Fundraising

This Sat. will be our first weekend and first ever of donation jars. We have Lafayette and W&M students who will be out at Ukrops collecting funds for the ministry so we can help people with motels, rent, utilities and neccessities. Our schedule is as follows, for any of you who want to make a contribution:

22nd Ukrop's and Grove Food Lion
29th Ukrop's, Ewell Station Food Lion and Williamsburg Shopping Center Food Lion
5th Merrimac Trail Food Lion and Jamestown Rd Food Lion

We have never done this and I feel kinda weird asking people for money, but it is needed if the ministry is going to be self-sufficient and keep on helping people.

Busy Morning

On my way to work at 2:00 AM this morn, I received a phone call from Patricia Folds. She is a social worker at our local hospital and also at Eastern State Mental Hospital. She was tired and frustrated because she had been on the phone since 10:00 PM the night before trying to help a man at the hospital get back to Richmond. But since the buses don't run in the middle of the night, she needed to get him into a motel. While she was giving me details, my cell phone battery died. I rushed in to the newspaper warehouse to use their phone. Finally I got her back on the phone and she said, "I didn't think my buddy Patti would hang up on me?!" I explained how most of the motels here are currently closed through the nights due to tourist season being at it's end and how we moved into a home. I couldn't think of any cheap motels for the night for him to go to and the hospital wouldn't let him stay until the bus station opened. "You know I wouldn't call you unless I have exhausted all resources," she said, "but basically you are saying you don't know what to do either?" I felt horrible, but she is right, we don't have many resources here. I hung up the phone and started to get my papers and then thought, "I could get him to Richmond after my route was done." I rushed to get my car loaded and rushed to the hospital (they are also a newspaper customer, so I was still doing my delivery job.) I ran inside and told the intake nurse I had a solution and to get Patricia for me. Just then the security guard and the man who needed a ride came walking out of the ER. I asked him if he was the gentleman needing to go to Richmond and told the security guard if he could wait in the waiting room until I was done with my route (2.5 hours,)I could drive him there. Patricia called me back to her office and I explained to her and she was thrilled. After bumming a dollar for a soda, I left and rushed through my route. Shortly later, as I was racing down Richmond Rd, throwing my papers, a police officer called me on my cell, "Patti is that you I just passed, speeding along Richmond Rd?" Keep in mind, my whole route, the speed limit is 25mph so for me to be doing 20-25 and throwing papers, that is racing. "Yes, how did you know?" I asked. "You are the only carrier I see driving with your hazards on, dome light on and come to almost a complete stop at each throw. (chuckle) I have a homeless person we need help with. He needs to get to..." "Richmond. Yes, I already have it handled. He is at the hospital waiting for me to get off work," I explained. So of I raced to finish my route.

Then around 4:00 AM, my boss called me to ask, "Gotta a question for ya. So, how much do you help people? I mean do you help get them a place to stay?" "Basically we do everything. I had to go over to the hospital for a case just as I started my route. Why?" So she explained that one of our carriers and his family was burned out of their home this past week. The Red Cross put them up for a couple of nights and their insurance paid a couplke of nights but the motel was so expensive, they couldn't afford it with 3 people working. They lost all their clothing, most of their belongings and essentially have nothing and must start over. "Give him my home number and tell him to call me after he finishes his route," I told her. It turns out he and his father wear the same size and I have several pairs of jeans in our bedroom that we had just laundered for them. His mom wears an 8 and so I jumped on Freecycle to see if anyone had some clothes for her, which I had a couple of replies. His fiance also lost all her clothes and between Jenni and me, we can supply clothing that will fit. I have a few boxes of food for them and will deliver that along with the clothing tomorrow after work. In the meantime, we got theminto the Capt. John Smith Inn for almost $300 a week less than what they were paying. It will be a long haul for them to wait out for the rebuilding of their home. They will be joing us, along with 14 of our other friends (no not homeless) for Thanksgiving and then after, we will be taking 250 hot Thanksgiving meals out to distribute to people in motels and on the street.

