“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  ~Hebrews 11:1

When I started this blog, I talked about paying attention to the little things that happen often right in front of us.

Easter 2010 culminated with us standing in a kindergarten classroom.  Next to me, lined up by the door was a gal from the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, my dad, my sister Robin, her husband Leo, and Joann, a regular volunteer of Families Building Faith.  The principal had interrupted the classroom of excited children with a special surprise.  It was the Easter baskets we had made.  One for each of them delivered by the sixth grade students.

As we stood there watching them receive their basket at their desks, a young boy pointed to me and wiggled his finger beckoning me over to his desk.  Bending down, he told me that he was going to give two out of the three stuffed animals in his basket to his younger brothers.  Ever so quickly and confidently, he assigned them the names of Jeremiah and Elijah.  I smiled with a little tug at my heart…those names were from the Bible.

Smiling at him, I asked him his name.   He proudly said “Isaiah.”  I laughed thinking, “Go figure, God would confirm where we are at through this child”…Isaiah and Jeremiah hold special Scriptures that have always been a great comfort to me.  It was also in this instance that I realized we needed to label each child’s basket with their name.  The teacher had told them they couldn’t open them and they were going to move them to a central pile, but I could see that the children were already invested in them…they had seen and touched their basket.  So the teacher graciously allowed us (all of the volunteers) to get down on our knees and write the children’s names on their baskets.

As time has gone by, I haven’t forgotten Isaiah.  This year when we delivered Easter baskets again and I was in a classroom, I saw a young boy cross in front of me.  I thought I recognized him, but wasn’t sure why.  Then I realized that we were standing in the first grade room, last year’s kindergarten class.  I scanned the room for Isaiah.  I walked over to him and said, “Hi Isaiah.  I am not sure you remember me, but I remember you from last year.”  He seemed shy, and I told him that I hoped he had a good rest of the year

Those little moments…remember how I said they are important.  The week before Thanksgiving, I sat at a table with a group of parents from that elementary school.  The principal had invited Families Building Faith to attend their Parent Action Committee meeting in part because they were celebrating with a Thanksgiving meal and she really wanted to thank us for all the different things we have brought their way.

Trying to connect with them, I told them about meeting the kindergarten class for the first time and the story of Isaiah.  The parents said, “Oh, he’s a sweet boy!”  They all seemed to know of him…nodding and shaking their heads.

On the way up to Flint that day, I had thought about our Christmas outreaches through Families Building Faith and had wondered if maybe the school could help us connect with some truly needy families.  As the meeting progressed, the subject of Christmas came up.  This year, the school had to bypass an opportunity to assign their needy families to a local Christmas outreach program because most of their families are unable to drive to pick up the food and toys.  My heart broke when they said they have approximately 125 families in need.  Last year, of the 125, approximately only 15 were able to take advantage of the services due to a lack of transportation.

Well, that answered my question about needy families!!  I sat there thinking, “Yikes, 125!”.  At the end of the meeting, I ventured over to the principal and coordinator.  I had a car full of clothes for the kids that we needed to unload, and then quietly explained our gently used Toy Drive.  I told her that I was embarrassed to ask for only five families…but would they consider helping us connect with five?  They were so gentle, kind and excited…and to them, five adopted is better than none.

We headed out to the car to unload it, and I met with the coordinator about getting the names.  Actually I gave her a list of questions that we need to know about each family.  When I got to my last question, it was about food.  What we have learned is that many, in really tough places, don’t even have ingredients, stoves or the cooking equipment to actually cook.  I asked if they could inquire about that ability so that we could tailor any food contributions to each family’s true needs.  What good is it to give them a raw turkey if they have nowhere to cook it?

She nodded and said they were beginning to realize that some of their families are struggling with that very issue.  She went on to talk about a family she knew that was grappling with cooking.  The family lives in the projects, which are not too far from the school.  The dad loved to cook and always made the meals.  Early one morning this late spring, he stepped out to leave and was gunned down, killed, right on his front steps.  They had four children, four young boys.  The coordinator continued on with how the older two boys had begged their mom to please cook them something, but she had no idea how.

Another volunteer in the room asked how we learned of the school so I shared the story of how the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan had helped us connect.  The parent coordinator, in turn, mentioned that family again as they took part in a video done for the Food Bank, and happened to say one of the little boy’s name…Isaiah.  I stopped her.  Was Isaiah in second grade this year?  “Yes, yes, he is.”  Does he have two younger brothers?  “He does.”  We realized quickly that this Isaiah was the Isaiah I met two years ago.  It was his stepfather who was gunned down this last spring 2012…it was Isaiah and his older brother who had step over that spot each morning in grief and torment to finish school.

I felt my heart tear and an ache develop.  I was once told that such feelings might equate to a “holy discontent”…a fire that won’t let go of your heart driving you towards action versus inaction…to believe that something can be done when many just turn away.  I had known there that God had a reason for why I was asked to go.  A reason that He was nudging me to follow though I had no idea why.  The only thing I knew was that I felt strongly there was something I was supposed to learn.  Never in a million years did I expect it to be about Isaiah…

His mom totally broke down.  Four young children.  No way to cook and not even knowing how.  Living in the dangerous projects and struggling with her own deep grief, she sent Isaiah and his older brother to live with their grandmother in Clio, which is just north of Flint.  All four boys were devastated with the youngest ones not understanding what had happened.  Now not only a father gone, but a family torn apart.  No older brothers to protect them and no younger brothers to care for.

