by Katie Patrick
Remember that time you were in a pinch and the Lord answered your prayers? He does that often, doesn’t He? We plan and prepare, then something goes wrong and we worry, and feel anxious. Maybe we hurriedly whisper a few prayers out of concern for the situation at hand, but then He shows up and everything just falls into place.
I think one of the best ways He comes to us and leads us to Him is through the good works of those around us—when God comes to us and meets us through the kindness and compassion of a friend, family member, coworker, or stranger. This story is about how the Lord works through our staff at Catholic Social Services in a way that we are able to be there for those reaching out to Him in their moment of need.
In March, CSS held our first warehouse sale of the season. We oftentimes are blessed with furniture donations that, while they don’t fulfill the needs of our clients, such as a dining set that is too large for the apartments where our clients live, we are able to sell those items to others and reinvest that money into our programs. It’s just one of the ways we are good stewards of the gifts that we receive.
At our most recent sale, in addition to furniture, garden tools, etc., we included, for the first time, large bins of clothes, shoes, purses, and books for customers to go through. We have been increasing our collection of new and gently worn donated clothing and were eager to offer it to the community.
And so, that morning, much to our surprise and enthusiasm, our staff arrived at the Lincoln warehouse to see roughly 50 cars lined up on both sides of the street! Thankfully, the word has spread! Individuals came from all over. Former and current clients, from our Family Support Services program and Refugee Resettlement program, as well as neighbors, friends, university students, antique collectors, vintage literature aficionados, and more. We were able to meet the needs of so many that morning, including one grandma in particular.
She was excitedly rummaging through the shoe bin, checking sizes before setting a few pairs aside, and looking for more. For quite some time she dug through the large bin, matching shoes up and taking photos of them on her phone to send to someone for input. By the time she was finished, she had collected eight pairs of shoes for young boys. As she was paying for the items ($1 per pair), she shared with our staff that her daughter recently received custody of three young boys and had no idea where she was going to get shoes for them to wear. She and her daughter both live on limited incomes and unexpected expenses, even a pair of shoes, can be costly and affect the family budget. So imagine her delight when she caught word of our warehouse sale with bins of $1 shoes, clothes, bags and books. She was one of the first in line, motivated by her family’s need for the basics.
As she was leaving, she thanked us for being the answer to her prayers; grateful that God had heard her and connected us. It’s in these moments and scenarios that God invites us and allows us at CSS to share in His provision for the poor. We’re blessed to be able to serve and perform the Works of Mercy in response to His call, especially when it permits us to not only pass on material needs but spiritual needs too, as we daily pray for those we encounter and serve. Thank you for being part of our mission by your prayers, your donations of material goods and financial ones, too. May God bless you and keep you always!
