2 of 3

The little girl picked up the backpack and placed it on her back, and her sad countenance turned into the biggest smile. It was as though new life entered her again. As a pastor, I will never forget that moment. It broke and blessed my heart at the same time.

We soon realized that our relief efforts would need to extend beyond our members' families. One day a woman stopped by the church to ask for directions. She had recently left Reunion Arena in downtown Dallas to stay with her daughter and was looking for a Wal-Mart. Tired, stressed, and overwhelmed, she was also feeling ill because of low blood sugar. She asked us for something to drink. As she recuperated, she shared her story of ending up with her daughter and son-in-law and his family.

She was deeply concerned because the living arrangements were already stressful. She had moved to a hotel to ease the tension, and she was expecting an additional 15 family members to arrive that day from Houston. We asked what she needed, and she said, "I really don't know." So we prayed with her, and then gave her a few gift cards to get what she needed at the Wal-Mart. It was then that tears streamed from eyes. "I've been trying not to cry," she said. But cry she did, for at least five minutes. We cried with her.

The next morning she called the church to give us an update. She had found an apartment to share with her mother. fema covered her hotel bill. She said, "I don't know what date today is, but I know it's a Friday and I know I'm happy." Oh, and would it be okay with us if she used the gift cards at Sam's Club instead Wal-Mart?

One of our members has a brother in Alabama who prefers to act, rather than stand on the sidelines. Watching the people in New Orleans, stranded in the flooding city, he decided he had to do something. So he chartered three buses, contracted drivers, and headed for the city himself. Somehow, he was able to get to the people and returned to Alabama with 300 rescued evacuees. Our church assisted with his expenses for the trip.

These are a few things that we've done so far. Like many congregations throughout the nation, we are employing the spiritual gifts and generosity of our members to share God's love with those who have lost their homes, their possessions, and, in some cases, their family members. Our philosophy is to be both deliberate in our actions and open to whatever opportunities God may present to us.

next page... |  2 of 3

	What did you think of this story?
	Please to give us your feedback.

Home  |  People of Faith  |  Stories of Hope  |  Today's Culture
Build Your Faith  |  Laughing Matters  |  Archives  |  Contact Us

				Try 3 Issues of Christianity Today Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address Subscribe to Christianity Today and get 3 free trial issues. No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. If you decide you want to keep Christianity Today coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive nine more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The three trial issues are yours to keep, regardless. Give Christianity Today as a gift Order a gift subscription!