Undeliverable Gifts: Christmas 2003

23 December 2003 Comments Off

Tomorrow’s
the night before Christmas
three dogs in my house
two cats are in hiding
I hope there’s no mouse…

That’s the easy part of Christmas. My food box/Christmas gifts delivery for Lazarus Ministries hasn’t turned out to be as simple as hoped. I’ve made 2 trips to the stated address… or at least what I think is the correct address. It’s a trailer (mobile home would be far to kind to describe it) with a note taped the door from the Sheriff’s department stating that there are important legal papers that need to be delivered. That note was dated last Friday. At least one window is busted out, it seems, but the door is locked. I know that there are 4 children and a single Mother in this household (tho the note seems to be for a male, whose name doesn’t match the others).

I’ve met this woman a few times before. We’ve been helping them at Thanksgiving and Christmas for several years. Previously, I’d take the stuff to her mother’s house. Not much of a house, but it seemed like a safe, loving place anyway. From what I’ve been told, Mother (I guess that would be Grandmother) has died since my last visit. My worry is that the stability has vanished. That I won’t get a return call from my note I left taped beside the Sheriff’s note. That’s these kids are left hanging. I worry about them all. And, I don’t know how to find them.

So – I pray that the Spirit will intercede, that the food and gifts get delivered somehwere, somehow, that the situation is not as bad as I fear. It’s time to remember, Lord, that you ask that I be wiling to help – not that I always succeed. Take care of them, if I can’t.