Today, it was less than 8 degrees in the early morning hours here in South Lyon, Michigan.  I dragged myself out of bed and took Blaze for a very early morning walk–trying to stay committed and not let myself find excuses!  About half way round the way, and my left cheek was burning.  The rest of me was bundled up pretty well, but my face was exposed and I was feeling it.  I thought of how thankful I was that I had snow pants, gloves, a warm coat and a hat on me, and how so many do not…how do they survive in this painfully, biting cold?  My mind briefly thought of the children who don’t have coats, or who have no boots…

Last spring, we took Easter Baskets to a school in the Flint area.  It was in the end of April, and one of the things we noticed, and later had confirmed, was a need for clothing.  For years, we have been praying for the opportunity to reach the Flint area and God had met us each time in answering those prayers.  Why Flint, you might ask?

The summer before my sophomore year in highschool, my parents moved their family to Davison, Michigan, which is about 20 minutes east of Flint.  When I graduated from high school, I decide to commute to the University of Michigan’s Flint campus and stay to work with my dad in his business in Mount Morris.  I knew and saw firsthand the need in Flint.  The devastation that had come with incredibly hard times, the absolute poverty and lack of hope.

As my life continued to twist and turn, I remember one Christmas when Josh was young, Mark and I were driving home late that night from my parents’ house.  As we travelled across I-69 and I looked out the window into the lit neighborhoods of the city, in my heart I felt this deep pang.  For some reason, I could feel the pain of those who knew no Christmas that year, who were cold and hungry…those who felt forgotten…and my heart ached.  I thought of the kids lying in bed wishing for Santa, for food, for love and for warmth.  Maybe it was then that God took hold of my heart for Flint…

So advance in time, many years later in a totally different world, Families Building Faith was born.  Our second outreach was our Easter Basket Collection.  We had just come off of an amazing experience collecting bread and blankets for a food pantry, when we began to think of what to do next?  Easter came to mind, and off we went following God…Whose grace still to this day humbles and overwhelms me.  As the years progressed in this outreach, my hope was one day to have enough to reach those in need in Flint.  That day came a few years ago.

Last year, we moved from delivering baskets to our normal mode of operation…through a food pantry…to a school directly, with the help of the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan.  God was so incredibly good to us, because we decided we didn’t just want to help “some” of the kids at a school but all of them.  That was a pretty tall order, but with much prayer and much faith, we were able to take them about 400 baskets for their preschool through 6th grade…their entire school.  It was an amazing experience!  And that school has never been far from our minds since.

As we drove home and continued to pray, we felt nudged to consider collecting warm clothes for these kids.  After much prayer and agreement, we set out to do so this last fall (2011).  In August, my dad was diagnosed with terminal recurrent esophageal cancer.  All of a sudden, the best laid plans were scattered across my basement.  September and the first part of October flew by with days devoted to my dad and my family…God was so good to us as it was the smallest amount of donations we had ever received after putting out a call.  It was as if He held back the gates, in His grace and mercy.  He truly does know our limits!  When I finally called the school in November, guess what?

For the first time, they were completely clothed!  It was an unexpected blessing that principal couldn’t believe.  I had talked with her in June and she knew of our plans, but now, she couldn’t take the clothes not needing them.  So I sat back and scratched my head…what to do?  As you can see, we had received a sizeable amount in trying to stay steadfast.  The clothes were beautiful and in incredible shape.  We had mounds of coats, mittens, hats, snow pants, and so on.  Jeans, sweatshirts, t-shirts, and dresses.  As sad as I felt that we weren’t able to help that school, my heart rejoiced for them that God had made that happen…in a way, answering the prayer of our hearts even though we couldn’t step up to the plate the way we had hoped.

So fast forward through Christmas, we called all of the local schools and found out there was need here in South Lyon.  We delivered what was needed, but still had more…I talked with the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan again and she suggested two schools.  One kept sticking out in my mind.

Fast forward to this cold morning…on my email comes a note from another FBF member asking if she could call some places to see if we could get these wonderful clothes out to warm others.  She had gotten up this morning and while thanking God for a warm home, thought “Let’s do this!”  After a couple of phone calls, the doors opened to a school in Flint.  They were very excited and said in desperate need…500 students.

So down to the basement we went…

Bagged up all the clothes…

As you can see, there are lots…

Boots, hats, mittens…

It took us about an hour, and after packing the car incredibly tight, we headed north.  I actually had to shove the door down in order to get it to close.  We really wanted to make one trip!  By the way, we filled most of our Flex, which is a good size vehicle!  Thanks to all that brought us clothing.

