Searching for a Blanket and Finding Something Better
Emma was a grandmother on a fixed income struggling to care for three grandchildren, ages 9, 11 and 13. As if their situation were not desperate enough, they lost everything they had in an apartment building fire. The only place they could find to stay after the fire was a building with no heat — no heat in Chicago in the winter. Desperate, and with no resources, they heard that they could get blankets, hats, gloves and other warm items at a nearby church. This church is a partner ministry with Here’s Life Inner City, and the church had received Homeless Care Kits to help people like Emma and her family. The Kits also contain toiletries and Christian materials. When Emma and the children came to the church, they were warmly received. Not only did they get the resources they needed, but they also heard the Gospel. All three of the youth put their faith in Christ. That encounter changed the direction of the children’s lives. They started faithfully coming to the church’s after-school program. They used the computer lab to help with schoolwork, they got nutritious food to eat, and they participated in the Bible Club. Their faith grew and grew in spite of their difficult circumstances. This family had no spiritual background, and they probably wouldn’t have thought about going to church on Sunday morning. But because this church first cared for their physical needs, it then had the opportunity to speak to their hearts. This winter Here’s Life hopes to provide 7,650 Homeless Care Kits in cities around the country so that churches can demonstrate the love of Jesus in tangible ways to people who are in desperate need. |
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Chicago... winter... no heat — not a good combination. The average winter temperature is 28°.