I Saw a Beautiful Thing

Three weeks ago, a long-time street friend of OIM came to the Thursday Winter Wear Program. I knew this gentleman and spent time chatting with him, listening to his latest thinking about the problems in the world. During the conversation, he shared a pressing need that he had – the need for another pair of rubber overshoes. It was then that I looked at what he was wearing on his feet. He did have rubber overshoes, but they were being held together with duct tape, and even with the tape, there were open holes visible, and his shoes inside the rubber overshoes were salt-stained. I inquired with one of the volunteers if there were any overshoes of the size this man needed, but there were not. I apologized to this man, and he was gracious in return, stating that he didn’t expect that there would be, but he thought that he would ask just in case. A few moments later, he left the OIM building.

Winter Wear is a program that OIM has run on Thursdays during the winter months for the past few years. Because of the generosity of donors, OIM can distribute warm jackets, hats, gloves, mittens, boots, hand-warmers, and blankets. These items are also distributed via street outreach, which occurs every day. However, many times the sizes and types of goods we have for distribution are insufficient to meet every need.

So, after our street friend left, I was convicted to pray for the provision of the boots he needed. I asked that the Lord to provide. I also thought, “Well, why don’t I just go and buy them and give them to him?” While I thought about doing just that, I soon became distracted by the needs of others. Then, last Tuesday, a volunteer who serves at Winter Wear outreach contacted me. He had purchased the boots that our street friend needed, and wanted them to be given to our friend anonymously. Two days later, at Winter Wear, our street friend returned, and I presented the new boots to him, telling him that an anonymous donor had purchased them. He was visibly humbled, grateful and near speechless. He asked me, “How did this happen?” I shared with him that people prayed over his need, and someone responded. Our street friend is not a follower of Jesus, but that day he experienced our Lord’s compassion working through His children to provide for his needs. The boots were a perfect fit.

When our street friend left, he was joy-filled, and those of us who had witnessed our friend receiving the gift and his response were humbled and grateful to have been part of the Lord’s expression of love and provision for our friend.

Serving Christ by serving others is the greatest of adventures.

~Gerry, Executive Director