|
RACK Archive
Submit your story
Current
Archive
Archive 1
Archive 2
Archive 3
Home
Worship
About Wesley
Visitor's Page
Care
Calendar
Education
Missions
Music
Preschool
Recreation
Directions
|
|
Random Acts of Kindness
November
2003 - October 2004
Money for Food
On Wednesday April 7, 2004 I was sitting in McDonalds with
my oldest son, while waiting on other son to finish PT
session at MCG. While enjoying time sharing with my oldest a
young woman asked if had a couple dollars to get something
to eat she had not eaten all day. While looking for the
money I remember I had a leaded envelope on me. I handed it
to her and said "hope this helps," of course she didn't
understand why I was handing this to her. I told her to just
open it up and she was moved by this simple gesture. It felt
great to use this ministry. Praise be to God for the RACK
support.
* * * * *
In Need of Medical Supplies
A family was in need of medical supplies and the mother did
not have the funds at this time nor the transportation to
get them. I picked up the medical items with the RACK money
and gave her the remainder of the RACK offering. She was
amazed and thankful for the gift.
* * * * *
Helping the Blind
In Athens GA for our son's volleyball tournament, I was
asked by a partially blind man for some loose change. He and
his dog were sitting across from UGA, asking for handouts. I
Gave him my RACK card and got "What is this?"You'll find
out! I think he was expecting to get change, instead he got
a message with cash. He thanked me profusely. (maybe his dog
appreciated it, too)
* * * * *
Are
You Sure You Want Me to Have This?
I travel to a lot of large towns for my business and I
always keep a couple of ones in my pocket for the homeless
and people that ask for money. Partly because I can get rid
of them quickly. On this particular evening in Baltimore I
had a to walk about six blocks to get to the restaurant and
several people approached me for money and I turned all of
them down. Then a young woman not much older than my
daughter came up to me and said she needed a few dollars
because she had missed her bus and needed to get home to her
mother. I reached into my pocket and gave her a dollar and
went on my way. As I walked down the street I noticed she
was also walking down the other side of the street. I
thought about if I should have given her the RACK money but
I didn't want it going for drugs. As I continued on I had to
cross the street and we happened to cross paths again, she
again thanked me for helping her out and I stopped and asked
her if she was down on her luck and needed some help. She
said yes and I reached into my wallet and handed her the
rack money. I said " I hope this helps", I then proceeded
towards the restaurant and she comes running back down to me
crying and thanking me and telling me how great this was and
asked if I was sure I wanted to give her this money. I said,
yes and asked her to get something good to eat. As I sat
down at the table in the restaurant I prayed that this girl
would be all right and I asked Jesus to look after her.
* * * * *
Helping Fire Victims
When I got to school on March 23rd I was saddened with the
news of the fire that took 3 lives. The five year old that
survived the fire was one of my students. As I prayed for
the family I remembered I still had my RACK envelope and I
felt that God was telling me to give it to someone in the
family, so I sent it to the hospital that day and asked that
it be given to any member of the family.
* * * * *
Offering a "Hand Up"
The other night, my 2 children and I were at an I-20 exit at
Belair Rd in 5:00 traffic when I saw a young man with a sign
that read HOMELESS, PLEASE HELP. GOD BLESS. I was 2 rows of
cars away from him but for some reason he looked straight at
me. I remembered my envelope and signaled him over. I handed
him the envelope and smiled and said I hope this helps. My
children were so excited that he would be able to have a hot
meal that night. My little girl asked if I thought he was
really homeless and I explained to her that he didn't just
get a handout from us but that he had been given a "hand up"
and that maybe the scripture verse would give him hope and
touch his heart. My little boy could not wait to share the
story with his Dad. Thanks for this opportunity to touch
others lives in such a loving way!
* * * * *
Paying the Bills (from a RACK Recipient)
For me, this month had been a particularly hard month for
me. I had my normal household bills which a couple of them
were late getting paid from the last month. The bills were
piling up, then my son had a pretty bad ear infection. I
took him to the doctor and the doctor gave him over $140
worth of prescriptions that had to be taken incrementally. I
prayed to God to help me pay for these medications...he did
thru your ministry!! Thank you so much for your help...God
bless you all and I hope you continue with this ministry.
Thank you again!!
* * * * *
Getting Home
Stranded and no way to get home while working at Doctor's
Hospital last night, I observed a lady attempting to get
someone to pick her up and take her home. She did this for
about an hour. Finally, after talking with her I told her
about the RACK money and I told her I hoped it would help. I
showed her the card. She could read a little, but I read the
card to her and gave her the envelope. She said “God bless
you and thank you very much.” As I walked away, she again
said “God bless you.” It is truly a blessing to help someone
when they are desperate. I thank God that Wesley is such a
caring church. What a wonderful ministry!
* * * * *
Bus
Money
Last Friday, the 12th, I was in downtown Augusta. This was
the intersection of 9th and Walton Way. A depressed and
low-income area. I was getting back into my work van when a
woman came up in a wheelchair. I noticed parts of her face
was somewhat disfigured. She asked apologetically if I could
spare $4.00 to catch the bus to her mothers house. My first
thought was that her intentions may not be true. But who am
I to judge. She obviously has had a "rough" life. I handed
her the envelope telling her "this is from my church, it has
money in it". She thanked me and went on her way.
