown that she is trying to tackle. My heart is exploding inside me for I can feel her struggle and I can imagine how incredibly challenging it is use a piece of crown molding as a cane.
Without thinking, I walked over to her and asked, "Ma'am, would you like to have a cane like this?" She immediately responded affirmitively and showed to me the palm of her hand where the pointed end of the crown molding was digging into her flesh. She had a piece of tape on her hand, trying to soften the impact. I helped adjust my cane to the length that would accommodate her. In a state of shock I walked away from her, trying to remind myself to simply breath. At this point, she shuffled past me on the way to the shoes. I looked down at the shoes she had on. The shoes were enormously too big for her. She displayed a torsional deformity with her toes pointing outward, almost in opposite directions. I hoped that we had a better fitting pair of shoes for her in the back and asked one of the more experienced volunteers to help her. I waddled upstairs and into the bathroom to finish shedding the tears that by this time were flooding down my face.
Finally when I had somewhat regained my composure, I reappeared back onto the ministry floor to find a staff member sharing with her that God wants to have a relationship with her. As she is walking away with a new pair of shoes and a new cane, she tells me that her name is Elaine.
How long Elaine has had to walk with the support of crown molding, I have no clue. But I do know that she walked out with more support and stability than she walked in.
How long you and I walk with the support of something less than what is really needed is just as big a heartbreaking circumstance for Almighty God and loving Father to witness. Just as you and I view a disabled person struggling to accomplish the simplest task in life, so the Father sees us all.
Crippled. Twisted. Hurting. Needy.
What do you need from Him so that you can walk with power, with stability and unhindered by the obstacles of life? What have we been holding onto, like the lady with crown molding, trying to hobble along as best we can when the Great Physician has what we need?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
What it is all about!
Every Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. we have what is called The Feeding. The Feeding is a time where anyone who is in need can come and get free food, free clothes, and a warm heart. On average we are giving away about 100 meals, numerous articles of clothing, and are able to pray with people before they leave.
Sometimes as one of the "leaders" you get caught up in the hustle and bustle of making sure that volunteers are in the right places, that we have enough food, and that everything is organized. Last night was no different until the end of the night when one family was there still finding things that they needed. It was a single mom named Kim and her two kids. Kim told me that she had heard about what was going on and that she had tried to make it on several occasion, but was never able to. She also said "I'm a single mom, and it is hard!" You could see the pain in her eyes, and I felt lead to say a pray for her! After the prayer she had tears running down her face, not because of anything that I did, but because of God working through me. The two volunteers that were left were able to help Kim get all of her new things, mostly clothes for her little boy pictured in the top left, to her van. As they were getting ready to leave one of the volunteers asked if she needed a jacket, and she said yes. He proceeded to take off the jacket that he was wearing and give it to her.
Even this morning as I am writing this I can not help but think isn't this what it is all about? I am blessed to be apart of such a tremendous move of God, it is through him that we get our strength, drive and passion! Please keep us in your prayers as we try to organize and move forward in the name of Jesus!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
My First Week!
I obviously made it safe and sound to Anderson, South Carolina! I am all moved in, and living in an apartment complex in one of the nicer area's of Anderson. However, this specific complex is fairly rough. There are atleast 3 drug dealers in our complex, and a one is said to be one of the largest in Anderson. When pulling into our complex it by no means is a stretch of the imagination for you to smell an all to familiar aroma.
It has been an amazing first week, and specifically last night. We do have a building and are trying to utilize it as best we can until we get the funding to build and operate the emergency shelter. On Tuesday's from 4 p.m-6 p.m. we give away food and clothes to anyone in need. It is also a way that we can provide a place for those in the church to volunteer and get involved in the community. Last night we were able to give away 110 sandwiches, bags of chips, and water bottles. We also able to give away 15 pairs of shoes, 74 articles of clothing, and a number of kitchen items! We had 44 volunteers last night, and a majority of our volunteers were jr./sr high schoolers that attend New Spring Church. As the word of what The Lot Project has spread more, and more people are wanting to get involved. The crazy part is that The Lot Feeding has only taken place for 4 weeks now!
Before I came to Anderson, I knew that God had something planned, but I had no clue what I was getting myself into. Right before I left I read Ephesians 2:8-10, which says " For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's Workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." I am beginning to realize that He has so much planned for us to do in this community, and it is so much bigger than us! Please pray for us as we continue to go into the streets and reach those in need!
-God Bless
Andy
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