The continuation of the story “Give it all to Him” was read today. The chapter was “what’s in the bag?” It spoke of a young mother, with one hand she leads a child the other she drags her load, bumpy and heavy. Then an old man comes by, face wrinkled and hard. His garbage sack is so long it hits the back of his legs. “What weight would he be carrying” she wondered as he passed. “Regrets” She turns to see who spoke. Beside her on a bench sits a man. Tall, bright, kind eyes. Like hers his jeans are mud stained. Unlike hers, his shoulders are straight. She looks around for his trash but doesn’t see it. He watches the old man disappear as he explains, “As a young father, he worked many hours and neglected his family. His children don’t love him. His sack is full, full of regrets.” She doesn’t respond, so he does. “And yours?” “Mine?” she said looking at him. “Shame.” His voice is gentle, compassionate. She still doesn’t speak, but neither does she turn away. “Too many hours in the wrong arms. Last year, last night… shame.”

Sifting through people’s trash tells a lot about them. The trash we carry around: Shame, Loneliness, Worry, Pain, Guilt, Resentment and Revenge, Failures and the list goes on and on.

After the story was read, I had 5 people come up to me and say this story was talking right to them. It spoke to their hearts about the garbage they have and had been carrying around. David H. said he was convicted of the story and he should pray about what he’s carrying around. Another David, the one that’s a scrapper, came up and shared that he was married for 22 years and his wife died 7 years ago. He got in with the wrong crowd, had anger issues was lost/lonely and ended up on the streets. He was crying while telling me this. Oh to wipe the tears of a hurting child, thank you Jesus.

Dale (Red Hawk) is a Native American man of 30+ years old. He asked for prayer as he was leaving Indy to go to Colorado. He asked if he could shower at someone’s house he hadn’t showered in 3 days and was planning on hitch hiking out there. Not many places to take a shower hitch hiking across the country with 3 large duffle bags. Against my better judgment, I told him he could shower at my house. Steve (our wonderful volunteer) brought him here and stayed here with me till he took him to the bus station around 11 pm. We were able to feed him physically, spiritually wash one load of clothes for him and helped him pack his bags (with those great space bags from my friend Mindy, thanks friend). The original plan was to let him shower do a load of clothes and drop him off at an interstate heading west. Steve and I talked about it and it’s so cold outside and it’s a long way to Colorado. So the ministry bought Dale a one way ticket to Colorado. Bless Steve Dieterle for going the extra distance to take him back downtown to the bus station and wait until he got his ticket. Thanks Steve. You’re a saint.

John Williamson from Food Rescue came to see what we do on Sunday’s at MMUTB. Joyce showed him around and explained everything to him of what we are trying to accomplish. She also did an interview with him for his sponsors. To show them their donations are changing and enriching lives. A great man of God, hope this is another piece of God’s puzzle for us.

I was driving downtown the other day and drove by a guy that looked familiar. He waved at me, it was Duke. I stopped to chat. (He got an apartment back in the spring and Marsha and I moved some furniture to his new apartment. He was very thankful. Very courteous gentleman. He told me he needed a bike to get back and forth from Irvington to downtown to his job at Steak n Shake). I asked how he was doing, he said “I’m blessed”. Don’t we all like to hear that? I’d ran into him a few months ago and he told me he was working on getting a car. I asked how that was going, he said he should find out that night. He said he’s still working at Steak n Shake and working another full time job. He said he still has my bike and will “pay it forward” to someone else when he gets his car. He also told me that he was playing the Mega Millionaire (I know what you are thinking… I’m just telling you what he said) and if he won, he wanted to bless MMUTB for being so kind and generous to him. I said we are already blessed by seeing him doing so well.

MMUTB is in need of metal hangers! Please tell your email friends, family, etc. To donate their metal hangers to MMUTB. They can be dropped off at 918 E. Michigan Street (downtown) or 6504 Birchcrest Drive (west side of town). Our clothing donations are constantly being depleted, we are in need of winter apparel such as jeans, long sleeve shirts, boots, coats, belts, new or very clean underwear and socks.

Thanks for all of our awesome volunteers that make such a difference in the lives of homeless people but also in mine. Bless them all Lord in Jesus’ name.

Kathy Albright,
Executive Director