* * * * *
Thanks for Hard Work
I was preparing to leave town on a business trip with very
short notice. So in my rush to get everything done at work
those few days before I left town, I was going out to lunch
on very quick breaks - today Chick-fil-A. As I sat down for
a 20 minute lunch break I overheard a young man discussing
with a Kroger employee, why he was so upset about how the
other employees were taking advantage of him. You see this
young man's job is to wipe the tables after the customers
eat, and some Kroger employees were leaving extra messy
spaces just to harass him.
I just felt a need to go over and say that "many of the
customers whom he cleaned up for were thankful for the good
job he was doing" and "I hope this will help." This may not
fit the original intent of RACK, but I was sure it was
appropriate at that time and place. I've reloaded a
non-leaded envelope to try and see where it will be needed
next time.
* * * * *
A
Letter from a RACK Recipient in the Big Apple
Dear Wesley Church!
“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his
riches in glory in Jesus Christ.” Philippians 4:19...is what
it said on a business card handed to me together with $20 in
a little envelope on a cold day last fall. This is a day I
would remember for quite a while. I still carry the business
card in my pocket in between my bills as a reminder of God’s
provision for me.
Let me introduce myself. My name is Simon; I am a 22 year
old and work as a missionary from Germany in New York City.
I focus on inner city children and teenagers in Brooklyn and
the Bronx. Full-time, my team and I go out to have open air
Sunday School services on sidewalks in different locations
throughout the city. Our team is part of “Metro Ministries”
that runs Sidewalk Sunday School in over 60 different
locations each week, to reach the lost and the generation
that so often is paid the least attention.
I neither remember the person’s name who gave me the
envelope nor the face that was behind it. I never really pay
a lot of attention to people who give us business cards and
phone numbers. They usually want us to promote their
healthcare.
When I opened the envelope in front of my team, I decided to
treat them to a big team breakfast. It was great!!
The twenty dollar bill probably didn’t make a difference in
my financial situation, but it was God’s word and the
symbolic power behind the Bible verse and the $20 bill. You
were used as a tool by God in a totally unexpected situation
to remind, encourage and bless me. The time around which I
received the envelope, my finances were not going great. I
was going to get married and had to save with my wife for
the wedding. A whole lot of other payments were lining up. I
thought I was financially not going to make it, but all of a
sudden I was encouraged to walk into the valley of financial
struggle, believing that God was not going to let me drown
in the river I had to cross in the bottom.
Now 1 ½ months later, Liz and I are married and we don’t
have any debts. We don’t owe a penny to anybody. Our
financial situation is still not the best, but we are
climbing uphill.
We already have big plans for the future. Liz is starting
“Girls only Cell Group” that one day is going to turn into
dance team to minister to youth. My heart is to lift up our
Lord in worship and praise. I am forming a youth-band that
is going to minister in front of hundreds of teenagers in
the Inner-City of Brooklyn. Besides Sidewalk Sunday School,
Liz and I support our Indoor Sunday School where we “bus-in”
approximately 4500 kids every Saturday. God is with us and
through him, we receive the riches he has promised us.
Paul’s words are very encouraging in his letter to the
Philippians.
I thank you in the name of my team, which I am not working
with anymore, some left the country to start missions like
this elsewhere and some are working in different parts of
our ministry now.
I also thank you in the name of my wife as she received your
words of encouragement the same way I did. Praise to the
Lord!
I thank you. You are faithfully showing God’s love through
your acts of kindness. Your obedience is building up
treasures in heaven. Thank you again for what you’ve done
for me. God bless!
In God’s love,
Simon Maschykwitz
Brooklyn, NY
* * * * *
At
the Hospital
On Saturday, Dec. 20th, my husband, my boys, my mother and I
went to South Georgia for a family Christmas gathering. It
was extremely cold that day for South Georgia. After
arriving at my relatives’ house, my mother and I decided to
go to the emergency room, because she was having serve pains
in her hands and arms.
We arrived at Tift Hospital in rural Tifton, Georgia and
signed in. During our three hours wait in the waiting room,
I noticed a homeless middle aged woman kept coming in and
out of the waiting room using the phone. She would leave
messages at different places about getting assistance. She
would tell them that the hospital gave her their numbers and
to please call back to the waiting room phone number. After
about two hours and no returned calls, she called her mother
and told her the hospital wouldn’t admit her. She asked her
mother if she could come stay with her for a couple of days.
Her mother must have told her no. She began to cry and
pleaded with her mother. She hung up and walked out of the
room.
I showed my mother the RACK envelope and we added more money
to it, enough for a motel room and food. I went outside
looking for her. She sat on the curb crying. I handed her
the envelope and said, “ I hope this can help”. As I walked
away, she yelled back "bless you, bless you." I was so glad
to have had that envelope. I hope it provided shelter and
food for this woman and it reminded me that I should be
grateful for all the blessings I have in my life.
* * * * *
RACK at School
A teacher at my school recently had to wire some money to
her sister in Atlanta. I heard that the sister was going
through a hard time, even talking about suicide. So, giving
the envelope with $20.00 and a Wesley card in it, I asked
the teacher to give her sister the envelope. That night she
drove to Atlanta and presented the envelope to her. When the
the girl saw the money, she said, "Here, you want this
back?"
