Humble Beginnings

Humble beginnings

I have a purpose and yes I have a vision. It began in July of 2012 as I drove from street to street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I was looking on every corner and down every single ally way. My eyes were open searching and looking for those forgotten souls who were lost on the streets. I began the dollar store parking lot crying my eyes out hoping and praying that that day I too could touch a person’s life on the streets. I didn’t know what I would encounter but I just knew I had to do something to help someone anything at all!

I suggest starting small like I did because if you try to go too big too fast you may get overwhelmed and fizzle out. It began with six brown papers bags filled with hygiene needs, bottled water and packaged snacks. It wasn’t much but it is where I started. I drove the streets looking for homeless people and for some reason this day I had a hard time finding them. I found one on a park bench, I found two on the side of the highway, I found one walking down the street, and a few more on street corners. I gave the bags out with a smile but I was terrified! I a young lady very much taken up with the vanities of this world was petrified of homeless people. But this is what God told me to do and I obeyed the call.

Later on a few weeks later I met a man who lived in a halfway house. He was walking down the street in the middle of the August sun. I had one bag left over from my street venture from a few weeks previous and I wanted to give him the bag of goods. I drove past him at first. But that still small voice said go back and give that bag to that man. I turned my car around and spoke with the man. He was very kind and simple and a little astonished I was there to give him anything. He had his hands full with bags to return bottles and he couldn’t carry my bag of goods and the bottles too. I asked him where he was going. He said he was going about a mile up the road to the grocery store to return the bottles. I said, “Sir would you like a ride?” He was grateful and obliged but not before I teasingly asked him if he was going to hurt me or not. I honestly don’t suggest picking people up off the road but this was a God thing! I drove him to the store and gave him all the bottles I had in my car maybe a few dollars worth? Then I gave him the bag of goods and was on my way.

Then I realized that I really shouldn’t be doing ministry on my own. I had asked lots of people to help me and sadly I didn’t ask the right people and/or people were just not that interested in getting their hands dirty. I really cannot blame them for I too probably one month before would have been shocked to have been helping people on the streets and picking up homeless and giving them a ride.

So my next step was about September 2012, I went to see what the local homeless shelter in Ann Arbor needed for donations. I went there asking to volunteer and asking for a list of needs. I was given a list and I purchased as many of the needs on the list that I could buy in bulk and that I could afford. These things included: toothbrushes, combs, razors, gloves, paper plates, napkins, hand sanitizer, and soap. I bought as much as I could find in bulk for the best price. I am a bargain shopper and I think it best to find the best deal for the best price. I too tried three times to volunteer and even filled out an application online and it never panned out.

Then it was Christmas 2012 and I wanted to help people the best way I knew. I decided to donate money and items to people who were already doing a mission. I donated to four different organizations. I made a plug for them online because I either knew the people running the organizations or had been a part of their mission at one time or another the summer of 2012. I donated funds to one, socks to another, funds again to two others, and I sent warm items to a community center in Shreveport, LA. It wasn’t much but it was the best I had to give!

I also was given knowledge of a homeless man in Shreveport, LA who needed socks from getting out of the hospital. I sent him socks, a bible, and a card to encourage him. I also sent him scriptures to encourage him. I told him the truth in my Christmas card and laid out the salvation message in Acts 2:38. Again it wasn’t much but it was a gesture of love and compassion. Little did I know that I would never be able to meet this man! He died at the beginning of the year due to some health complications. I went back and forth about telling him the truth but in the end I decided that it was what I needed to do!

In January 2013 I had been very down and depressed about several things in my life. But something just clicked inside of me and I decided that I was going to help people myself, not just by donating. I didn’t know where to begin. I wanted to help at the shelter but I had not been welcomed. I was praying one evening and for some reason I decided to look online to see if there were any opportunities to volunteer somewhere in the community. I found a man who had an ad that said he went to the homeless shelter he prayed for people and handed out food. It sounded right up my ally. We connected and it was again a God thing! He was an Apostolic Jesus name preacher from the city of Detroit. He proclaimed the Acts 2:38 message by handing out tracts and this is where my story began.