When we came off of the highway, we began to see homes with windows boarded up…

As we drove down the street, this is what we saw…

Here is the neighborhood on one side of the street from the school.  The homes didn’t look too terrible…some were missing windows.  As we turned the corner, we saw more homes tattered and plastic over missing window panes…and then,

We came around to the backside of the school.  Every other home was boarded up, but still being lived in.  It was more than a little shocking.  Literally, across the street from the school.  It hit home, the pang again, of those on hard times and in need.

I parked in a parking lot that contained both beater cars and then Lexuses and Cadillacs–a strange mix.  Mary ran into the school while Josh and I stayed with the car.  I snapped some photos and watched as people pulled up behind our car.  One woman came to tell me that she had parked right behind me and would be inside for just 10 minutes.  I told her no problem.  She had to have been some child’s grandma.

Mary popped out a door that was right in front of us, and we began to unload the car.  We filled ended up filling a janitor’s closet and another room with the big bags of clothing.   As I came to open the back of the Flex, this grandma had followed me out to head back to her car.  When the door opened, she exclaimed, “Is that for the school?!”  I smiled and said, “Yes, we brought some warm clothes.”  She just stood there shaking her head.  She told me that this year there were so many, many kids in need of warm clothing…how grateful she was and the parents would be!  She kept thanking me as we continued to unload, and then was gone.  It always seems that God places somebody in my path to let me know that what we do is indeed needed and important…

As I walked through the hallways, I was so glad God had opened up the doors for us to help this school.  The families, many of the families, are struggling.  The neighborhood…whew, it is tough!  And the staff, so eager to help in any way that they can.  You could see their concern and love.  Of the 500 kids, probably close to 98% of them qualify for a lunch paid by our federal government.  Ninety-six (96) of them take home back-packs with food for the weekend, because you guessed it, there is no food at home.  (Can’t wait to share with you about the back-pack program in the months ahead!)

So why am I sharing all of this with you?  Because this is what I saw today.  It occurred to me that through the lens of my camera, and maybe with some of these words, I can help you to see what lies right outside of our own backyards.  This school was literally 45 minutes from my house.  It was a stone’s throw off of I-475, not far from my old stomping grounds, UM-Flint.  It is an area that is very transient.  These people move often, and while you may find yourself grappling with compassion for adult choices…today, every day, there are kids being impacted…by many choices, including yours and mine.  Today, these kids were impacted all because a cold morning put the heat on us to find someone in need of warm clothes.  Their day, and days ahead, will be warmly impacted by our choices.  Just as choosing to see them is yours…

As we waited in the doorway of the cafeteria for the parent coordinator, there was probably 100 kids in the lunch room awaiting dismissal.  Their eyes watched us, wondering what those bags held…who were we?  Their eyes followed us as we crossed the lunchroom to her office.  While I truly don’t want any praise for what was done, that was all God’s work…all we did was a little bit of bagging and driving…those kids will know, come Monday morning, what was brought.  They have faces to go with those clothes.  They will know that someone cared…that you and I care.  They will feel God’s love as they pull on a sweatshirt, take home a pair of boots, and slide into a pair of jeans that actually fits.  Our hands and feet can make all the difference to a child.

Last year, we received several thank you’s after visiting that original school in Flint.  I want to share two of them with you:

“Dear Families Building Faith,

I would like to thank the Families Building Faith for my Easter basket.  I was so amazed!  No one has ever done anything like that for me.  I think that all of you are angels, and may God bless all of you.” [Emphasis mine, written by a 6th grade young man]

“Dear Families Building Faith,

Thank you for the Easter baskets Because if it wasn’t for y’all I would not have had a big Basket full of candy, books and other things.  And when I got home I shared it with the whole family.  Thanks for the basket and we hope you come see us again.” [Again, emphasis mine, because we heard this in every grade level…their desire to share it with those at home]

Please consider joining us in prayer that God bring us enough items to make baskets to help both of these schools.  Please pray that God continue to open our eyes with compassion for the young, the orphans and the hungry.  Please pray that we never become hardened by the amount of need, but that we turn to Him, trusting that through Him, even our smallest efforts–whether deeds, actions or kind words–can help another see and feel His unending love and mercy.  It is a big prayer, but I know, with all my heart, that what is impossible for man is possible with God!

“They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”  Isaiah 61:4