"No. It is for you," responded her sister.
"Who would want to give me any money?" the girl asked.
"It's from my co-worker who doesn't even know you. She is
giving it to you through her church, and says she hopes it
helps." The girl looked at the $20.00 dollar bill and cried.
* * * * *
Help from Unsuspecting Places
It is said it is better to give than receive. Well sometimes
it’s just as good to receive. This occurred long before RACK
but shows that you can also receive Christian charity and
feel good. I had been at the National Math Teachers
Convention in Las Vegas. Yeah, what a great place to have a
math convention. I had gone out early and visited the Meteor
Crater in Winslow, AZ and the Grand Canyon.
Upon my return to Atlanta at about 4:30 on a Monday, I got
to my pick-up in the parking lot and behold had a flat tire.
After a little !@#$%, I changed the tire and headed home. On
I-285 just a couple of miles from the airport I had a
blowout on my front right tire. So here I am on I-285 during
rush hour on the side of the road with a blowout and a flat
tire as a spare. I had yet to have a cell-phone for myself
so I thought my only option was to nurse the truck to the
next exit and go from there.
But first I had to negotiate crossing where another
interstate merges with I-285. After waiting about 20 minutes
finally an opening occurred long enough for me to cross the
two lanes of traffic on three tires without causing a wreck.
I was crawling along the shoulder when I finally saw a sign
that read, Jonesboro Exit 1 mile. When I got to the ½ mile
marker from the exit I saw a car pull over and begin backing
up towards me. It was a young man in his early 20’s. He was
driving an old Monte Carlo. He offered to give me an old
spare that was in his trunk. But the lock on his trunk was
missing so he had to crawl into the trunk through his back
seat. He said the car belonged to his brother and he
wouldn’t mind just giving me the spare. Well, he couldn’t
get in the trunk and finally just offered to carry me and my
flat tire to get it fixed. So I locked up my pickup got the
flat and got ready to get in his car when his car would not
start, it was out of gas.
So we both got in my pickup and nursed the rest of the ½
mile to the Jonesboro exit. Just as I figured there were
four gas stations there and we went to the nearest one. I
was going to use a phone and get a gas can for the young man
and buy him some gas. Of the thousands of people who had
passed me on I-285 he was the only one who had offered to
stop. Well, the station didn’t have a gas can to loan but we
could purchase one. So I did and offered to fill up the gas
for the kid when he told me many thanks because he was
completely broke. So I got the can, filled it up, and gave
him $20 for his effort. He went back down the interstate
with the gas can in his hands and I began the 1/3 mile walk
up the hill to a tire repair shop with my spare on my
shoulder.
I hadn’t gotten 10 steps when a homeless person approached
me and asked if he could help me in any way. I told him I
was fine. He proposed that we purchase some of the
fix-a-flat stuff and repair the tire that way. I told him I
would rather have it plugged as I had a 2 hour ride home. He
really wanted to help so I let him help me carry the tire up
the hill. We must have been a sight!
I got to the repair shop and the people were wonderful. They
stopped and patched my tire immediately for only $5.00.
The homeless guy helped me carry the tire back down the
hill, it rolled by this time, and even helped me change the
tires on the pickup. For his effort, I gave him $20 and was
wondering if it would just go for booze in the gas station.
I went back to the original gas station and filled up. By
this time the homeless guy appeared again, but he had in his
had a bag of food from the next-door Arby’s. It was
comforting to see that the money was put to good use.
I was so proud of myself for arriving in Atlanta from Las
Vegas with more than $100 in my pocket. By the time I paid
for the parking, my flat tire adventure, gas, and some food,
I got home with $3.00.
These Random Acts of Christian Kindness cost me $40.00 but I
was the recipient of the kindness from people you would
least expect it from.
* * * * *
Paying for Medicine
I was at the Kroger store in Evans on 21 February 2004 when
I overheard a man in the next line talking to the cashier
about not having money to buy his medicine. I followed him
into the parking lot and gave him the Rack envelope. He
said, "There's a twenty dollar bill here. How will I pay
this back to you?" I told him he did not have to pay it
back, that maybe he could help someone else someday, and
that this was a gift to express God's love for him.
* * * * *
Eases Small Burden in Cancer Treatment
A good friend of ours found out he had leukemia on November
18 and was admitted to the hospital the next day for very
aggressive treatment. He would remain in hospital for the
next month. His wife found herself uprooted from her home
and living at the hospital with very little time to prepare.
I gave her the Wesley RACK donation to make sure she had
some cash for coffee or whatever her needs were during her
stay. She was very appreciative. He is now in remission
and doing great and they now know what to expect with each
treatment, but the RACK ministry came at a very needy and
unexpected time.
* * * * *
At
the Pharmacy
I stopped by Kroger on the way from eating supper at the
church this evening. I was near the prescription counter,
looking at vitamin supplements when I suddenly overheard a
customer at the counter telling someone on the phone that
she did not have money for the prescription and discussed
about trying to get something cheaper. I didn't hear very
much of the conversation. Shortly, the pharmacist walked
over and presented her something, hoping it would help. She
said she would be back tomorrow for the prescription. I
strongly felt that I should give her the RACK envelope. It
was obvious when I saw her more closely that she had health
problems, and found it difficult to walk. I waited until she
left the counter and approached her with my envelope,
telling her that I hoped this would help her, and "God
bless!" She took the envelope, said "thank you," and seemed
humbly surprised. I felt tremendously blessed as I went to
pay for my groceries.