It turns out that a teacher who knew Isaiah was visiting his new school one day when he ran up to her, threw his arms around her and cried out her name.  He hugged her closely much to his current teacher’s surprise.  The next day the principal called.  Isaiah hadn’t spoken since he had arrived.  Trauma, I am sure.  Losing his dad, and eventually his mom and baby brothers whom he cares so much about.  In fact, after his stepfather passed, he had proclaimed that he would the “man” in the house to help take care of them all.  The principal of the new school wanted to know if there was any way the teacher could come back to visit him.  I stood there stunned.  I stood there with an ache in my heart that was way too familiar on this journey with God.

What to do?

What to do?

What do you do when God hands you information like this?  When He fills your heart with an ache that just isn’t going to let go?  When He open your eyes to walls that are crumbling, lives that are broken, and then let’s you look at the hands at your side?  Do you really turn, thank the person for the update and walk away?

Must we always tell Him, “No that’s too much, too big, impossible to help…?”  Is it…is it really?

So I thought…quickly.  Somebody has to be able to reach him, and I pray that that teacher indeed gives her time.  But I knew when I walked up to Isaiah last year, there was a reason.  I wasn’t sure why.  I don’t like to single out people, and I don’t like to draw attention to myself.  Honestly, as hard as it is to believe, I prefer the drop and runs of service work.  Letting people know that we care, that God loves them, and then leaving the rest in His hands…no need for thank you’s, accolades, or praise…just keeping it simple.  But, deep down…I knew then there was a reason God was nudging to talk to him…that there was a reason he called me over to his table to tell me the names of his stuffed animals.

My question to you is this…what do you do when God breaks your heart?  Do you turn towards it or away?  Do you offer what you can, or do you say you have nothing to offer?  That none of the gifts and blessings God has granted you can be used, or do you trust God He has placed that person, that situation, that information in your path for a reason and allow Him to guide you to a better understanding?

Our world is truly a wonderful and amazing place (just so you know, I am not a fan of those who disparage this world as if it was a mistaken or haphazard creation), but with all of its beauty, it is also filled with hurting, lonely, and yes, many heartbroken people.  Individuals who just need to know God has forgotten them, that they are cared for and have a purpose.  So I asked myself, how can I turn away from Isaiah’s story and do nothing?

So…after much prayer…

Please join us as we venture into uncharted territory for Families Building Faith as we seek to adopt out families at this elementary school and bring them some joy this Christmas season.  I’ve posted four families that can be adopted on our database at www.signupgenius.com.  You must have an invite from us to check this out, and you can obtain one from us by emailing us at familiesbuildingfaith@yahoo.com.  You can also hit the direct link on our postings to those invites at our official Facebook page:  www.facebook/familiesbuildingfaith.  If all four get adopted, we will see if we can get more posted…the school is willing, we are willing…now let us pray that God move hearts of those who might be able to help.

The key to our program will be having everything turned into us so that we can deliver the last couple of days of school at this elementary school.  The due date to our doorstep is Monday, December 17th…but you are always welcome to drop off beforehand.  We are setting spending limits (this is not about Sony Playstations) to simple gifts, and we will also be asking for food donations…specific to each family’s ability.  Some may be able to cook a ham; others may need lunch meat and bread.

And yes, my family will be adopting Isaiah and his family.  Please pray that somehow I can deliver some of the gifts directly to him letting him know that not only have I not forgotten, but that he has been sought out because God indeed loves him and I truly care.

You might ask why and how we would launch a new program with the craziness of the Christmas season…but isn’t that what it is all about?  A crazy story of love, faithfulness and willingness; a journey to a different place where some were forgotten by the rest; lives to be touched, hearts to be rend, and a world so desperately needing change?  Everything about Christmas is because God so loves us!  And in return, He asks us to love one another…

As I sat at the table during lunch, I shared with some of the parents a thank you note I received from a child after Easter.  In it, the child said it was the only thing she received for Easter.  A grandmother sitting across from me nodded and looked down.  She quietly said, “You don’t know how many of these children only receive things through the school.”  I know it is all too true.

So…

We are hoping to not only adopt out some families but to continue and expand our Toy Drive to cover those whose families aren’t adopted.  Yes, please join us in prayer as we continue to collect gently-used and new toys…praying that God bring us enough to provide a toy to as many as possible, that He move hearts to look at their toy boxes and closets for what they are no longer using, and that He bring us those who can help sort and deliver.

We know it is a big task, but we have a bigger God!  We trust and are asking God to help us move mountains with those willing to share their hearts, hands and ability to bring happiness, comfort and hope to little ones such as these this Christmas morn.  And what a gift He has given us to be a part of it!

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.'”  ~Matthew 21:21-22