Christmas on the Streets

Like many, I had a great Christmas this year.  We celebrated with all of our family, a bonus for us was our grandson's first Christmas.  We had a warm home, plenty of food, and lots of gifts.  We have so much to be thankful for..

But this is not the reality for many.  We were so overwhelmed by the need this year.  I have been doing this for 37 years and never have i seen so many people in need, and for many of them it was their first time.  We had to turn away many many people simply because we ran out of food, and other items we usually have plenty of.  It broke my heart to see so many turned away.

I met single moms living in their cars, men working and sleeping in their cars, several elderly people taking up panhandling because they can't afford to pay heat and buy their meds, or buy food, or simple things like toilet paper.  To see old people sitting on the sidewalk with a cardboard sign saying please help, I have to wonder if we are seeing the new reality in this country.

For the Month of December,

We passed out 400 pairs of new socks to the homeless
Passed out 140 hats.
Gave out 701 $10 gift cards to Bruegger's and McDonalds.
We provided 919 bags of food to people in need.
We gave out over 300 lunch bags in City Hall Park
We had special Christmas services in three places on the street with  74 people participating.  We sang Christmas Carols in an alley, read the Christmas Story in City Hall Park and on Church Street.

What really touched my heart this Christmas was that these 74 homeless people all appreciated the time I took to visit with them and celebrate Christmas with them, and not one complaint, all felt grateful for a God who cared enough for them that He became homeless, and demonstrated what real love is, and went to the Cross and redeemed them.  A few of them told me this was their best Christmas ever.

This is what we are all about!

Your Missionary to the Streets,

Dave Russell