* * * * *
Homeless for Many Years
Recently I had an opportunity to serve at the soup kitchen.
I thought it would be a place I could meet someone in need
of help with the RACK money. In conversation with the
director of the kitchen, I was introduced to Roberta, a 65
year old lady. Roberta has been eating at the soup kitchen
and is really trying to get her life back on track. Since
she could not read, the director read the card to Roberta
and told her about the rack money. Roberta smiled and gave
me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. It's such a joy to share
some of God's love with a person in need. I have another
RACK envelope and [I am] in search of someone in need of
God's grace and love.
* * * * *
Mom
Learns about RACK
I recently traveled to another state to celebrate my
mother's 80th birthday. She has always been difficult to buy
for, so after a lot of thought, one of the gifts I gave her
was a birthday card with a RACK envelope and $20. I wrote a
note saying that this gift was not for her, but for someone
else and that she should carry it with her until she
observed an appropriate occasion to share the gift of
Christian love. She thought this was a very interesting
concept and mentioned the gift a couple of times in the next
few days. In fact she mentioned it more than the vacuum
cleaner, the store gift cards, the meal, the cake or any of
her other gifts. Over the next few weeks, she talked about
the RACK envelope every time we spoke on the phone. She
considered people she had seen and knew and finally told me
this story.
"There is a little elderly woman who lives in apartments
behind our church. She lives on a very limited income and is
frequently in need. When we have a function at the church
and are in the kitchen, she will show up at the door and ask
us to pray for her. When invited in or offered food, she
always declines. When invited to church, she always says
that she has her own church and thanks us all. Recently this
little lady has not been feeling well and one of the women
of the church took her food which she accepted." My mother
decided, "I think I'll take this card to her. I also have
some clothing and a good quilt she might like."
The RACK program brought a great deal of joy to me as I
watched my mother puzzle through the task of presenting the
card. It gave a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction to
my mother as she contemplated the card and then presented
it. I am sure it gave encouragement to the woman who
received it. I have been three times blessed by the RACK
program.
Last week I went by the Wesley Church Office and got more
envelopes and cards. I prefer the ones where I place my own
money because it enhances my personal satisfaction with the
process. I plan to send Mom another RACK envelope for
Valentines Day and I hope she continues to share her steps
in her Random Acts of Christian Kindness with me. How can
one small gift of repay itself so many ways?
* * * * *
Clothes for Soup Kitchen Beneficiary
Recently I had the opportunity to put the Wesley RACK
Ministry into action. While serving for the Master's Table
soup kitchen, I thought this would be a good place to find
someone in true need of Gods word and Grace. I explained
RACK to the director of the soup kitchen and she introduced
me to a gentleman, his clothes were tattered and years of
suffering shown in his face. He had been eating at the soup
kitchen for about six years and had recently been seeking to
improve his living conditions. I handed him the envelope and
he read the Bible passage and saw the money inside, a smile
came over his face and his eyes gleamed with appreciation. I
know that this man was truly touched by the word of God and
so was I. Presenting him with the envelope made me feel so
wonderful and grateful to be part of the Wesley Family.
* * * * *
For
the Homeless
Was able to give my Rack money to a homeless couple that are
living downtown in an old panel van with no tires on it to
stay warm. This couple also has two young children. Broke my
heart. I gave them the envelope and said, " Hope this
helps." Tears ran out of their eyes and mine too.
* * * * *
A
Gift to the Unknown
A few weeks before Christmas we had a faculty meeting and
our school Chaplain told us she had received a call from a
mother who could not provide Christmas for her two
daughters. The woman had called many area churches and
organizations but they were unable to help her due to the
late date. They would refer her to someone else who in turn
referred her yet again. The Chaplain asked if the faculty
could help out and right away the RACK envelope I carried in
my purse came to mind. I knew this was not a personal
contact, however, it made me feel so good to help out and I
prayed for the woman and her two children. I always carry
envelopes with me and I know one day I will make that
personal contact.
* * * * *
Ministry Without the Envelope
Just before Christmas I was driving home from work and as
usual I was running late to get home. It was already dark
out, raining and very cold. On the way home all I could
think about was work! I could not let the things going on at
work leave my mind. I decided to turn on our local Christian
radio station, usually I would prefer to listen to classic
rock. The radio station was playing all Christmas music,
this started to help me clear my mind. As I drove down the
road I started to pray, I asked God to talk to me. I asked
him to help me focus on what is important to him. While I
was praying I started to think about the envelope in my
wallet and the RACK ministry. By this time I was approaching
the section of traffic lights on River Watch Parkway, just
before I-20. The traffic was backed up, all I could see was
red tail lights. As I approached the over pass I saw a pick
up truck broke down in the left hand lane, it was running
just not moving. Like the rest of the traffic, I merged into
the right hand lane and passed the broken down truck. As I
traveled down the road I started to think, maybe the person
in the truck might have really needed my help. As I traveled
further I asked God, is that you, are you talking to me? I
still was not sure, until I looked in my rearview mirror and
there was no traffic behind me. The cars behind me caught
the red light. I got on my cell phone and called home, I
told my wife that I would be late. I quickly told her that I
had asked God to talk to me and that he was telling me,
someone needed my help! I told her about the truck and that
I was turning around, the only thing she said was to be very
careful and do what you need to do. I got turned around and
finally behind the truck, the traffic was still horrendous.
