Surely there must be more

Giving.

When I was working as a Family Support Worker with Healthy Families, I visited new mom's after they had a baby. I would often go from home-to-home back-to-back. This one cold winter day in particular, I was traveling from one trailer park to across town to another one. The first family I visited had been in the program for several months and were really striving.

You could see it in the way the mother smiled when she talked and as she interacted with her baby boy.


They family didn't have much, but they had come so far.

As I arrived, the mother invited me in their warm home. There was a blanket and several toys I lent them the week before were spread out on the floor and they were ready for the visit. Her son had just learned to take his first steps, and she was so excited to have him show me. The visit was an hour long and as I was leaving, this new young mom asked if I knew anyone who could use some extra grocries. She had several grocrey bags full of items such as eggs, cereal, dry beans, juice, and milk. Extra grocries they have not used from WIC. She asked me if I would pass them on or keep them for my own family as she did not want them to go bad and have to throw them out. I really wasn't sure what I would do with all of it, but obliged to take it off their hands.

The next visit was with a family new to the program. This was my first time visiting to try to engage them in the program. The house was cold and dark. The mother greeted me and invited me inside. Inside the house was almost as cold as the outside winter. She quietly appoligized for the cold and turned on a small light to light one corner of the empty living room. She disappeared for several minutes into a dark bedroom and came out with a small floor heater and two folding metal chairs. After she disappeared a second time, she came back with a sleeping baby bundled up with several layers of blankets in his carseat. She appoligized again for the chairs being cold as we sat down together.

I quickly forgot my agenda for the visit and my mind started racing to various programs and services that could meet this families needs. As I asked a few basic questions, it was obvious this mom needed someone to talk to. Such hopelessness in her eyes. Her husband had lost his job several weeks ago and they had been without income. They were hoping to move out of state to be with other family, but had no money for travel. She continued to pour out her heart, yet not once asked me for anything.

I brought the grocries in from the car and helped empty them into the bare cabinets. There wasn't much I could offer except for a listening ear, a few grocries, and some sort of hope for their future. I knew my agenda and activites that I had prepared for this visit wasn't enough. God had prepared this visit. This new young mom was not going to be interrested in learning parenting skills if all she's thinking about right now is surrival. God was allowing me to see how he would use the generousity of the first family to reach this desperate family. He was allowing me to see only a tiny part of his might plan.

The next day when I arrived at the office, I started looking up resources for them. They needed help and I was determined to do whatever I could to get them whatever help they needed. However, I soon found out that would be the last time I would ever see that family. When I called later that week, their phone was disconnected. I drove out to their house several times and no one answered the door. I couldn't stop thinking about them and wondering where they were, how they are, and if God is meeting their needs. I couldn't forget about them. Surely He hasn't forgotten.

I am thankful for that day and how God allowed me to witness and be a testimoney of his work. So often we don't get to see the other side. Although we're called to give, so often we doubt that God will use our gift. That family still comes to my mind often. So how come, so often I am still reluctant to give?

“The poor and needy search for water,

but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst.

But I the Lord will answer them;

I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them."

Isaiah 41:17