Sorry for failing to post in my blogs this week. Not only did my computer crash a week ago, but Anawim has been receiving a record number of in kind donations. We've received dozens of sleeping bags, even more blankets and tarps, and a huge number of clothes.
Also, we've had to open up the Gresham Underground Emergency Shelter (GUESs) a for six nights in the last two weeks. While I'm not in the shelter every night, I do open it up and close it every evening and morning.
This has been really tough on all the Anawim staff, and we're pretty exhausted. And Christmas hasn't even come yet!
Praise God for His ample provision, though! This is the first year I can say that we've provided for our folks in East County according to their need after more than twelve years of ministry there. I pray that next year we will be able to provide more-- and have more staff to help us! And we also received a couple stove/ovens for the Yellow Church, just in time to cook four turkeys for Christmas!
Also a me and a couple other day shelter folks were able to meet with a representative of the Gresham police, and we were able to share our concern for the homeless community and how we are both trying to help them and the security provisions we have. We seemed to have reached a tentative agreement, or at least we had a pleasant conversation!
If anyone is flexible in time and has ample patience and some smarts and would like to help us, we could really use the help. We don't have any salary to offer, but the retirement package is unimaginably great!
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