I got out of my truck and walked up to the broken down
truck, an elderly man rolled down his window. I was very
relieved to find out that his transmission went out and not
his heart. I asked him if I could push his truck off the
road, I was really afraid that he was going to get hit. He
said that we would never get the truck across two lanes to
the only safe place, I told him that we could try. I waved
at the passing cars, trying to get the traffic stopped
without any luck. Just when I was about to give up, a police
car pulled up behind me. I asked him if he could get the
traffic stopped long enough for me to push the truck off the
road. He looked at all of the traffic, back at me, then
laughed. After a moment he said let's try. He already had on
his blue lights, he turned on his siren and started to block
off the traffic. It was amazing, I would imagine there were
several hundred cars stopped just so that I could push this
one truck off the road. After I got him to a safe spot, the
elderly man got out of his truck and said thank you. I asked
him if he needed me to call a tow truck, he told me that he
had already called for a tow. He asked me what I owed him,
which let me know that he did not need financial help. I
looked at him, said Merry Christmas, God bless and I ran
back to my truck. As I drove home I could not stop thinking
to myself about how God had used RACK in his message to me,
all I had to do was ask and listen. I did not get rid of my
envelope and I may never, but it will always be a reminder
to me.
* * * * *
Benevolence in Borders
She rested her tired feet in a sofa chair at Border's
Bookstore browsing through a picture book. I sat near to
browse a book and caught her dozing off. Three cups of
Border's Blend and multiple trips to the restroom later, I
came back to my seat and saw that her chair was empty. A few
days later I was back in Border's studying and recognized
the same woman, wearing the same clothes but sitting in a
different sofa chair. I ignored her and tried to continue
studying. However, the thought of RACK kept racking my
brain. God was speaking to me! I tried waiting for the
perfect moment but always came up with an excuse. Finally,
after praying, I found myself walking toward the section
where she was sitting. I tapped her on the shoulder, held
out the envelope and told her, "I am supposed to give this
to you." I quickly zigged zagged back to my seat where I
buried my head in my studies. An hour passed and I felt a
light touch on my shoulder. The lady left me with an ear to
ear smile and a simple 'Thank You.'
* * * * *
I
Can Only Imagine
It was Christmas Eve, but it sure didn't feel like
Christmas. I was going to have to work a 12 hour day on
Christmas Day and with a small child at home, I sure was not
looking forward to it. I had been working many 12 hour
shifts as a nurse and it seemed like every day when I was
off, I was frantically shopping for gifts I wasn't sure that
my family and friends would need or want. I had said a
prayer early that morning that God would help me to be more
"spirit-Filled" and that somehow, He would help me to be
filled with a joyful and meaningful Christmas spirit. I set
off to our local Wal-Mart and several hours later, I finally
got into the checkout line. In front of me, there was a
young woman who was obviously having a hard time getting her
credit card to go through. I noticed that she only had 1
item (a WOW Christian music CD). The clerk asked her several
questions that she kept answering ,trying to make the
purchase go through but was unsuccessful. After several
tries, she started to cry and that's when I remembered the
RACK envelope in my purse. I pulled it out, handed it to her
and said "I hope this helps". She looked at me very
curiously and then opened the envelope, pulled out the card,
read it and handed the clerk the $20 bill and made her
purchase. She thanked me again and then, I thought, left the
store. As I was leaving, she was standing outside waiting
for me and as soon as she saw me, she started to cry again
and then told me that her father had died unexpectedly 3
weeks before and all that her mother had wanted for
Christmas was a CD with the song "Imagine" on it. She was in
college up north and had just arrived in Evans the day
before and had been frantically looking for this CD and
finally when she found it, she had been unable to pay for
it. She hugged me and told me that I had made her Christmas
and I told her, No, that she had really made mine. I am so
grateful that the RACK ministry was started and also for
using it to not only answer this young lady's prayer but
mine as well.
* * * * *
Marriage in Trouble
Recently I was talking to a friend who, through tears, told
me that her 20 year marriage was in trouble. After listening
and encouraging her to seek counseling, I asked if she was
OK financially. She explained that this was a big part of
the tension in the marriage. I reached into my pocket and
gave her the RACK envelope. This was truly a heart warming
moment. She was grateful and I was thrilled to be able to
extend an act of Christian kindness to someone in need.
* * * * *
Staying With Mom in ICU
I had carried my RACK envelope and money for so long that I
was afraid I would never find someone to pass it along to. I
think I was just looking too far away. We went to visit a
co-worker whose mother had been hospitalized for nearly a
week. Our friend, whom I will call Sarah, is her mom's only
local relative and they live together. Sarah had not left
the hospital since her mom was admitted to an ICU with
several problems. She is on a respirator and is usually
unconscious, and that leaves Sarah feeling helpless.
