I’d like to share a small story that I experienced this year
that also ties into a way that God has been growing me this year. To start off
this story I have to go all the way back to my childhood and the experiences
that molded me into who I’ve become. I
have many memories of my mom and when I think back I can see how her actions
have shaped how I view others.
As far back as I can remember my mom has always been someone
who is generous and giving. Even as three boys we were never in want or in
shortage of any GI Joe toys, video game consoles , comic books or sports
equipment. If there was something we
wanted, at the appropriate time she would buy it for us. But, this wasn’t the
only generous side of my mom. The years before I was a teen my mom worked in
the heart of San Francisco. She would take BART into “The City” and then walk a
number of blocks to her office. It was always an exciting trip whenever I got
to visit her at the office. There was one tradition of that journey that I will
never forget. Along our path from point A to point B there lived a homeless
family. There was a man, a woman and a dog. I remember every time I visited my
mom, I got to observe her providing food to these people on the street and
giving them money.
Fast forward to the week of Christmas. Christmas is always a
time of good eating and spending time with family. Needless to say my family is
good at cooking up a great meal. This particular day I was heading down to the
supermarket with my mom to pickup produce for Christmas dinner. As we drove into the parking lot we passed by
a family on a corner with a simple cardboard sign that shared about the
struggles they were going through and gave opportunity for people to help. We
passed by, parked and walked into the grocery store to pickup our ingredients.
As we were walking out, my mom paused and pulled something out of her pocket.
“Go give this to that family over there”, she said to me.
I looked down and in her hand was a twenty-dollar bill. I
took it from her hand and walked over to the mother, placed it into her hands
and gave her a simple blessing.
My mom was not only generous, but she empowered me to be
generous by letting me do the giving. At
that moment it suddenly struck me of where I had been trained to have
compassion. It had all started during those moments in San Francisco visiting
my mom at work where she would place items in my hands to give away. Those
actions were instrumental in any justice ministry I have participated in.
Not only has my mom been a model of compassion, but also a
model of generosity in my life. She is a woman to loves to give and empower
those who are giving. She is always
quick to donate during a natural disaster to empower those who are on the
ground helping. Through her I’ve learned the joy of giving and using the
resources that God has given to me to empower others to be a blessing.
I would like to now introduce to a friend of mine named
Lorraina.
Lorraina is a friend of mine was born to spend a life of giving. She
is one of the kindest and most compassionate people I know. She is the kind of
person who will go into the post office for stamps and end up spending an hour
helping a complete stranger (in a second language) fill out paper work to send
a package to their family across the world.
She is the kind of person who after a week of constantly being on the
move will have the neighborhood kids over for fun and games. I have heard
stories of neighborhood kids ringing the doorbell just to ask, “Is she
here??”. She somehow never runs out of
the ability to give.
Lorraina is the kind of person that I want to encourage and
empower. I find joy in being able to financially support her so that she can
continue touching the lives of countless people.
I know that this is not a typical prayer letter, and I know
most of you don’t know who Lorraina is (which can and should change) but if you
are encouraged to empower her, I’d like to extend an opportunity to you to
support her. She is now working in a neighborhood filled with families of
extremely low income. Her goal is to help these families know and understand
the love of God.
I would like to challenge some of your to join her team and
be a monthly supporter. For others I encourage you to send her a note of
encouragement. And for others to follow her stories and keep her lifted up in
prayer.
