Jackie My most unforgettable Christmas ever

I was very young , and my husband had just recently abandoned me and my
18 month old son. We had no idea where he was, he just took off.

I had no money, no job, no car........not even a drivers license.
I had moved back to my parents house and my Mother had kicked me out of
the house in the middle of the night....... ..in a snow storm.

I had been sleeping in the ladies room floor in the local bus station. A
janitor would watch for the police , cause they came by , every so often
to look for vagrants that hung out in the bus station. He would knock on
the door to warn me, and I would gather up my sleeping baby, and go out
, and pretend to be waiting for a bus to come in.

During the day, I would ride with some of the citys local bus drivers,
and just ride around town, all day long. It was the only way I had of
staying out of the cold.

I had found a few local resturants, that would give me free food , for
me and my son, on occasion.

I couldnt get welfare, cause they told me I had to have an address to
apply , and if they found I had no where to live, they would take my son
from me. So we hid......... .and lived on the streets in the day time,
and on the cold bus station ladies room floor at night. (This was almost
40 years ago, and they didnt have homeless shelters, etc, as they do
today)

This had begun just after Thanksgiving.

Just before Christmas, one day I had the strangest urge to get off the
city bus we were riding, and just take a "walk" The bus driver tried to
talk me out of it, fearing something would happen to me and my baby, or
we would get too cold........ but I assured him I wouldnt go far, and
would hop on the next bus, that came by. Most of the bus drivers, by now
knew us, and were doing their best to "look out for us "

I walked just a few blocks, when I saw this duplex, and one side was
empty, with no curtains or furniture.

For the oddest reason, I walked up and began to knock on the empty
door.......the lady in the oposite side of the duplex came out and told
me it was empty, but that the land lord was around back. Just then he
came around the side of the house and asked what could he do for me.
I asked him how much to rent the duplex, and he took us inside and
showed us all around. It was a gorgeous three bedroom, two bath, old
fashioned country kitchen, laundry room, dining room,
etc......... ..house. Big tall ceilings.... ...wood floors...... ...it just
looked like a mansion to me.
Then I explained my situation to him, and asked what could I work out to
try to move in.
He had already told me, he wanted first months rent, months deposit, and
last months rent, to move in.

I didnt have a dime to my name, no job, nothing.....
But he only hesitated a few seconds, before telling me he would let me
move in for NOTHING..... .....and would give me three months to come up
with the money, before he would make me move. He handed me the
key.......

I was in shock.
And on cloud nine.

But I still had to get utilitys turned on. I had no money for utility
deposits.

I was very young....... and had never lived on my own before, or taken
care of bills, or business...

I knew now I could get welfare, but it would still take a while to go
through. But I still had to manage in the meantime.

I got a friend from high school to agree to move in with me, and babysit
if I got a job. ( since I had to pay ALL the bills !)

She came over with her boyfriend and set up a "Christmas tree" and they
left to go to their familys for Christmas.

Here I was with my baby......in this huge house, on Christmas Eve, with
a Christmas tree........ ...and NOTHING else !
No furniture... .....no curtains, no blankets, not even clothes.
I had his diaper bag I carried with me everywhere, the clothes on my
back and my coat........ ..and nothing else.

I couldnt even get ahold of the utility companys to try to get the
utilitys turned on, cause it was Christmas Eve and they were all closed
to be home with their familys. It was a Friday, and they told me they
wouldnt be open to start new accounts until Monday.

It was freezing out, and beginning to snow.
My son had a bottle of water, and that was all we had to eat or drink. I
kept shaking his bottle to try to keep the water inside it from
freezing. We layed down on the floor under the Christmas tree, and I
tried to keep his as warm as possible. Suddenly I was regretting not
going back to the bus station to sleep on the floor there......at least
it hadnt been "as cold".

I began to cry, and my tears were actually freezing on my face. My
little son looked up and began to wipe my tears away, and in his little
boy voice he told me :
"Dont cry Mommy, I take care of you !" and he snuggled up against me
and feel asleep.

I was so hurt........ so bitter...... ...so angry.

In my minds eye, I began to envison all the worlds children waking in
the morning, and stepping on , throwing, and breaking their toys they
didnt appreciate.

I began to envision them sitting at tables with feast prepared for them
to eat, and throwing their food unto the floor to the dogs waiting at
their feet.

And I got angrier.

I began to SCREAM.....
"God, what about MY BABY ???"
"Dont you care about MY BABY ???!!"

In the back of my mind I thought I heard this nagging small voice saying
His son had been born in a manager..... .....but I didnt want to hear
that. ALL I cared about was My little boy, freezing in my arms. The
weeks of trying to keep it together was wearing me down, and I had hit
rock bottom. I was weary mentally, and physically.

I tried and tried to stay awake....... afraid if I feel asleep ,
hypotheramy would set in and we would freeze to death. But try as I did,
I couldnt stay awake ,and leaned into my son, and feel asleep , under
the Christmas tree........ ..in the dark, and cold.

First thing I knew as I began to shake from my slumber was a knock
pounding at the front door........ .....someone wanted in, and they
werent taking no for an answer. It was daylight.... .....and it was WARM
!!!!!

I went to answer the door........ ..and person after person , just
marched into my new home, on Christmas morning..... .....

One lady stopped long enough to give me a business card, and a christian
tract, and to explain that they were from a church down the road, and
someone had called the Pastor in the middle of the night to tell them we
"needed stuff" so they began to march in bringing furniture to fill
EVERY room........ ......the men hung shades and curtains in every
room.......and the women had cooked enough for an army. They said they
didnt know what we liked so they cooked a turkey and a ham, and ALL the
fixins...... .and they FILLED my kitchen with dishes, and pots and pans,
and enough food that lasted us MONTHS.

They even bought us a washer and dryer and installed it.(and stove and
refrigrator !)

They showed me reciepts , they had had my utilitys connected. (seems the
Pastor knew someone, who knew someone..... ....) they were going to pay
all deposits and the first three months utilitys bills, they had paid
three months rent, and all move in deposits.... .......

They left me speechless, and never even asked or made me feel obligated
to come to their church. And in fact I never did, till many years
later, to go back and say THANKS.

They wrapped all sorts of "presents" for me and my son for Christmas
also.

I cant even write this so many years later (my son is now 38 years old
with his own family) without tears....... ....

Those people have no idea........ ......how they changed my life.

How much that show of love on Christmas morning meant to a young scared
girl........ or how it helped me to grow and be the person I am today.

The Pastor left that church sometime later....... ...he is a world
renowed Pastor now........David Jeremiah. I have never had the privelege
of meeting him, or sharing with him, how much what he and his church
members did, for us that Christmas.

Every year, my family has a tradition now. No matter HOW broke we
are......... we LOOK for a family in NEED......and try to help them as
much as we can........and try to do it without their knowing where it
came from.......sometime s, we leave stuff on their door step, and knock
and run......... ....but it always makes me feel like "Christmas "

Hope you and yours have a Great Christmas , this year and always.

jackie

ps. Later on a lady came to my door, to explain to me she had been
walking in between the houses and over heard me screaming at God , if
He cared about my baby........ she had called the Pastor, in the middle
of the night waking him up, to tell him we needed help........ ..

In Jesus name,

Jackie

Jeremiah 32:
27. Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing
too hard for me?

From: inapickle22 Sent: 05/12/2008 11:32
Thanks for sharing this wonderful story of how God steps in, even when we think our prayers are not being heard.
May each of us too, have our ears open to help anyone at this time of year esp.
Lyn