A Supporter's Experience

By DRR Supporter Cheralee Volken:

We were at Children's Hospital today for our kids ear appointments and as we left, in the cold drizzle stood a man in the median, a young man who couldn't have been more than 25 or 30 with a sign that read "Homeless with Wife & Kid, Willing to Work". There was more, but I couldn't read it.

As the light turned green and we were moving down the interstate my heart ached. This man was my age, likely with a child around the age of one of mine, and it is getting so cold and nasty out. It was all I could do to hold back my tears. I simply cannot imagine what this must be like.

I wanted so desperately to whip a U-turn and doing something to help him. What to do, I don't know, I had no cash on me and nothing in the vehicle that even resembled something that could be useful to a homeless family, but all the same my heart ached to do something for him.

All day this has been on my mind. In fact, I prayed for his family on more than one occasion today, but I can't help but feel like I should have/could have done more.

This just really hit me hard today and I struggled greatly with my response, or rather lack of response, in this situation.

I donate supplies, money, and time as I can, but I couldn't help but be disappointed in myself for not taking an active step.

So, I have decided that while I cannot change today, I will change tomorrow. I am going to make a few of my own packs to keep in the vehicles and I am going to commit to getting someone to keep my kids before the end of January so that I can go on a DRR Homeless Outreach day.

Please pray for this man and his family along with your other homeless friends.