It was a very cold day, around 10 degrees. Harold and I were watching the news when the newscaster started interviewing a homeless woman that was sleeping on the streets of Portland because she owned a dog and the shelters would not let her have her animal in the shelter. When ask what if anything would you like the people to know or do for you she stated “ bring me a cup of hot chocolate”. Of all the things she could have ask for all she wanted was something warm to drink. Of course Harold and I looked at each other and immediately felt the calling of the Lord to go out on the streets and hand out hot chocolate, blankets, gloves and hand warmers. We called the Jerry and Rose and Jerry and Pam to see if they would like to go out with us. We had the Bergamo family Christmas that night so that put us out on the streets about 10:30 PM. We called Jeanie who works with the homeless and she went as well. We prayed prior to leaving and Jerry Z. felt God was telling him shopping center and Oak tree. It was very cold that night and I remember thinking God goes before us and comes after us so I had no fear but was very cold. The first stop we made there were four men and all of them were very cold. Brad was one of the men there and he started to cry and ask what do I do I am very tired of this. The last time Brad was on the streets he was stabbed and in pretty poor health. We told him to meet us at the Store down the street at 9am and we would take him to church with us and that we would talk about what to do then. We continued on and were able to serve many people that night. We even went out to the place called the pits in the middle of Bush Park in the dark. It is a place with some shelter and the guys hide in there when the weather is bad. I thought is was a pretty safe place for them to be but found out latter that the high schools kids go in there and beat up the homeless and helpless. Which really broke my heart. The last stop was on the off ramp going onto highway 22. When we stopped there was a lady there sleeping under a tree and she was freezing with only one blanket. We couldn’t stay long because if we had attracted the police they would make the homeless leave and give them a ticket. This spot was across from the shopping center and the tree was an oak tree just as God had told Jerry. We ended getting home about 2 or 3 am and we were very tired and cold.
The next morning we went to pick up Brad at the Store and he was not there because we were late so we went to Jeanie’s house behind the store and there was Brad waiting for us. We headed off to church and on the way we ask Brad if he would consider going the Lord’s Ranch in Newport Washington which would get him out of his stomping grounds and away from the access to drugs and alcohol. He decided to go so we got him a bus ticket, Harold called the ranch and made arrangements for them to pick up Brad in Spokane and away he went. Harold received a letter from him and he is doing great. Before he left we found out that Brad had a learning disability and could not read real well so Harold shared that with Michael at the ranch and they said that they would work on it with him. In his letter he stated that he is a slow reader but God told him that it is okay and he is now reading in front of 40 men at the ranch. He is very excited and in love with the Lord. He stated that he shines at fixing vehicles and is working on the cars and trucks donated to the ranch. He also was healed of drugs and alcohol addictions. One day at the ranch he was really struggling and one of the guys came up and started praying for him and he felt the addiction lift off of him. I guess the reason I am writing this is because God has a destiny for all of us. Harold’s and mine are working on the streets of Salem with the homeless for now. That my not be your cup of tea but God does have a plan for every one of you every day of your life and when you are obedient to what God is calling you to do it will excite you and warm you heart. Not only that you will save lives for the Lord. God Bless you and keep you.
No comments:
Post a Comment