I showed up the first week with gently used scarves, gloves, and hats from my house. I also showed up with breakfast sandwiches and this was what the people really needed. To see the look on these poor men and women’s faces you would have thought it was Christmas. We were able to pray with people and hand out about 20 sausage biscuits and about 20 or so warm items for winter. It was life changing! This was the first time I had actually had real contact with people in need. Sure earlier in the summer I had helped people but I didn’t even get out of my car that summer. Here were so many people the room was full of people and we could only help a few. It was then I was hooked! I had to keep coming back!!!

I ran out of items from my home so I began to bargain hunt. I found winter items at a drastically reduced price. Then I also found socks on clearance. Again I want to say my operation has been small and I have done it all myself up to this point. But I saw the need and did it anyways. But this is where my Jesus showed up on the scene. After months of doing what I could on a small scale God began to open up the doors on a larger scale.

A local clothing store donates to me every week there zero mark down clearance items. Then people I know donated clothing and winter items. I have been able to redistribute the clothes to needy families, homeless shelters, and a battered women’s shelter. And I will be able to do this every week! All new clothing! And what I cannot donate to shelters or to those in need I am donating the leftovers to a local shelter.

Next week I am meeting with a woman who is donating new socks and gloves. Then I also have contacts with local food vendors to donate leftover food and hopefully coffee. I have been able to contact local companies in hopes for them to donate funds or items. The ultimate goal is to be able to have companies donate all items and then I would be able to redistribute to those in need. And my friend this is just the beginning!  

I created a website online to create awareness. It is not for my glory it really is for the glory of the Lord. I also know people and I know that they really do want to help. They just have to see that others are helping too. People mean well but it’s hard to start something to help people on your own. But see I am not on my own the Lord is right beside me. It is the principle of the 5000 people in the gospels. Jesus said to break the bread and when the disciples broke bread he multiplied their efforts. The Lord has seen my bread and multiplied my efforts.

We as Apostolics must be willing to step out from behind the glass and help people! All people, not those who might visit our church, I mean yes that is the ultimate goal to see people saved. But Jesus did not tell us to only help those who were on our doorstep so to speak. He said to go to the highways and the byways searching for those who needed our help. And “IF” we make an effort and open that door and help those in need he is faithful to multiply our efforts. I am telling you I wasn’t even looking for the new clothes and I didn’t ask them for them but they came to me! That is what the Lord does!

Short term goals: a blanket, a scarf, coffee and a meal. That’s my desire for the next few weeks.

My long-term goals:

I currently have a car full of donations to distribute. My goals are to take blankets to the homeless who are actually on the streets. I have warm items and have more on the way next week. I have a few more people who are going to volunteer with me and the apostolic minister next Sunday at the shelter. This means that there will be two men of God to pray with those who need hope. And there will be two of us to hand out food and warm items.

I hope to get food donations to distribute to the needy, the poor and the homeless. I want to actually pass it out on the streets where the people are living in ally ways. I have some connections starting to stock a food pantry. It is my hope to have a community meal for those in the community who are hungry. This is not all worked out on location or even city. This may have to be something that I put on hold for awhile until more people catch the vision.

I also decided to fundraise to have a t-shirt made from community sponsors. I have not completed this project but I have knowledge on how it has been done in the past. You get one sponsor to purchase all the shirts and other sponsors to buy ad space. And then you sell the t-shirts for complete profit. The funds raised can be used to purchase food for a community meal, buy basic hygiene items, or even food to hand out on the street.

But again the goal is to not have to purchase any more items out of pocket. If you keep paying for it all yourself then eventually you will run out of funds and you will get burnt out on the operation. It is best to be balanced in all things. I am not saying you won’t ever purchase items on your own because I did that myself but it won’t be something that breaks your finances.

How can you get involved? I implore you to do any of the things I have mentioned. I have done all this on my own. I can’t imagine what it will be like when I have a partner who is as passionate as I am! But I challenge you to make a difference even if it’s by yourself. You can change the world as one person even if it’s just the world of one person! You can spread hope, compassion and love with one smile and kind gesture. You can pay it forward to someone who will be inspired by what you are doing! There is no act too small and there is nothing that God can’t multiply!

I hope this has challenged you and inspired you to know that you can do something no matter how small and still make a difference. I cannot wait to see what God does in another year and when I have a team of people who are willing to fulfill the call. If one person can do so much with so little what can two people do with God on their side? The possibilities are endless! Let’s change one life at a time and build one friendship at a time building together a community of friends!