Janet Borst writes:
One of the reasons I joined Messiah was that it was very evident that generosity was a core value. When I asked if it was possible for the Lewis River Mobile Food Bank to receive some food from the Food on the Fourth program, the answer was a quick "Yes, of course." And frankly, without Messiah's help in the early days, that food bank was likely to fail because there are no large businesses or grocery stores to make donations to a food bank in north Clark County. But there was Messiah Lutheran Church saying "Yes, of course." And the Lewis River MobileFood Bank continues to meet the needs of hungry people.
Last Fall I was picking up my crockpots from the 415 E 11th Street Safe Stay shelter when I noticed a young man standing at the gate. He did not live there, but had come to ask for warm food. It was raining like it often does in Fall, not pellets but a heavy mist of almost rain. The young man was dressed in light gray sweatpants and sweatshirt. He was wet; his blond hair plastered to his forehead and he was obviously cold.
Messiah had just given a grant for warm winter wear which I had the privilege of providing. So warmth and clothes were on my mind. So I asked the associate manager, Elliot, if there was anything else Messiah could do. Without having to think about it, he said that they could always use men's casual clothes. Elliot said that several times a day there is someone at the gate who lives on the street asking for help with food and clothes. He went on to explain that they had an abundance of women's clothing, but the men's clothes they received were most likely business wear. What they needed was men's casual wear.
If you think about it, it makes sense that the needs of homeless people are constant and endless. I often wonder how many times their belongings have been confiscated during a homeless camp clearance. I wonder how they manage to clean themselves and their belongings. If you've ever gone tent camping or backpacking, you know that cleanliness is the most difficult task when you have to carry everything with you. But you know that there are clean clothes and a warm shower waiting for you at a home with a roof and a bed and a fully stocked larder.
So I placed a cardboard box in the narthex with a simple sign that said "Men's Casual Clothes for Homeless Men". I went home and emailed my contacts who were attached to Messiah and had a man in the household. That's it. That's all I did. And WOW did Messiah come through! It is evident that people just saw the box and knew what to do.
That box has been filled and refilled with jeans, both new and used, with t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, coats and on and on. I've made 5 or 6 (really I have lost count) trips to 415 with sacks of clothes. Each time I have been thanked and told they could always use more.
There is a new box in the narthex to replace the cardboard one but the need is not new and continues.
So here I am grateful, amazed and awed at our beautiful congregation. We are "Blessed to be a blessing" and I thank each of you for your open hearts, your generous wallets and your precious time.
Janet Borst