Feeling Called

A few months ago, a couple moved to this area from Texas. Shortly after they arrived, the woman found out she had cancer. In fact, her entire body is riddled with cancer and she's now struggling to survive.

So incredibly sad, isn't it? But that isn't all... This couple is homeless.

Donna is too weak to live on the streets. She doesn't have the strength to ride the buses all day for lack of anywhere else to go. She can't stand in long lines waiting for a free meal or one of the few cots in a shelter. Sitting in the library for hours on end is just not a possibility.

Now I don't know their story. I don't know anything else about them except their names: Dave and Donna.

Pastor Jim has mentioned Dave and Donna in his sermons a couple times -- their struggles and their hopes and their unfailing belief in God. And over the past few weeks, he's been trying desperately to follow God's lead to help them.

When I talked to Jim this past Wednesday at church, he mentioned his efforts at trying to secure Dave and Donna an apartment. He said it felt like a house of cards. The simple act of obtaining an apartment was anything but simple. Because so many organizations were involved in trying to make it happen, if any one thing fell through, the whole house of cards would fall.

But yesterday there was a message on the machine when I got home. The good Lord held up that perilous house of cards and Dave and Donna now have an apartment!

They have an apartment and they have a bed. That's it. No cups, no sheets, no towels, no can opener. Nothing.

On Wed., I had offered some pots and pans I'm no longer using so when Jim called yesterday, he asked if I could drop them off to Dave and Donna. After a prayer of thanks to the Big Guy, I ran around the house trying to pull together anything else I could that they might need.

I found a few things, but not much. Not enough. I feel so strongly that I'm being called to help Dave and Donna. The least important thing right now is that I've never met them. They are two people going through h-e-double hockey sticks and I want -- no, I need -- to help them.

When Scott gets home tonight, we're going to take the kids to BigLots, the Dollar Store and Wal-Mart to pick up additional supplies for Dave and Donna. Now we're on a pretty tight budget, but think about it... $100 doesn't seem to go far these days. But $100 will buy a plethora of needed supplies for a couple in dire straights.

I really want Hayley and Emma involved in this process. They know there are less fortunate people around. They've seen homeless people on the street and lining the hallways at our church (which serves as a shelter during the winter months). But seeing the less privileged and understanding the concept of "privilege" are two totally different things.

I want them to know, to truly appreciate what they have. And I want Dave and Donna to know that they are not alone in this -- that people care and really are willing to help.