The meeting this past Saturday was just wonderful! We had members of Green Pines Baptist Church get up on a cold, Saturday morning and come to help us pack the lunch bags to hand out later that day. It was wonderful fellowship, talking while packing the bags and putting love into all we were doing, to be felt by those we would be handing the bags to. We gathered around the bags and prayed for those who would receive them. One of the ladies we meet with each week, mentioned how it is hard for her to eat lettuce as most of her teeth are gone. She mentioned her love for tuna fish and soup, so we created a special bag for her with a tuna fish sandwich with no lettuce, an extra can of tuna and her favorite soup. Tanya, who decorates all the bags we hand out, personalized a bag just for her. She came by to wash clothes later that day and was touched by the bag and its contents.
During our meeting, we discussed Romans 8: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We had a visit from pastor Ed of Missio Dei Church, a new church that had their first service the next day. He shared his passion for opening the church and the community he has been called to serve. The church is located at 201 N Rogers Lane in Raleigh, and is right in-between 2 bus stops (the bus stop off Poole Rd and Rogers Lane along with the stop at New Bern Ave and Rogers Lane by the Sheets gas station). We have been looking for a church that would be easy for the folks we encounter to attend, and are very grateful for his heart to serve those who are in southeast Raleigh and who are facing life challenges. Transportation has been one of the biggest issues and we received an answer to our prayers on Saturday around that! We added a postcard he had to the bags that we handed out.
Before leaving our meeting and heading out, we purchased a box of coffee from Bojangles to hand out with the lunch bags. It was a cold morning and we wanted to bless those we met with a warm cup of coffee. We put the large boxes of bags in a shopping cart, along with the coffee, and barely made it to the bus stop, where we were greeted with two lines of folks happy to receive a lunch bag and a cup of coffee! We had some extra bananas in the cart that would not fit in the bags, and that seemed to draw attention as well. Several folks stopped by to see if they could get a banana. We had many wonderful conversations!
We met a veteran, C who has been living in one of the camps and is like a father figure and good friend to several of the others who stay in the camp. He asked for details in what we do and how we help folks. He said that when we come next Saturday, he will bring people with him so we can get to know them and what their needs are. I asked him if he could pull together a list of things that would help the folks at the camp, including himself. He mentioned toiletries. We had just packed a few bags of toiletries, and were excited to be able to hand them to him – for him and others at his camp. Within a few hours, he texted me the list.
While we were all talking, a man we have come to know the past few weeks, came by and asked about B, one of the first individuals we were able to get in apartment, and who has been in the hospital over the last three months. He missed seeing him with us and wanted to know how he was doing. He found out the prior week that he had not been feeling well and was in the hospital and has been praying for him ever since. He started singing “Oh How I Love Jesus,” and Gene joined in. It was wonderful hearing them sing together! The next day at church, the sermon was on the importance of singing together, and how singing is one of the top three commands in the Bible, along with not fearing and praying. “Singing begins with God’s call. Singing has at least two audiences. Singing is wisdom in action. Singing is submission to one another.” Their singing warmed a lot of hearts on that cold morning!
We visited with S afterwards and had a great conversation, as always! As we were leaving, and chilled to the bone, we ran into A, who is from another camp up the road. He had not seen us in a few weeks and was so excited to connect again!
While heading home from the meeting, I received a call from M, B’s daughter, who we were able to find and re-unite with him. She visited him in the hospital, and it has made a world of difference! He was able to open his eyes and squeeze her hand as she was asking him questions. She was able to play his favorite gospel music from his phone, and prayed with him. It was wonderful hearing how much joy she brought to him, just by hearing her voice and prayers, and what a difference that has made on his path to healing!
We are looking forward to next Saturday and invite you to join us at Bojangles off New Bern Ave and New Hope Rd at 11am!