As I approach the one-month mark from my book’s release on August 5 I’ll confess I’m a wee bit obsessed with things like sales rank, reviews, and Facebook engagement. And while many of those numbers are squishy, there’s just enough information out there to, well, make me crazy.
Which is why I’m really glad this is the week for Room in the Inn at church. Once or twice a year our church hosts up to 12 homeless ladies who live in our fellowship hall for a week. Sponsored by a ministry called Homeward Bound, the goal of Room in the Inn is to meet the immediate needs of homeless women while they work toward a permanent home of their own.
On Sunday we set up the fellowship hall, putting out 12 mattresses owned by Homeward Bound and making them up with linens from a local hospital (we own the pillows and blankets we use). We also stuffed insulated lunch bags with toiletries and comfort items for each lady.
Sunday evening, we got to meet our guests. Trust me, spending time with these ladies will get your head out of your own mess and right now. The thing is, they aren’t all that different from me. Only maybe they didn’t have great parents. Maybe they married men who abused them. Maybe they lost their jobs and didn’t have anyone to help. Maybe they got sick and didn’t have insurance.
Maybe I could be homeless, too, given just the wrong circumstances. Suddenly, sales rank doesn’t seem like such a big deal.
I’m making dinner for them this evening. Fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, and cole slaw. And for dessert? Each lady is getting a mini birthday cake. With a candle. Because I suspect it’s been a while since most of these women have had cause to celebrate much. I, on the other hand, have something to celebrate every day.
And so we’ll have cake and maybe even sing “Happy Birthday” and hopefully they’ll know they’re loved. Not because they have jobs or houses or money or lots of good novel reviews, but just because they were born.
Psalm 139:13-14 – “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”
What an amazing ministry. It’s enriching, where blessings are shared on both sides.
Isn’t that the truth!
Well, now, that made me cry! What a great idea and I’m sure there will be many tears among your ladies tonight. Reminds me of baking a cake for a lady at church I happened to overhear was about to have her 80th birthday. When I presented it to her at our Sunday fellowship dinner, she beamed from ear to ear and said it was the first birthday cake she had ever had. I sure was glad I decorated it and added candles!
Everyone should have candles and their name on a cake! Wish you could come help me ; )
That just about wrecked me.
Wow, it’d be such an honour to serve them.
I’m so impressed!
And birthday cakes?
Awwww, wow.
Hoping it was a Holy Spirit nudge and not just my, um, fondness for cake!
This is a great mission. Brought tears to my eyes. I would be honored to serve the ladies also.
It’s such an honor–I think it may do more for our church than the ladies!
What an amazing ministry and perspective. It’s so easy to get lost in our own troubles, but it doesn’t take long to find someone else who has a much more difficult road to travel. Blessings on your cooking and fellowship time.
The mini cakes are in the oven now–going to have so much fun decorating them!
Sarah, we were very close to homeless at one point in our lives. You brought tears to the eyes of both me and my husband as I read your blog to him. What an honor to serve those ladies with love and compassion. the old expression What an opportunity to be the Hands of Jesus and love those some would call unworthy!
Oh Debrah–exactly!
Your observation that, in different circumstances, you could be in these women’s place is spot – on. A manager of a homeless shelter once told my church group that most people are just a couple of paychecks away from homelessness, given a job loss, illness, injury, etc. So it’s good for all of us to be courteous and loving to people in bad circumstances. Thanks for sharing your insights, Sarah!
Exactly–it’s very sobering!