Something most of us take for granted is a key element to sustaining our lifestyle… the ability to be mobile… to get around… which begins with a vehicle. For a single mother of four it could be a lifeline for survival.
Maritza is a Hope Gardens graduate and a single mother with four young children. She is full of enthusiasm to start a new life as she transitioned out about a year ago. Maritza moved out of Hope Gardens armed with a sustainable plan that included two jobs, a small apartment, and a leased car. She was filled with hope for the future with a fresh commitment to follow Christ.
Maritza was doing quite well until an uninsured motorist hit her in a traffic accident and it totaled her car. Public transportation was an option she explored but the complexity of coordinating four children and two jobs without a vehicle became unmanageable. Soon she lost both jobs. She interviewed at various places but with the Covid-19 shutdowns no one could hire her. She had no functional family members to turn to. She didn’t know what to do. She called Betty to ask about possibly getting a job at the Mission Thrift Store but they weren’t hiring either. We began to pray and intercede to God for Maritza. We weren’t sure what God would have us do past praying. So we didn’t mention it to anyone but just continued to pray for the next few days.
The next weekend Betty and I were working several Deed and Truth projects and one of our Deed and Truth partners and close friends invited us to stop by to catch up. During that short visit, within the conversation Betty mentioned Maritza’s situation along with many other stories of what God was doing and we said goodbye.
Later that evening we got an email asking us to call them. When we did they informed us that God had been dealing with them about providing a vehicle for Maritza. Within the week we had a check and an older model Toyota Van delivered to this family.
This Deed and Truth donor wishes to be anonymous and simply give glory to God who arranged the episode and had already provided the resources. What a powerful reminder of an important truth. We are simply called to listen for God’s direction about how to manage what he gives us. Generosity is really faithful responsiveness to God. He is always generous and we will be also when we see ourselves as managers of his resources.
This act of generosity reminds me of a quote from C.S. Lewis’ book, Mere Christianity…
“If our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving way too little… For many of us the great obstacle to charity lies not in our luxurious living or desire for more money, but in our fear – fear of insecurity. This must be often recognized as a temptation. Sometimes our pride also hinders our charity; we are tempted to spend more than we ought on the showy forms of generosity (tipping, hospitality, etc.) and less than we ought on those who really need our help (the homeless).”
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (pages 86-87)
“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.”
Proverbs 19:17
Thanks to all of you who partner with us through your prayers, financial support, and volunteering of your time. Because of you, we are able play a role in ending homelessness one family at a time, through one deed at a time.
Praise God who prompts and provides what is needed as a practice should be a practical expression of the compassion of Jesus toward the overlooked and underserved.
Update: We just heard this morning from Maritza that we got a new job yesterday! Thank you Jesus!
