Sitting here on Sunday night thinking about AHOP's first REACH Week. So many things have happened because of the heart of people who served this past week. Lives were touched and not just the people who were being served but the ones who were serving. It has been an amazing thing to see!
Transformation right before your eyes. People who are steadfast in serving, people who aren't thinking about themselves, people who are dedicated! Just think about how much work was done because we all came together, were united and did what needed to be done.
I can't even explain it! The ONLY way to even describe what happened this past week is that God did it! That's it! Plain and simple! I can't even begin to tell you how many situations, I found myself in, that while in the middle of it I kept thinking, "I can't believe this! How did I get here? God is orchestrating this right now and I get to watch it unfold."
For example, the other day, I met a couple who are homeless. They had come by the church offices because they needed a place to stay for the night. This particular couple had visited the offices before and I had dealt with them then. Both times they had come, I was there and saw them right when they got there.
On this most rainy day, the couple had stated that they were trying to bicycle their way to Chillicothe, OH because they had found work there. But because of the rain, they had to stop and turn around. They were LITERALLY dripping from head to toe. When they asked if I knew of a place to stay for the night, I immediately knew that this was going to be difficult as no organization will take a "couple." All of the homeless shelters in town take families and single moms and their kids. So I knew my work was cut out for me.
I told them "Let me see what we can do" without knowing my plan of attack. I kept the couple out in the lobby area of our offices and walked down the hallway, praying that God would give me an idea of where they could go. And of course he did. We set them up at a local motel and I knew they would have a roof over their heads at least for one night.
Here's where it gets good.....about an hour after setting them up at the motel, I was hungry and decided to go to a local restaurant that I had never been to but had always wanted to. This restaurant has been open for about 5 years. I know that because I sold them their food license when I worked at the health department.
Anyhow, while sitting in this restaurant, I got an idea! I was thinking about the LARGE amount of homeless individuals in Xenia and how great the need is for them to be taken care of food wise. So there goes the LIGHT BULB in my brain! SO, I started to talk to the management about REACH and the homelessness problems that we have been running into. I spoke to them about possibly being a partner for people who need food.
Right then the restaurants phone rings. The manager looks at me with an eyebrow raised and I'm looking back at her like, "why is she looking at me like that." She hangs up the phone and says, "You're not going to believe this. That phone call was about a man and woman who were biking their way to CHILLICOTHE in the RAIN and they need food!!"
I stood there dumbfounded! How in the world could that have happened?? I tell you how....GOD!
If you are having a hard time understanding how AWESOME this is...allow me to explain!
- That phone call was about the same couple I had just dealt with an hour before.
- I had never been to this restaurant since it's been open and I decide to go there that particular day at that particular time.
- I got the idea to partner with restaurants to be providers for people in need of food, while I was there in the restaurant!
- The phone rings and the subject matter is EXACTLY what I was trying to talk to the lady about!!?
THAT'S GOD! I couldn't have planned that if I tried!! Needless to say the woman at the restaurant was in AWE and very much wanted to participate in what I was asking of her.
That's just one story from this past week! What an amazing GOD we serve!! When you have willing hearts, doing what we're ALL called to do, GOD WILL MAKE A WAY FOR SURE!
So keep on REACHin'!
~Natalie
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