Melissa

     I am a Craigslist regular.  I look through multiple sections including "Local News" where I found an add asking for help with firewood from Melissa.  Almost immediately I felt God telling me that I was to help.  So, of course, I did.  Melissa is a 34 year old woman who was living alone because her husband recently left her.  Why?  Because she was diagnosed a second time with invasive cancer.  Her first bout was early this year and they thought they had removed it all.  They hadn't.  The second diagnosis came 3 months ago.  So, here she was facing the cancer once again.  I guess he couldn't handle it and he left.  She was on disability when she had the first cancer and remains on disability even now.  Her funds were crunched and now almost decimated with the funds from her husbands work gone.  She has an older home that has wood heat.  Hence the ad.  She needed wood through the winter for her heat and couldn't afford that dry wood.  I contacted Melissa and told her I would take care of the wood.  A couple of weeks later I went to meet with her and tell her about the arrangements.
     She asked me why would I do this.  Open door!  I told her that God has told me to do so.  That led to me telling her that if she had additional needs to let me know.  Melissa isn't someone who likes to ask for help.  She doesn't like to "impose" on anyone.  While I told her that it wasn't an imposition, I also told her that she was important to God and others.  She didn't believe me.  I told her to call if she needed any additional help.  She called 2 weeks ago asking if I could help with a clogged drain.  I went to her home and cleaned out the line.  An hour later everything was working great.  The fact that she called asking for help told me that she had learned that I meant what I said and that my witness was true.  She was very thankful.  She had surgery to remove the cancer about a week ago.  When she called I knew that another opportunity has been made for God's love to be delivered to her.  She was in need of a shower stool.  That made sense.  I procured one and dropped it by.  This time I saw a Melissa with a look of hope in her eyes.  Unless she has further needs, I probably won't contact her.  That is unless God directs me to do so.
     It's that simple.  God asks us to care for the widow and orphan and included in the care we give are those who just need hope.  Sometimes it's a simple thing like the jump start I needed yesterday.  Two strangers asked if they could help.  God sent them.  Love isn't found in paper and brick.  Love is found in people who have received love from God.  Last night I watched an hour program on the Christians in Ethiopia and the persecution they are currently going through.  In spite of and in the face of terrorism against them, the Christians are telling the story of the love of Jesus.  Thousands are giving up Muslim for Jesus.  The love of those passing on his love is amazing!  The plea began for one man when an orphan about 4 said to him, "Father, give me bread."  The annihilation of many adults have left a big swath of Ethiopia home to thousands of orphan children.  This man heard God tell him to give them bread.  So he does...to thousands of them now.  Why?  Because he received the love of God and can't help but give it away.  You have Melissa's and orphans asking for bread all around you.  Open your heart and your eyes will see what God sees.  Then all you have to do is make a choice.  It's always your choice.