I go to college.
I go to college Monday, Wednesday & Friday online and Tuesday & Thursdays on campus.
Every Tuesday and Thursday I go.
And every Tuesday and Thursday I sit.
And every Tuesday and Thursday she walks in.
Hair disshelveled.
Clothes two sizes too small that are stained, dirty and wrinkled beyond belief.
And she smells.
She smells like she hasn't seen a shower in awhile.
She sits across from me and my body instinctively moves from breathing through my nose to breathing through my mouth to stomach the stench as I watch everyone around her do the same.
and my heart breaks for her a little bit more each day.
And I'm done.
I'm done standing by and watching.
I'm done standing by and hoping that someone else will help her.
I'm done smiling nicely at her and making polite conversation because no one else in the class will speak to her.
So done.
She is the least of these.
She is brilliant.
She knows the answers quicker in math than most of the rest of us.
She shows up everyday.
She learns despite her circumstances.
She can't be more than 18 or 19 years old.
But she's also hurting.
And hungry.
And she's unable to access our required online portions of this class because the access code costs $80.
And I'm done.
She.
Is.
The.
Heart.
Of.
Jesus.
And yet still I sit with my iPhone in my purse and my new flip flops cradling my freshly polished feet.
Lord forgive me.
Done.
I'm done and I need your help.
From what I can discern
(not from conversation with her about it but from observation alone......so I could be wrong)
but I truly,
truly believe she is homeless.
And if she's not "technically" homeless.
She has to be darn close.
She amazes me.
How she is in college is miraculous to begin with.
I've thought of a few things.
John and I are going to pay anonymously for her access code.
I am going to head out tomorrow in search of a couple of outfits for her and some toiletry items like deodorant, toothpaste and my favorite yummy smelling body spray and drop it off in a bag at our professor's office before class on Thursday so that she can give it to her discreetly.
But I need you.
What more?
What else?
Ideas?
Can you take a minute and pray for her?
Can you take a minute and ask the Lord to inspire you with an idea of how else to help her and what she may need?
In the words of Mr. Hale in 1902 "
I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I
can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse
to do the something that I can do."
He knew it then.
I know it now.
Jesus knew it always.
I can't buy her a house.
I can't buy her a car.
I can't "fix" every obstacle in her way.
But I can be His hands and feet.
And somehow......someway that is much larger than me.
That will be enough.
Body of Christ bring it on.
Let's be
one.
Let's be like the
ONE.
Let's do this.