I
looked up and there he was; Grizzly Adams. Well, that’s who he reminds me of. We’ve
been walking with him for the last 5 or 6 years. He had loved on a Grandma
raising her grandson but the Grandma died but he continues helping her son
raise the little guy.
He
took life for granted, including his wife until she got sick. He was “a beer
guzzler” and a self-professed “bad man” until she died. After he lost her, he
quit drinking cold turkey and retreated into his shack. I drive over once in
awhile and give him a gift card so he can get some groceries. He reminds me
that he doesn’t deserve kindness, but he takes the gift card only because he’s
hungry.
We
have included him in our Holiday Helping Hands Project for the last few years. This year he asked for a
coat, gloves and jeans. He was adopted by a couple and the wife delivered his
gifts. He has some pit bulls in the yard so needless to say she was a bit
hesitant to enter the gate. He came out and received the gifts with a full
heart.
He
helped our ministry move into our new home. Each time he sees me he says,
“You’re nicer to me than family, so if you need anything I wanna help ya.” He
called and asked to talk to me in person. He sat in front of me in his new coat
and jeans, his hands stained with years of grease and dirt, food particles in
his long beard, hat in his hand, smelling of wood smoke with tears in his
eyes. He looked down as he spoke. He
said he needs to go to court. He owes hundreds of dollars in fines and he’s
afraid, “That judge may lock me up or make me do community service, my heart
ain’t as strong as it used to be and what about my dogs.” He was ashamed. He
was afraid.
I
put my hand on his and I told him I would get him to court. I reminded him he
was not alone and I would be there to help whatever the judge said. He said I’ve helped him enough. I leaned down
to look into his eyes and I told him that Jesus loves him wholly and completely
and that Jesus died for all of his sins. I was brought into his life to share
the love of Jesus and there is no limitation on that love. Everything that Isaiah
58, In His Service offers, is God’s first so as Jesus provides we give.
This
gruff ol’ soul goes out every day picking up cans to sell. He repairs lawn
mowers and fixes whatever he can to make a little cash. This is how he pays his
fines. His social security check pays his rent. Sometimes he has water and
electricity, more often than not, he doesn’t. The last time I gave him a gift
card for food he said, “I don’t want to make you mad but I bought a little
outfit for the baby and some food, they needed some help.” I gave him a bear
hug and he said, “A week of liverwurst’s not so bad.” He smiled.
We
got him to court and the judge didn’t order community service, “Said I was too
old for that.” But, the judge told him to pay his fines. Since court we have
paid for his tag and insurance on his truck. We gave him blankets, a comforter
and gas for his truck. God willing we will help pay off his fines.
He’s
been going to church with us the last few Sundays. He said he’s never been in a
church like ours. He likes the music, “And that preacher, he makes sense and I
think he’s been talkin’ just to me.” No one has shied away from shaking his
greasy hand. When I dropped him off
after church he said, “I wish my girl could see me today, I miss her so but I
think she’d like how I’m changin’ for the better.” Without a doubt!
2017
was our 13th
Annual Holiday Helping Hands Project. It wasn’t started to be an
annual event. We began in 2005 when I worked at OU Pediatrics. Our prayer was to provide Christmas to a few
families who may otherwise not have anything. We decided to give gifts to everyone
living in the home and the promise was, “We will deliver before Santa Claus
comes down the chimney at midnight on Christmas Eve.” We required no
application, we said ‘yes’ to everyone who asked for help, and we made sure to
be ready to help the week before Christmas. It was quickly discovered that no
agency or ministry was available to adopt new families during the week of
Christmas, so since we’re a “gap filler” ministry, that’s when we get a lot of
requests for help so we give! The Holiday Helping
Hands Project begins in November and continues into January. If
folks weren’t loved on for Christmas and God brings them to our attention we
rally the troops and keep giving!
These
values and promises have remained over the years. Some of you have been
faithful from the beginning, including adopting, buying, wrapping and
delivering! You have been willing to go into some homes that are scary looking
and into neighborhoods with a bad reputation.
You have been willing to go where Jesus calls us to serve, where it’s
dirty, smelly, shocking and heart breaking.
I
wish I could articulate just how much our Holiday Helping Hands Project means
to these folks; single moms with kids, seniors living alone, kids with special
needs, widows and widowers, foster families, Veterans, homeless, those living
in extreme poverty, folks who feel forgotten, those going through cancer
treatment, cancer survivors, those on Hospice, homebound folks, folks with
mental illness, addictions and chronic illnesses, kids – of all ages. Not all
of them ask for help. Sometimes God reminds me of someone and we just show up
with wrapped gifts, an invitation to church and a reminder that Jesus is the
reason we’re giving.
Why
do we keep serving through the Holiday Helping Hands Project? Because Jesus calls
us to plant seeds. Over the years we have loved on folks and been a witness to
the life changing power of Jesus Christ! We have seen salvations,
transformation, forgiveness and changed lives. Because of our giving and the reason for our
giving and the manner in which we give…years later I’ve run into people who
grab my neck and squeeze, who reach for my hand, who look into my eyes and say,
“You probably don’t remember me, but a few years ago, we were
really struggling and you came to our house with presents. We’re doing so much
better now, but I saw you and I just wanted you to know that you were there
when we needed you and I’ll never forget what you did for us or your ministry.”
It’s
not me. It’s Jesus working through each one of you. Nudging you to step
into the gap and provide Christmas to those in need. Each year gifts are bought
and given to us to use as we need to. And each gift is always divinely guided;
clothes in the right size for one kid we didn’t know we were going to adopt. A
bike, a pair of shoes, a coat, and books all given before we knew we needed
them!
HOPE. Christmas is
a bittersweet time for so many. For many of those we give to, they dread
November and December because it is a reminder of who they lost, what they
don’t have, how alone they are and what they can’t give. Where they are is not
where they have to stay. Life can get better. There is hope. His name is Jesus
Christ!
“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you
in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work
produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by
hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
Know
that you are prayed for and you are not taken for granted, I thank God for each
of you!
In His service, deni
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