Here we are, all in our Hope Outreach shirts -- handing out food to whoever got in line!
Today, thanks to Gleaners, we were able to bless nearly 250 families with free food -- yes, completely free! Not many things are totally free, no strings attached, these days!
The truck was scheduled to arrive at 10am but the people started lining up around 8am. They were content to wait, shopped through the free clothing we also had for them, and didn't even mind that the truck was nearly an hour late!
But then -- a pretty hard shower came through -- just for a short while. They took the trash bags and made water proof clothing out of them! Creativity at its finest!
They came with bags, they came with boxes, strollers without the children, wheelchairs which they pushed in front of them, wagons, luggage carriers, laundry baskets, backpacks -- you name it and it held food products.
We had bread, chips, fresh vegetables, crackers, juice drinks, water, all sorts of food -- enough to fill containers to overflowing!
We heard "thank you" in just about every way possible! To be on the back side of the table handing out natural grain chips was a great blessing for me. I loved seeing the faces change from sad and down trodden to smiling--or atleast the beginning of a smile. As we blessed them they blessed us back in return. The "have a nice day" that I heard continually really did allow me to have a nicer day!
This entire outreach worked us all past lunch. It was worth every minute of it.
My early morning began with yet another meeting. This one was held for all the chairs of the Long Term Recovery and was quite a successful meeting. We had a representative from the governor's office, a State Representative, the city Mayor, many reps from FEMA -- the list goes on and on. Everyone has the same goal -- to help the people with as many resources as possible. We all realize there will be a new normal for the city and we want to bring that to a reality as soon as possible.
To have a room filled with everyone from government officials to local Pastors -- all in agreement and all with the same goal -- what an amazing site and an even more amazing thing to be a part of! God at work!
My position as Case Management Supervisor was put into place officially. Doesn't really mean anything different for me and for what I have been, and will continue to do, just some sort of title I guess!?
Monty was busy next door with Carolyn for a short while. She is coming along fine and hopefully that will continue in a forward process so she can reach that new normal before too long.
Later in the day we finally took our camper up north a bit to get the repairs done from the blowout we had coming up from the Gulf Coast! Parts had to be ordered and then timing wasn't that easy but we finally got it there. It should be done by Monday, we pray!
My truck is also back and running smoothly --- thanks to my brother, Johnny! He and his city connections took care of my new fuel pump and we are SOOO thankful to them! Many thanks to Todd, the mechanic, for his care and expertise! Neither Todd or Johnny have any idea how big of a blessing it is to us to have them take care of us and our vehicles! Thanks guys -- you are awesome!
As another note, the carpeting was being laid in the sanctuary today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is going to be beautiful! Since that is one of the last things to be done, other than the pews coming in, we hope to be having church "back home" again real soon. Pastor says we won't wait for the pews -- chairs will do fine for the meantime! Be sure and stay tuned for the finished product! The church is about to enter its "new normal" before too much longer! Thank you Lord!
Until next time . . . Susan and Monty
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