Last Friday, about noon, I received a call at work from Kathy Ayres, a lady from my church. Some things were in motion. It looked like Allen and Carolyn might be able to get their own place. Right away. I needed to type up something and bring it to her. So I typed it up quickly and left for home. I called Pam on the way. She immediately left her own work. Before long, six of us were at home: Allen and Carolyn, me and Pam, and Tom and Kathy Ayres.
It's complicated what happened. Suffice it to say, with the help of a social agency, an apartment was secured. We spent the rest of the day and Saturday morning packing. Saturday afternoon we began moving them, until an ice storm put a stop to the proceedings. We finished up on Sunday afternoon (in the pouring, cold rain).
So now, Pam and I inhabit what seems like an empty house. Just us and our two cats. It was December 1, 2006, when Allen and Carolyn, and two-month-old Connor, moved in with us. And it was exactly a year later when we got them set up in their own apartment.
What a year. A rewarding, topsy-turvy year.
Career-wise, I've been hanging around and writing about and cheering on churches and pastors for the past 25 years as my denomination's Communications Director.
Steve,
What you and your wife did was commendable. I hate to say that. It shouldn't be noteworthy. I say that because the Church of Jesus Christ should be doing this sorta thing all the time. We should be willing to open our pocketbooks, our bibles(most important), and even our homes to meet felt needs and bring people into the kingdom. I, as I am sure others have, have watched, or rather read, as this journey happened. It was good to see how this helped you to grow. Its great that you did it. It just saddens me that when we have the opportunity to show Jesus to someone, whether with words or actions, we hesitate and more ofent than note decline to get involved. Have we ever stopped to wonder what kind of inconvenience it was for Christ to come to earth and die for us?! But "I don't want to get personally involved," we cry.
Steve, I disagree with you on some things, politically and theologically, but I applaud you and your wife for doing something good for the Kingdom!
God bless!