When we went to visit them one night this week, we found
Sarah camped out in a corner of the ICU waiting room, where
she sleeps on the couch and had not had a shower because the
waiting room shower was broken. She was worn out and at
times nearly coherent. As we talked, she broke down and
cried. She was missing work, and we found out she was low on
money. All I had in my pocket was a $10 bill, so we told her
to buy what she needed at the gift shop or cafeteria. As
Sarah took one of the many calls from co-workers, my wife
reminded me of the RACK card and money in my wallet. The
Bible verse seemed to say it all. I had a selfish motive,
too. I know Sarah has never had much to do with organized
religion, so I thought RACK might show her some of what it
can be about. We slipped her the closed envelope as we left.
* * * * *
Help for a Hitchhiker
My R.A.C.K envelope stayed tucked in my purse for 2 months,
but finally I grabbed an opportunity to sow the seed it
contained. He appeared to be a rather typical hitchhiker
with the usual sign, only I didn't actually see his sign,
because, frankly, I was going a bit too fast, but had to
stop at the light at the Washington Rd. exit off I-20. I
wasn't even in the lane next to him, so as softly and as
quickly as possible I beep-beeped the horn and waved to him.
He came over and I asked, "Are you asking for help?" I was
blabbering, not quite sure what to say, but he said, "Yes."
So I gave him the envelope and said, "I hope this will
help." He thanked me and walked away, tucking the envelope
in his pocket as he weaved between cars back to the curb and
his backpack. I called out "God bless you!" He reciprocated
with a big smile, and, I do believe, a sparkle in his eye,
and added, "I didn't open it yet so I don't know what's in
it!" I smiled and waved and briefly thought how
anti-climactic it was! But then, I remembered that I'm only
the sewer, and the Word of God is never sewn in vain. And I
hope the $20 bill helped too!
* * * * *
In
Line at Chuck E. Cheese
I held onto that envelope for what seemed like forever. I
thought when I got it at church that morning that all the
people in need were just going to find me and make me know
who they were. But I guess it was what 2 months before I got
to share it:
I was in line at Chuck E Cheese with my friend and our
children on a weekday midmorning. The person in front of us
couldn't find her check card and was about to leave with her
young son. I said "no wait, I have
something for you". I pulled out the envelope and handed it
to her. I was kind of embarrassed and blushing because I am
not one to approach people. When she opened it, she had
tears in her eyes and said thank you, you just don't know
what this means to me. She had just gotten out of the
hospital the day before and was to be a new dialysis
patient. That day was her son's birthday and the trip to
Chuck E Cheese's was his gift from her. Hearing her story
touched me and my friend.
* * * * *
A
Homeless Man at the Varsity
On a recent business trip I was flying back home from
Phoenix to Atlanta. I was on an early morning flight that
put me back into Atlanta around midday. Once I got to
Atlanta I was like most Southerners who travel for any
extended period of time to other parts of the country. I was
absolutely positively in desperate need of sweet tea. Not
the kind where you put the sugar in, but you know the
kind... the real sweet tea. The kind you always stop in
Brunswick for when you've been to Florida on vacation
because they don't have real sweet tea in Florida and once
you cross that state line sweet tea becomes available again
in the fast food places. I was also hungry. I decided I
would make a trip to the Varsity, but quick because I had to
get home. Being in a hurry, I got to the Varsity, ran in and
bought 1 hot dog with no fries or onion rings (yea right,
who has ever ordered 1 hot dog at the Varsity) and got my
prescription filled... sweet tea. I was in a hurry to get
home so I am running back to the car, when I met him. A
homeless guy named ---. He asked, "Can you spare a few cents
sir?" Now many times I have not responded and walked right
past such a person. Sadly I think we all have. But not this
time. I remembered I had my leaded envelope. I said what's
your name. He said "---". I said "---, I think that God
brought me to the Varsity today to meet you." He looked at
me like I was a total nut. I then said, "I can do better
than a few cents." I handed him the envelope and his nails
were solid black my guess was from digging for trash for
food. I told him not to open the envelope until I was gone.
As I pulled away I saw him open the envelope and read the
contents inside. I don't know who gave us the money to hand
out, but I have a feeling --- would like to thank them. I
can only hope --- enjoyed his sweet tea as much as I enjoyed
mine. - In the spirit of the anonymous donor I submit this
story anonymously. This donor must have referred to 6
Matthew 1-4 - "TAKE heed that ye do not your alms before
men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your
Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine
alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites
do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have
glory of men. Verily I say unto you. They have their reward.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what
thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and
thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee
openly."
* * * * *
Not
Enough Money at the Checkout
I didn't think my story was worth sending, but now that it
is worth $100 I will share it. I was standing in line at the
grocery store when I noticed the young woman in front of me
was having the clerk put back some of her items. She had
been searching in her purse for a few minutes. I asked her
if she did not have enough for the purchases and she said
no. I gave her the RACK envelope, she was very surprised as
was the clerk. She wanted to give me back the change, but I
told her no that maybe one day she could do the same for
someone else. I invited her to visit Wesley if she did not
have a church home. It was a special feeling to be able to
share with her. I have since added a new envelope to my
wallet and hope to have a new opportunity to share..
* * * * *
Disabled College Student
My RACK envelope went to a disabled college student who I
learned had lost her food stamps and was in temporary need
of groceries. She was a single mother. In this case, the
RACK envelope actually touched multiple lives- the student
and her children as well as the person who delivered the
envelope for me. When I gave her the envelope, she smiled
and said, "You must go to Wesley!" Obviously, another Wesley
member had also heard about the need and had also responded
to the need. What an interesting problem- we're racing to
help others in need!
