A Silent Blessing

Sunday, October 9, 2022.
This day, God gave us the privilege of serving 53 people.

A Silent Blessing

She was bent over, moving slowly along the edge of the parking lot, checking the gutters for money. We pulled in and spoke to her but she didn’t respond. As we held out our packet of $10 cash, a Dunkin card and our prayer, she stared intently. Then taking the packet in her hand, she gave us a sad smile and said in heavily accented English, “Thank you.”

We asked her name and she whispered, “Maria.” She was middle aged but her appearance and demeanor were of someone much older. Alone and hurting, still trying to contend with life’s challenges, she seemed on the edge of defeat. As we left, she held up her hand and made the sign of the cross, sending us on our way with a blessing, a blessing from the poorest of the poor.

Jesus said…“give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” Mark 10:21-22

“I’ve about given up on God.”

We pulled into the Dunkin lot and a group of people surrounded our truck. Normally, we try to deal “one on one” but occasionally, anxious that they’ll be left out, a crowd of homeless people will gather around us. I noticed a woman patiently waiting her turn. When she got to the window, I handed her our packet. She looked at the $10 bill and Dunkin card intently and said, “I’m Jeanette. I’ve been hearing about you people and hoping to meet you without any luck but now you’re here.” She expressed her deep frustration at being afflicted by homelessness and said, “I get a little Social Security check, but I just can’t afford to live. I’ve prayed so much that I’ve about given up on God.” We told Jeanette that we sympathized with her discouragement and that God would never give up on her. We said, “Jeanette, surely God is very concerned about you. He touched our hearts to assure you of his love for you. Try to have faith that a day will come when you will look back at this and see how God turned all things in your life for good.”

“We do not see God’s plan by looking ahead. We see God’s plan for our lives most clearly in retrospect, by looking behind us.”