I would quickly get overwhelmed when it came to helping people who were in a time of homelessness.
The needs are complex and expensive. The people and the situations are diverse. It is hard to understand how a person got to this point, whose fault it is and if blame even needs to be a consideration.
It is also expensive. While our church is generous as it helps people with financial needs, the cost of getting someone out of their car or off the streets is more than we have to give. Plus, we do not know if our reply to an urgent need is going to be so short term that the need will continue next week.
Thankfully there are organizations like Bridge of Hope (click for more info) who we can partner with. It is one of the ministries I am proud to represent. It was exciting to receive this email last week from them last week.
"With your help, we have ended homelessness for 26 moms and 55 children. This is more families than ever before, and this is only possible because of your support!
Your generosity has allowed us to help families like Courtney's who fled an abusive home life. Courtney and her children were two weeks away from living in their car until friends like you gave to Bridge of Hope. Now they have a home and Courtney paid off the $50,000 in debt that she accumulated while trying to survive on her own. She is a licensed insurance agent and has a bright future."
Overwhelming needs will tempt us to quit caring. But adding our small action and/or donation to the efforts and generosity of others accomplishes much more than the sum of the individual parts. These 26 moms with 55 kids, near my church, avoiding homelessness and building a life with a bright future become examples of care that makes a powerful difference.
What was overwhelming has become exciting.
There are individual acts of caring for people in our ministries and their are large and systemic problems that require many caring people focusing their efforts to solve the problem.
When you care for individuals in your ministry and when you add your acts of care to a larger cause, what you are doing matters.
Care makes the difference. Together we can build a culture that cares.
Your life matters,
Chaplain Dan
Rev. Daniel R. Hettinger
303.905.0478
