Recently, while walking through our waiting room I overheard our receptionist inform a man who appeared to be approaching middle age that we had run out of sandwiches for the day. As he headed for the door, I stopped him saying, "Don’t worry, I will find you something to eat!" Sure enough, we had run out of sandwiches for the day. Within minutes I returned with some ready-made food to eat, along with something to drink.
As it often happens, he related his story. He was a college graduate and a recovering alcoholic. He explained he was feverishly applying for employment and has been sober for three months. He seemed intelligent and articulate. He informed me that he had several job interviews.
Our next stop was in the men’s section of St. Louise Gift & Thrift Store. After all, with the competitive nature of job interviews, it is important to be sharply dressed. He was given a beautiful gray suit, slacks, shirt and color-coordinated tie, along with a pair of black dress shoes. With tears in his eyes he asked if we could keep his new clothes at our office because he feared they would become soiled and wrinkled in his pup-tent. He related that, for him, staying at the local shelter in town would be temptation to drink.
How can one give a tent address on a job application? We then made arrangements for several weeks in a long-term hotel that we deal with so he can more easily apply for employment. He was so moved he exclaimed with moist eyes, "I am going to give my tent away to someone who needs it. I know just the guy!" I thought, ‘what if his job search was unsuccessful? He will be losing his ‘home!’" I marveled at his faith. I informed him that other homeless men have come to us and have received sport coats and suits for job applications which were key to the successful nature of their job interviews.
Our last stop was in our chapel where we both prayed to our Lord present in the Blessed Sacrament to help him in his quest to find employment. I begged our Lord to assist him in his search for employment. I kept thinking about him giving his tent away. "I need to catch up on my child support payments," he said. His last words were "Thank you!" I assured him of our continued prayers.
Please pray that not only will God help him find employment but an apartment. I reassured him that when he does find a new home, we can help him with not only with the first month’s rent and the security deposit, but also with the needed furniture, appliances and other items that help make a house or apartment a home. This assistance is sorely needed when someone transitions off the streets, for they are in no position to purchase the items listed above. Please keep this individual and our other countless clients in your prayers. Please know that we regularly and routinely pray for you because without the generous benefactors of southern Nebraska, we would not have been able to help them.
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