True and Genuine Religion

We are so blessed to be able to watch God work! And all because we volunteer our time to help the vulnerable. He has blessed us again and again as you can see in the prayer room as we track his hand upon us. Can it be because he sees how we are caring for the vulnerable who are close to his heart? During our prayer time, we have been “pondering” (as Mary did after the shepherds left the manger) why God tells us “pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” (Jas 1:27) We came to the possible conclusion that it may be because they are so vulnerable.

And we are touching orphans and widows in their distress such as the 30 year old woman who came to us three weeks ago. She was exposed to debilitating toxins in her Hurricane Sandy damaged apartment. She had no resources to fight the landlord and months afterward had a stroke while prematurely delivering her third daughter. The baby was born with a hole in her heart and fiberglass in her bloodstream and has been hospitalized many times already in her 18 months. This mom, in the meantime, was disabled from the stroke and is no longer able to work in her medical technician career. She has no income to support her children. The housing provided to her after she moved from her Sandy damaged apartment was itself condemned last week. She, like many of our clients, is powerless to fight the injustices they are experiencing. They are so vulnerable to being abused. When they come to Feeding Hands, they not only find food, but a listening ear and guidance on finding organizations that can help. This mom was so grateful when she returned to see us last Tuesday. She told us she is already getting more help from the resources we gave her than she has received in the two years since Sandy. She has food (we sent her out with two full carts when she came in), a bed to sleep on which was provided by one of our volunteers, and she has hope once again.

So does the 80 year old Jewish man who has been caring for his bedridden wife for 15 years. He cares for her 23 hours a day. This leaves him no time to even shop for groceries. He is struggling to keep the real estate taxes paid with their social security checks so food has been a luxury. We gave him a contact to get volunteer visitation and he was very grateful. But sometimes it is the little things God provides…like the knishes that came in from ShopRite. You could hear his excitement when he saw them. “Real Jewish food” he called them! And he could not wait to have Jerry pray for him!

So once again, I pour out my thanks for your generous commitment of your time. I hope you will continue to ponder the meaning of true and genuine religion, because if we are not practicing that then can we truly be following Christ?