A Heartwarming Wesley Nurse Story
One day I was notified by my pastor, Pastor Leggett of Bastrop United Methodist Church, that a member of the congregation with a passion for helping the homeless donated a large sum to a fund intended to help the ministry team with outreach. In the interest of connecting the donor to the proper needs, I contacted the president of Mission U-Too, Jonah Beyer, to inquire about needs in the community. A low-income, Spanish-speaking family of six, with four children ranging in ages from six to 14 years old, had lost their home to a fire the week before Christmas. Jonah had been praying for them, as his organization lacked the funds needed to assist. Can you see a little wink from God here? Jonah told me that tires for a donated RV and a language barrier stood between this family and a temporary home, as they waited for their home to be rebuilt.
For me, there was no question of what I would do. I contacted local tire shops to price the tires and petitioned for the funds by email through Pastor Leggett. Pastor Leggett then approved the use of funds with the donor. The donor was actually present when the fire occurred and although he did not know the family, he was personally touched by their situation. The same day, the church treasurer arrived and wrote a check to a small community tire shop with the best price. With much joy, I called the family and explained what needed to occur to have the tires mounted on the RV and that the church had covered all costs. Later that day, the family was able to move their RV to family property and start moving gifts and supplies donated by other churches into their home. The family was also offered instructions on where to go temporarily to bathe and eat free of cost.
This situation inspired the First United Methodist Church Board of Trustees to begin the process of converting an unused outbuilding into a place of temporary refuge – so families experiencing homelessness can wash their clothes and relax in a setting that is safe and hope-filled. Volunteers will staff the site and minister to these families, and this Wesley Nurse plans on providing church health magazines for those who visit.
