A Call and A Visit

 Late last week, I received a call at the office from a woman needing assistance with rent.  Now, we normally don’t do rent, but when she told me she was keeping seven kids in three motel rooms, I at least listened to her story.

I won’t go into the story, but she did say that she was working with another church in town.  I asked if I could contact that church regarding her and she agreed.  By the way, we didn’t help with rent, but we did pay her motel bill for another day to give her more time to get things put together.

I called the woman at the other church and visited with her regarding the woman in need.  I also visited with her regarding benevolence in general.  The church I called was on the west side of Wichita in a nicer neighborhood.  It was also a much larger congregation than ours.  We ended the call with my asking if we could meet in person and discuss benevolence in general more fully than we can on the phone.  She agreed, and we met this week…yesterday, in fact.

Abby and her supervisor were gracious and forthcoming in the meeting.  I was somewhat surprised by the number of benevolent requests they receive on the average.  They said it wasn’t unusual for them to receive 8 or more requests a day for some kind of help.  They said the numbers have substantially increased, and there were days they felt “inundated”…that was the word Abby used to describe how she felt.

They receive mainly requests for rent assistance.  They also receive other kinds of requests, including food, clothing, transportation, and other services.  As you may know from my other Thursday Thoughts, RiverWalk doesn’t normally do rent or transportation, but will, depending on the circumstance, help with a utility bill or perhaps gasoline for a vehicle.  We also help any of our members much more fully than we would a non-member if there is a need there.  We are limited, however, just as all non-profits and churches are, in how much we can help.  There is only so much to go around and when it’s gone, we have to say, “No.”

I tell you these things to say that we often have conflicting emotions and feelings as we work with those in need.  These women confirmed that as I visited with them.  We often feel discouraged at the sheer numbers of those in need.  We almost grieve as we hear of children and women who have no place to go and are living on the street or in a vehicle.  We become angry at times because of how some are treated by landlords and others.  Hearing the stories of those who are being sucked into the pit of homelessness and poverty becomes wearing on our emotional well-being and even makes us physically and mentally exhausted at times.  We become cynical at the world and the society around us, seemingly an uncaring and cruel place.

We look at government for assistance and many times receive commissions and committees who are “studying” the issues, with no real answers forthcoming.  We look to our state legislatures and the Congress and see partisan bickering, stonewalling, and seemingly catering to the haves more than the have-nots.

Abbi and Sherry at the church I visited, as well as we at RiverWalk and dozens of other non-profits and churches, work hard to provide resources as we can and are able to those in need.  We sometimes cannot provide what the requester believes he or she needs, but sometimes we can help out in some way.  Additionally, we work to help those needing help to see beyond the next hour, day, or week.  To work toward self-sufficiency, and leave generational poverty and need behind.  When appropriate, we broach the subject of spiritual need and the fact that Jesus Christ can fill that need, and our willingness to partner with them in exploring the faith.

Abbi, Sherry and I ended our conversation with the old truth that we can’t help everyone, but we can help someone…one person at a time.  We closed with a prayer that each of us participated in.  I left there uplifted by the knowledge that others feel as I often do, and by the truth of helping one person at a time, being given the opportunity to point people toward the love of Jesus Christ as well as receiving the strength and wisdom to carry on.

I am grateful for the opportunity to visit with them, and grateful for the opportunity God has given me at this time to do this work on behalf of the RiverWalk Church of Christ.

 

Blessings,