Our community recently suffered a devastating flood. Area churches have partnered with the Salvation Army to pool donated goods for disater victims at a warehouse. I pastor one of the churches involved in the disaster relief. "I was told first-hand by a Salvation Army worker who helped a lady who came to the relief center for assistance. She came in much later than most people to apply as the ministry was winding down, apparently still working she came in just before closing one day, a distinguished looking lady in her 40’s or so. Her case was reviewed; a legitimate flood victim who had lost everything; literally everything. She was approved for anything we had that could help, after her car was loaded with goods, she went into the clothing section. She approached the case worker with a dress, "I’d like this dress, it was my 8th grade graduation dress!" Could she have been mistaken? She bought the material herself and had it hand made over 30 years ago; she sold it in a town 100 miles away years ago in a garage sale. Visibly moved she explained that until now, she had nothing left from her past.
There was such an abundance of used clothing donated that volunteers had been constantly sorting them and rotating out any clothes not taken in about a week’s time and setting out a fresh supply.
Can you grasp the providence? It still gives me goosebumps to wonder, where had the dress been these last several years? How did it get from Pittsburg, Ks to Osawatomie,Ks 100 miles away? And now? What had delayed this woman from getting into the relief center until this very week?"
Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you"