One of my favorite New Year’s Eve Family Promise of Lawrence stories is from 5 years ago. One of the coordinators at First Baptist Church sent me an email about 12:30 about her experience hosting that night.
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Everyone was quietly in their rooms, until about 11:45. One family came out and invited the volunteer hosts to pray in the New Year with them. Another family also joined and the small group formed a circle and held hands. Everyone took a turn saying a prayer either about the New Year, or about the year that was passing. One special little boy in the program asked God to please watch after all the homeless people who don’t have a place to sleep tonight, or good food to eat tonight. That precious prayer, touched the volunteers deeply.
And so in keeping with the spirit of that precious prayer 5 years ago; Lord, thank you for all the good people that make up the work of Family Promise. Thank you for the volunteers who night after night make it possible for families to have safe shelter and home-cooked healthy meals. Thank you for those who willingly share their lives and walk alongside others who are experiencing the difficult situation of homelessness and thank you for the very brave parents who are enduring the rigor of the FPL program to get their families back into sustainable, permanent housing.
Happy New Year everyone and to echo the prayer from 5 years ago, Lord, please watch after all those who are experiencing homelessness and please equip us to serve those families who cross our path through Family Promise of Lawrence. God’s blessings to each of you.