Christmas Morning 2022

Christmas Morning 2022

It was a crystal clear, bitter cold morning. The temperature registered 11 degrees. Heading into the streets on Christmas morning, we were excited! University of Massachusetts Boston donated a couple hundred fleece blankets to for distribution to the homeless. A local bakery made a special gift: individually packaged cookies, enough to distribute two or three packages to each person we met. The streets were quiet as we moved through the city, but we saw signs of life: breath on the cold air rising above the piles of blankets under the bridges. In amazement we wondered aloud, “How are they able to sleep outside in this cold?” Coming to an intersection, we spotted a man panhandling at the corner. We gave a couple quick taps on the horn to get his attention and pointed to a nearby parking lot. He ran to meet us. Arriving, he leaned against the truck to catch his breath. Then he gasped, “Thank you, thank you so much for stopping! I’ve about had it. Last night I was so cold and discouraged I actually thought about committing suicide.” We shook his hand and introduced ourselves. “My name is Erick,” he replied. “I panhandled last night and started again this morning, but nobody seems to care.” As Erick spoke, I glanced into the plastic cup he used to panhandle. There were a few pitiful coins laying at the bottom of the cup. We held out our packet of $10 along with a $10 DD gift certificate and our prayer card and said, “Here’s a little help for you Erick. Merry Christmas.” He took the packet from our hand. Staring at it, his eyes filled with tears. Erick told us, “I really needed this right now. Not just the money but just to know someone cares.” Then, noticing the prayer card, he took it from the packet and slowly read aloud:

“A Street Prayer”

How patient and loving You are God.

In my hopelessness and despair, You never stop searching for me.

You are constantly calling me back into Your loving arms.

Your love comforts me in my loneliness and isolation.

Help me Lord to share Your love with others.”

Erick was quiet for just a moment, then he said, “Wow, that’s just how I feel!”

Before Erick left, we gave him two blankets, several packs of cookies along with gloves and heavy socks.

He said, “Thanks for everything! Mostly, thanks for lifting me up and giving me hope. I was pretty down before you guys came along.”

“Hope is the only light that can still shine in the darkness.”