Chirky

When I was younger, and went on ski trips and vacations with my church youth group, anyone could always count on my mom to have snacks and sandwiches packed for the long roadtrip. She would make pita sandwiches for everyone, include fruit and rice krispy treats, cookies, brownies, and more. It always made me so proud that everyone bragged on how great her food tasted, how generous she was with her time and talents, how she provided snacks for us just to make us feel a little more loved.

Growing up, I cherished my mom's stay-at-home, more than full-time job taking care of my brother and me. Kids would come over to our house just because they knew that my mom would be there. She's an amazing, loving, strong woman!

Yesterday, keeping in line with her character, I was reminded just how incredible she is. She has been serving the hurricane refugees that have been displaced in Texas and who have found shelter in the town where she lives. Tomorrow, she is hosting several of them at her house, where they will eat homemade grub (and believe me, my momma's grub is GOOD), relax, and bum around "on the farm."

Mom told me that as she's been serving the refugees and getting to know them, her heart is just breaking more and more for them. This is not Somalia, or the Middle East. It's home. They're just regular folks, like you or me or our next door neighbor, and now they've lost everything. They're without a job, without a home, living in a hotel, with friends or family, or in the streets.

And still, they've actually said to my mom that they are constantly amazed at the friendliness and generosity of those people they have met, those people who have helped care for them in their time of need, how the entire town has rallied around them to offer support. They say that living in the Big Easy was a different way of life. People were not as friendly, as kind, as generous, as helpful as they have been here.

Last night I stayed up until 11pm baking breads and cookies to take to refugees. Most do not have refrigerators, microwaves, or stoves to cook. Breads and cookies may not be what they need nutritionally for meals, but the homemade goods will provide a bit of "luxury," a taste of something they may not otherwise get.

Tomorrow and Sunday I am going to work with the refugees and hand out the treats. Saturday I will help my mom serve those who range in age from toddlers to the elderly. Sunday I will be working at Reunion Arena, where thousands have found temporary shelter. I will not be able to offer much in comparison to the number of people in need, but I will be a shoulder to lean on, an ear to listen, a voice of God's grace in the midst of this disaster. Where is the Lord when bad things happen? He's right here, among us.

Therefore, 100% of all funds donated to this site for the ENTIRE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER will be put into action to help refugees. If you can spare any money, whether 27 cents or $10 or more, please consider donating it. If you cannot, please consider donating your time to help refugees in your neck of the woods.