Six Lives In The Balance

Another hard life story from The Front Porch Ministries (TFPM)

It's late. I woke up early but went back to bed. Then one of the grand came banging on my door. UP again. Then a friend came and brought gift cards for some of my grand. Then I took my grand to work. Made it back in time to meet Alan Pion to pick up the food. Sorted through the food called Maxime Magloire, and we worked until all but eight of the vegetable boxes were gone.

Rested briefly, went to pick up my granddaughter, Eriyana, and she and I worked until we got all the school supplies sorted through and divided for our two elementary schools. Exhausted.

Then, and only then, did my mind drift back and replay this beautiful day -- a day filled with good, bad, and then downright ugly.

As others were stopping by and picking up food and other items, a car pulled up, and the driver asked if we were giving away free stuff. Of course, the answer was yes. She parked and came over. My spirits went on red alert. My mind told me that the woman was in trouble. She started picking up food, and I asked if she lived around here.

No, she did not, but she needed food, she has three (3) children, all under the age of three (3), and she was homeless. My heart skipped a beat, and I pushed forward. How old are the children, I asked? The baby is five months and needs size two diapers. How old are the other children? Two and three.

I immediately got my phone out and called one of my contacts for help. She was not in her office, but her assistant took my call. As she and I worked out housing and other services for this young woman, Maxime Magloire took the food to her car.

In her car sat another young woman, born and raised in Mount Rainier, and she was crying her eyes out. Maxime Magloire came back and told me about the woman and the babies in the car. I asked the first woman what was happening, and she said they were both homeless and had no place to go!

It was overwhelming to think about the four babies -- all under three living from pillow to post with no place to go, no diaper, no food, and no money, in a land of plenty. In the "riches Black County" in America, six people under the age of thirty (30) are homeless. WOW!

I do not know the end of this story, but my contacts were on it. They reached out to the women immediately after they received my email, and they assured me that they were getting pampers for the babies and working on housing.
This encounter today reminded me that there are many resources out there, ready and available, but those resources are no good if people do not know how to obtain them. Today, those two women happened to stumble into my path and got connected to those that could help them.

How many others are out there feeling lost, helpless, forgotten, downtrodden, and, yes, without hope?
So thankful that The Front Porch Ministries (TFPM) was open and on its "ps:" and "qs!"

This is just one of the many true people stories encountered at The Front Porch Ministries!