By Donna Clark RN, Director
It’s been a week of wintry weather and a difficult time for anyone living in camps or on the streets. One man was injured when the wind blew a tree branch down on his tent, knocking over his propane heater and setting it on fire. He suffered second degree burns and several fractured ribs. Hospitalized, he could not handle the environment of the hospital and signed himself out AMA(what is AMA?) Now what to do? His tent is gone and all that he owns has been destroyed.
Thanks to the shelters available in our community there is a safe dry place to recover. The Community Emergency Shelter Project (CESP) has been open to the homeless of our community since the first weekend of January and is housing 28-35 men. We are seeing men with chronic physical and mental health issues and in need of a warm bed, healthy food, and patience (love). What theses churches do is amazing! The volunteers go out of their way to feed and care for these lost souls. When this awful weather was predicted last weekend, a group from Asbury United Methodist Church stepped forward and offered to help the shelter (being hosted this week by Community of Joy Church) to stay open during the day. The work done in this shelter project is truly the act of Christian love. Each and every volunteer opens his or her heart and allows God’s love to flow through them by providing the food or the fellowship to those in most need. The project is an example of the Word of God bringing about the fruits of our faith.
During this time of Lent the passage of Isaiah 58:1-12 shows us what form of “fasting” is acceptable in the eyes of our Lord. The volunteers of CESP look beyond themselves and give to the marginalized in our community. Thank you!
H.O.P.E. 