Mission Moment: Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep

This has been an extraordinary year, and I mean that by every possible definition of the word extraordinary. We have seen amazing blessings and great sadness. We see our families experiencing circumstances unlike any other time.

This year while we added an evening meal to serve the kids in the neighborhood, provided a summer enrichment camp to over 200 children, had our kids invited to participate in special events, and saw dozens of kids improve in their reading skills, we also saw 40 parents lose their jobs and 30 children leave our care (even though we begged their parents not to) when they lost state assistance for childcare for low wage earning working parents.

I hear how the economy is improving. I want to believe that. But when it bottomed out, those at the bottom felt it the hardest and are the slowest to recover. We continue to see families struggle. This year for our toy drive we have added household items because so many families need the basics.

Yesterday one of my teachers came to me asking for help for a friend of hers. Her friend has three small children. Her friend had started out in Public Housing but was turning her life around. She had graduated to Section 8 housing (these are apartments that are rented at a reduced rate based on family size and income, a stepping stone to a conventional rental).

Then she lost her job. She was unable to find another and because she had little income she lost her Section 8 housing. So she moved in with her mother and continued her job search. Her mom worked and was supporting her extended family.

Then mom got sick. And was hospitalized. And she lost her job. And she had no health insurance so the bills piled up, including her mortgage. She then lost her house.

So now the friend and her children are living in one room of a rooming house as she cobbles together work from here and there. We found some sheets, towels, pillows, quilts, and glasses from our donations to help her.

But it was not nearly enough.

Some people would say, "There but for the Grace of God go I." But I can't accept that. God's Grace and Goodness is without partiality. Rather, it is incumbent upon us who have plenty to take care of those who have lack. No one asks to be in poverty. And the road blocks out are many. Let us all continue to seek those for whom we may be the vehicle of God's Grace.