When teaching me not to be judgmental about something when I was a child, my father explained that phrase to me.  But for God’s grace our circumstances could be so much different.  

For the last few months John and the boys have been serving dinner once a week at the Open Door Mission.

Last night, after the team had set up, served and cleaned up, a family arrived at the door.  A woman with six children.  Stewart thought the oldest was about 9 and the youngest was 1.  They had JUST thrown out the last of the food!  They had four plates that had been prepared earlier as “hold-backs” in case someone comes in late.  So John and the boys quickly set a new table and brought the four plates of food to these seven people.  The mother asked John if they had any milk for her baby.  They don’t serve milk at the Open Door, just water with the meals. 

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the cook and other volunteers began to assemble a care package for her.  John and the boys jumped in after delivering the meal to them.  John said they were just grabbing anything they could use.  They DID have boxes of powdered milk for her as well as many canned goods.  Nigel said the woman had a stroller.  I don’t know how she was getting around.  Really.

I asked John, “Where is she going to go?  Were they able to do anything for them?  They can’t sleep there.”  He recalled that he heard her speaking to a worker and it had been set up for her to stay in the Hotel Cadillac.  It is NOT a nice place.  NOT at ALL. 

Oh, please join me as I pray for this woman and her children.  May God have mercy on her. 

My boys learned a LOT last night.  More than I could ever teach them on my own.  Oh LORD Jesus, please come SOON.