Christmas 2004
Greetings,
So far this has been a hard Christmas season for my wife and I. Donna's mom, who is 93, became very sick a week ago, and not only fell, but could not walk, or move without help. She has been living on her own, and now, she cannot be alone. So we have been spending 2 overnights plus there every day, so she will not be alone.
This has put a damper on our Christmas. Just the other day, I was thinking that Christmas is happening all around me, the lights, shopping, caroling, etc, but because of us having to care for her mom, it seems like it is out of reach for me right now.
This is how the homeless and the very poor feel. They walk the decorated streets, hear the Christmas music, the Santa's, the toys, everything about the season, but just about everything is beyond them.
It is like they are peering into a window, and the people inside are having a lot of fun, and celebrating, but they are outside looking in, out of reach. I overheard a mother explaining to her 7 year old daughter that they cannot have a Christmas tree this year. Not only can they not afford one, they do not have a home to put one in since they are living out of their car.
The homeless we deal with get very depressed this time of the year. For many of them, they have family somewhere, but because of their homelessness, their addictions, their problems, they have lost touch. This time of the year, they think of so much they have lost.
We try to give them some hope and joy. We share with them that Jesus came into this world with nothing, not even a home to lay his head, that He understands them more than anyone else. We try to meet some physical needs, give them some good food, try to get them something that will cheer them up. McDonalds gift Certificates are nice, and we do need more, but I wonder how many of us would be happy to have Christmas dinner at McDonalds.
Tonight at our Bible discussion for the streets, we shared the scripture in Matthew 1:18 - 25. We talked about the unbelievable situation that Mary was in, her being a young girl, having to explain her pregnancy to her family, friends, and culture, and the scandal, controversy, and mystery surrounding the Birth of Jesus.We are so grateful that God allows us to minister on the streets, that we can be there for folks who have no place else to go. That we can share the "Jesus Story" to a group of people who can really identify with Jesus better than most of us.
Please pray for Elizabeth, Jason, Robert, Eddie, Henry, Sarka, Bev, Sandra, Billy, John S and John V, Morris and Doris. Pray that God will give them some comfort, and Joy this Christmas Season, that the story of Jesus' Birth will inspire them and give them strenth.Please consider a gift to us this Christmas, so we can help those who call the streets home.
Your Missionary to the Streets,
Dave
So far this has been a hard Christmas season for my wife and I. Donna's mom, who is 93, became very sick a week ago, and not only fell, but could not walk, or move without help. She has been living on her own, and now, she cannot be alone. So we have been spending 2 overnights plus there every day, so she will not be alone.
This has put a damper on our Christmas. Just the other day, I was thinking that Christmas is happening all around me, the lights, shopping, caroling, etc, but because of us having to care for her mom, it seems like it is out of reach for me right now.
This is how the homeless and the very poor feel. They walk the decorated streets, hear the Christmas music, the Santa's, the toys, everything about the season, but just about everything is beyond them.
It is like they are peering into a window, and the people inside are having a lot of fun, and celebrating, but they are outside looking in, out of reach. I overheard a mother explaining to her 7 year old daughter that they cannot have a Christmas tree this year. Not only can they not afford one, they do not have a home to put one in since they are living out of their car.
The homeless we deal with get very depressed this time of the year. For many of them, they have family somewhere, but because of their homelessness, their addictions, their problems, they have lost touch. This time of the year, they think of so much they have lost.
We try to give them some hope and joy. We share with them that Jesus came into this world with nothing, not even a home to lay his head, that He understands them more than anyone else. We try to meet some physical needs, give them some good food, try to get them something that will cheer them up. McDonalds gift Certificates are nice, and we do need more, but I wonder how many of us would be happy to have Christmas dinner at McDonalds.
Tonight at our Bible discussion for the streets, we shared the scripture in Matthew 1:18 - 25. We talked about the unbelievable situation that Mary was in, her being a young girl, having to explain her pregnancy to her family, friends, and culture, and the scandal, controversy, and mystery surrounding the Birth of Jesus.We are so grateful that God allows us to minister on the streets, that we can be there for folks who have no place else to go. That we can share the "Jesus Story" to a group of people who can really identify with Jesus better than most of us.
Please pray for Elizabeth, Jason, Robert, Eddie, Henry, Sarka, Bev, Sandra, Billy, John S and John V, Morris and Doris. Pray that God will give them some comfort, and Joy this Christmas Season, that the story of Jesus' Birth will inspire them and give them strenth.Please consider a gift to us this Christmas, so we can help those who call the streets home.
Your Missionary to the Streets,
Dave