Then a few hours later, I received a phone call from a sweet lady who goes to St. Bedes, "Patti, I just read the article in the Virginia Gazette! I am so glad you are still continuing the ministry! This area needs you. So where have you been the past couple of months?" "Well, we moved into a house so we needed down time to unpack," I told her. It turns out she is part of a knitting circle and they want to knit us scarves, gloves and hats for Christmas. It turns out she also has a quilting circle so possibly by next year, Williamsburgs Homeless & Indigent will have it's own quilt representing the area and the homeless situation! Cool.

INSTALLING LOVE

Tech Support: Yes, ... how can I help you?

Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love.
Can you guide me though the process?

Tech Support: Yes, I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do
I do first?

Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located
your Heart?

Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it
okay to install Love while they are running?

Tech Support: What programs are running?

Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and
Resentment running right now.

Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your
current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it
will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override
Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem.
However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those
programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off?

Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke
Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have
been completely erased.

Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that
normal?

Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program.
You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the
upgrades.

Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error -
Program not run on external components ." What should I do?

Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to
run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In
non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you
can Love others.

Customer: So, what should I do?

Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following
files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your
Limitations.

Customer: Okay, done.

Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system
will overwrite any conflicting files and begin patching faulty
programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all
directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and
never comes back.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is
playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves
all over My Heart. Is this normal?

Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually
everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running.
One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it
and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it
with others and return some cool modules back to you.

Customer: Thank you, God.

You might want to send this to every one you know...However...
If you delete it, that's okay, God's love is not based on emails

The Touch Of The Master's Hand
by Myra Brooks Welch


Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who will start bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar" --then, "Two!" "Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, twice;
"Going for three --" But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings.
He played a melody pure and sweet
As sweet as a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased and the auctioneer
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said what am I bidden for the old violin?
And he held it up with the bow.
A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?

Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand twice;
And going, and gone!" said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply:
"The touch of the master's hand.

And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scattered with sin,
Is auctioned off cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine;
A game -- and he travels on.
He's "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and "almost gone."
But the Master comes and the foolish crowd
Never quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.


**This is a great poem, but it also demonstates how we feel about people who are homeless. We don't want to just assist them in getting a home, but assist them in living a better life.**

POSH COFFEE FUNDRAISER

With winter and the holidays approaching, we are seeking to raise funds to provide warm housing, clothes, and food for the needy and poor in Williamsburg. With each bag of coffee that is purchased, $5.00 will be donated to our organization. What a simple and delightful way to contribute to others in need!

Imagine wowing your friends with a cup of the “World’s Finest Coffees and Coffee Blends” at your holiday festivities, knowing, even as you savor the moment, that your pleasure is helping someone in need to have a warm coat, room, or meal. What a great way to help others have “Happy Holidays!”

The flavors are on the sidebar. If you want more information about the coffee, you can go to Coffee Lovers Cafe (please don't order on webpage, because we then only get $1.00 instead of $5.00) Just email me your order and pay through PayPal. Or, we also can take orders using your credit card. Have your order form ready and call 757-566-1946 Mon. through Sat. from 9:00 AM til 5:00 PM and we will take your order over the phone. All orders will be delivered within 2 weeks by your Fundraiser Rep.

Remember, when you are having your cup of Posh “Wake Up” Coffee to start your day or relaxing at night with a cup of “Tranquility”, you’ll have a sense of peace of mind knowing you helped a person or family sleep warm that night. Together we can make a difference in the lives of those who don’t have a place to lay their heads this winter.

Prayer List

Yeah! I finally got the prayer request to work now. No more association to PayPal! If you know of somebody who needs prayer, list THEIR name in the "Name section" and in the "Comment section" list the situation. Last names are not neccessary.

Military vs. Jail

Yesterday I received in the mail an update on Tim (the kid who stole my Jeep Sept. 04.) The courts dropped the charges from afelony down to a misdemeanor! But, they offerred him 2 choices: go to jail or go into a branch of military for 2 years. He opted for the military. He had to report to the courts by Sept. 22nd which branch accepted him and he has 60 days to start paying me restitution on the Jeep and the articles that were inside. Although it will take him 2 years to pay, at least the military will guarantee me the money. I just have to pay the money for the repairs in advance.