* * * * *
No
Money Left on the Food Stamp Card
The first Saturday in December I was at a small church
fellowship hall getting ready for a family event. We needed
a few items from the small grocery store around the corner.
I quickly found the needed items and stood in line behind an
elderly couple. My mind was racing with all the things that
needed to be done that morning. The cashier told the couple
their total. The wife slid a card in the machine. The
cashier told the couple there was no money left on their
food stamp card. The woman insisted that the money was to be
put into their food account on the first. The cashier sent
the couple to the store's bookkeeper. I purchased my few
items and rushed to my car. Suddenly, as I reached for the
car door, I remembered the envelope that had been in my
pocketbook for nearly a month. Quickly I looked for the
envelope and turned to re-enter the store. The couple was
still standing at the bookkeeper's window. Quietly, I walked
up to the wife, handed her the envelope and simply said,
"God loves you." I headed back to my car and tears filled my
eyes as I thanked God for reminding me about the envelope.
The blessing was two-fold. She didn't know me nor will she
ever but knows and loves us both. Being the hands and feet
of Christ in this world, if only for a moment at a time is
powerful.
* * * * *
Stranded
Over the Christmas holidays my family and I were traveling
for several hours in the car. At one of our many stops, I
ran into a gas station to get a diet coke. As I approached
the cashier I noticed a young man probably in his early 20s.
He looked cold, his hands and clothes were dirty and he was
looking out the window drinking a cup of coffee. Not wanting
to get in front of him, I asked if he were waiting in line.
His reply, "Nope. I am stranded here for a while." I paid
for my soda and went back to the car. By this time, my
husband had filled the gas tank and moved the car to a
parking place. He took our older son in to buy some snacks
and I sat with our baby in the car. When they returned I
told my husband that I wanted to give that guy my RACK
envelope. I had been waiting for the opportunity and finally
felt like this was the perfect time. I ran in, told the
young man that I had heard him when he said that he was
stranded and that I hoped this helped him. As I walked away,
he asked me what it was. I just smiled and waved. As we
drove away, I saw him sitting quietly and thoughtfully at a
table drinking a fresh cup of coffee. When my husband
realized who I had given the envelope to, he told me that he
had overheard that guy while he was in the gas station. The
young man was talking to the cashier saying that he loves
helping people and would give anybody the shirt off of his
back. How incredible that he was talking about helping
others and then he was helped. Thank you for giving me the
opportunity to really look at people all around me and help
others. I am hooked!
* * * * *
For
the Bible Verse
I gave my RACK envelope for the Bible verse, not the money.
The company where I am employed recently was sold to a large
company. When the buyers took over they fired four of our 30
employees. One of those fired was a young man in his late
twenties whom I have a lot of respect and admiration for. On
his salary of just over $9.00 an hour he supports himself, a
wife and a young child, and he always tithed 10% of that
salary to his church, where he is very active. His wife does
not work but stays at home and takes care of their little
boy. He is a young man with strong religious beliefs and
lives those beliefs. He was given through January before his
position would be terminated. I gave him my envelope on
Christmas Eve right before we left for the day. I wanted to
remind him “And my God will supply every need of yours
according to his riches in glory in Jesus Christ.” I handed
it to him and said it was from my church, Wesley United
Methodist Church. I went back to my desk, and a few minutes
he came over. He hugged me at least three times with tears
in his eyes. He said he knew that God had bigger problems to
worry about than his little budget but reading that Bible
verse just reminded him that God would continue to look over
his family. The next morning, Christmas Day, after watching
two of our grandchildren play with Santa’s gifts, my husband
and I decided to have Christmas morning breakfast out. We
drove over to the nearest Waffle House and sat at the
counter because there were no booths available. An older
gentleman, wearing a worn out leather jacket, sat down next
to me. After a very interesting conversation with the
80-year old World War II veteran and widower, we got up to
pay and go home. The man grabbed our check and said “Merry
Christmas”. I think my giving of the Rack Card to David and
the older gentleman buying my husband and me breakfast on
Christmas morning reminded me that the true meaning of
Christmas is still alive, contrary to what a lot of people
say.
* * * * *
A
Deal on a Mattress
Over a month ago, I had missed an opportunity to use my RACK
(Random Act of Kindness Envelope). I felt bad because a
young soldier in the Thrift Shop was trying to use a credit
card to buy a pair of used shoes for his wife. He wanted to
take them home but was concerned that he would have wasted
his money if they would not fit. They couldn't hold the
shoes without a cash deposit and unfortunately he didn't
have the cash at the time. I couldn't find a tactful way to
give him the money without embarrassing him in front of the
line gathered at the check out counter, and I realized then
that the envelope that I could have used, was sitting safely
on the desk in our bedroom. I made a mental note then, to
not let this happen again.
I had another opportunity today and I was ready this time.
My husband and I recently bought one of those Select Comfort
adjustable air mattresses because of the normal aches and
pains associated with "growing old". Our Simmons Beautyrest
mattress still had plenty of wear left and I hated to see it
occupying space in the local landfill. The mattress was
advertised in the Augusta Chronicle for $25, a simple sum
for someone to basically give the mattress a good home.
