Christian Reach out experience #3 The Homeless Mama

My husband Gary and I were traveling across country in 2007, toward Colorado, where we were invited to give a Gospel concert. We were determined to see everything we could along the way so we stopped in Salt Lake City, Utah. I had never seen the Mormon Tabernacle but had heard all my life how beautiful it is.

As we were leaving the Tabernacle, walking out toward our car, a young woman stepped up to me and asked if I would spare some change. I replied, “I won’t give you money but I would love to talk to you for a while.” She proceeded to share her story with me as Gary quietly stepped back out of the way (he has learned to do this when he sees God working through me like this) and leaned against the fence.

She said, “I have two children and we are living under a bridge a few blocks from here because I lost my job and we had to move from our home. She took a picture out of her backpack to show me two beautiful children.

I asked, “Where are the children now?” and she replied, “They are at school. The city told me if I don’t keep them in school they will take them away from me, so I walk them to school and then come over here to get food. The Mormons give us some when we ask.”
I thought and quietly prayed for the right words and then suggested, “I would like for you to find a church that will do more than just give you food to last a day. Find a minister at a different church (and I suggested a few kinds of churches) and tell him your story. Ask if he will help you find an organization that will help you find a job and a place to get your children off the streets. Make him aware, as you have told me that you want to find a job and a new life”.

I put my arms around her and asked if I could pray for her and she said, “Oh, yes, I would love that. No one has prayed for me in a long time.”

I held her in my arms and as I prayed I noticed the front of my tee shirt was becoming damp with her tears. I later realized that at that moment God was holding her in His arms through my arms. For a few minutes, I was the mama, grandma—everything she was missing.
You can do this for someone, too. Don’t miss a chance to be the hands, arms, feet and heart of God. He loves to show us how to be of service to Him. We just have to listen as He whispers in our ear to guide us.

I often think of all the people He has shown me to touch. Wondering where they are and how they are today. I pray their lives are wonderfully filled with God’s love. His love is there, we just have to accept it.