Lessons from the Co-op as gleaned from our clients.

Last Wednesday one of the clients came in for help. His name is Craig. Craig is terminally ill with COPD. He was cold, hungry, sick and needed help with food and all of his many prescriptions. He has no drug or alcohol abuse in his life, but he is homeless. He lives in ‘Tent City’ where about 20 other homeless people in Lawrenceville live. It is in the woods. We could only help him with a few of his needs. Our director prayed with Craig and asked him to come back on Friday-the next time we would be open. But her heart was burdened because of all of his real needs. By the time he arrived on Friday, he was in great need. And God was with him. Craig is a Christian. One of our volunteers sat with him for 3 hours and one of the things he was asked , “What is the one thing you need most?” His reply, “A job.” Through many people and many miracles that would be too numerous to mention, one volunteer handed Linda a check for $700 for Craig. Another lady, who is not a volunteer, but ‘just happened’ to become aware of his situation and has some past experience in working with homelessness has set up an interview for Craig with a company in Norcross on this Wednesday. A barber who heard the story through a customer of his has volunteered to give Craig a haircut for the interview. And through everything, God supplied through His people in very short notice, enough money to pay for all of his medicine for his breathing machine and a room in a local motel for 3 weeks. When Linda took Craig to pick up his belongings from the woods he did not want her to see the conditions he was living in. Now he is beside himself with joy and gratefulness. He told Linda, our director that now he has a door that he can close at night and no drugs or alcohol related problems from others to plague his nights. He also reported that he has found a friend. He saw a man in the hallway of the motel, carrying a Bible and they are building a relationship. Please pray for his interview tomorrow. He has no permanent address and is still very sick, but he is so excited. He told us that if he can talk to the people he will get the job. So others are providing transportation for the haircut and job interview. So why am I sharing this? Because some of us were deeply convicted either through personal contact with Craig or in the hearing of the story. Linda was convicted that she sent a very sick man back out into the night cold until Friday. I was convicted for passing a man on the street a couple of days ago walking in the rain, when I had two umbrellas in my car. A man made in God’s image who needed what I had plenty of and I did not stop. I can rationalize and say I couldn’t get over in the other lane of traffic in time, but I could have turned around. I would have if it had been something I really wanted. And Linda put it so well Monday night in sharing the story with all of us. If it had been Jesus she would have asked Him to come home and given Him a warm bed. Likewise for me regarding the man walking on that cold, rainy day. And you know what? It was Him.