Around 4 pm, a middle aged woman and her teen daughter
looked at the mattress. The woman explained that she had
just gotten off from work and apologized for being late. The
mattress was intended for her daughters bedroom and she said
she was thankful for the "deal". The woman asked for help to
put the mattress and box springs on the roof of their car. I
offered to instead follow them in our pickup truck for what
I thought was a short drive. Fifteen minutes into the drive
as we got closer to Harlem, I looked down at the gas gauge
and realized my daughter had left the truck with nothing
left but fumes. I prayed that we would reach their house
soon. Minutes later, we turned into a well worn yard
occupied by a small rusty trailer that they called home. I
assisted the woman again and we struggled to get the
mattress and box springs through her front door and into the
living room. This was no small feat for two average sized
women and one heavy queen size mattress. I know the woman
was embarrassed by the meager surroundings so I didn't look
around and exited the home as soon as I could. She thanked
me again and then asked if we were military. She saw the
Fort Gordon sticker on our truck. I said, "Yes, we were".
She said, "We are too". I nodded and didn't say anything
else as I left, feeling a little sad that our circumstances
could be so different. When I got in my truck, I looked back
at the yard and trailer, remembered the strange noise that
their late model car had made as I followed it to their
home, and then at the small boy playing in the front yard. I
reached into my purse, checked to make sure the envelope and
money were still there and called the boy over to my truck.
I handed him the sealed envelope and asked him to run it in
to his mom. He did as I asked, just as I drove away. During
my drive back (I did find a gas station by the way) I had a
lot to think about. I was SO THANKFUL that I had that
envelope in my purse and the opportunity to share.
* * * * *
Celebrating Christmas After All
The recipient of my $20 bill is a seventeen year old single
mother who thought she would not have anything for Christmas
this year and will now celebrate Christmas after all. I
thought I would not be able to meet or learn of anyone to
whom I could give my "Andy Jackson". Even though I am a
somewhat shy person I love to speak up for Jesus Christ. I
asked one of my friends if she could help me. The next day
she had discovered Tasha to whom I passed the bill.
Meanwhile, Jesus spoke to my friend. She and her uncle
joined the fun . They purchased a tree, lights, etc. and
toys. More money was donated by others, sort of a chain
reaction. My friend said she really enjoyed helping someone.
God works in strange but wonderful ways. Merry Christmas.
* * * * *
I
Guess I'll Have to Put it Back
My family and I made our usual stop at Bi-Lo on the way home
from church on Sunday. The thoughts and prayers had gone
through my mind as to how I should handle a situation using
the RACK ministry. Of course I never thought in a million
years that God would use me so quickly. We should never
doubt God or the use of miracles. Anyway, back to the story.
We had finished our weekly grocery shop and were in the
check out line. There was a small boy all by himself in
front of us. He placed a toy on the conveyer belt and the
cashier rang up the item asked the boy for $3.69. The young
boy, who could not have been more than 8 years old, looked
up at the man and said I guess I'll have to put it back. I
didn't know if the boy, who was all alone, didn't realize he
needed money for the toy or just thought it was less
expensive. I then reached in my purse and pulled out the
RACK envelop and gave the little boy the $20.00 bill and
said give the envelop to your mom. The child said thank you
and handed the cashier the $20.00 bill and waited for the
change. The boy wasn't sure what to do with the change so I
simply turned to unload the groceries from the cart and
heard the little boy say thank you again, and out of the
corner of my eye I say a huge grin on his face as he walked
out the door. The cashier was in disbelief as he said, "I've
never seen anyone do that before". All I could do was smile
and think how wonderful it was that God had used me in such
an amazing way in such a short period of time. Adam was
right when he said the stories sent in to the church would
be about how it made us feel and not how the person
receiving the gift felt. When I got to the car, I had tears
in my eyes because I knew I had truly been used by God to
bring good in to someone's life.
* * * * *
No
Money for Soap
I was a first time guest at your early contemporary service
last Sunday. The Rack program was fascinating. I took a
couple of envelopes with cards after the service. Today I
was delivering boxes of food to the homebound for the Food
Bank. After I carried a box in to a lady in downtown
Augusta, she thanked me profusely and said that she didn't
have any food in the house and no money to buy any and that
the box was a blessing. She went on to point out that most
of her clothes were dirty as she didn't have money for soap.
Needless to say, she is happy possessor of a RACK envelope.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
* * * * *
I
Saw You Praying
Friday night we were sitting at a local restaurant
discussing RACK and how awkward it would be. As we were
finishing our meal, we noticed a family of three with eyes
closed blessing their food -- right there in public; right
there in front of God and everybody. The three year old
acted like praying in public was a normal thing to do. It
hit me, what a great thing to reinforce. As we walked out, I
gave the RACK envelope to the little boy. "I saw you
praying." was my only comment and we walked to our car. Once
in the car we talked about whether what I had done was
really consistent with the objective of RACK. In a few
moments there was a knock at the window. It was the Dad and
his three year old. "My son wanted to say thank
you....(which he did).... and my wife and I wanted to say
this was one of the nicest things we've experienced."
* * * * *
Truck Broken Down Today
Walking out of church on Sunday morning, I suddenly
remembered the white envelopes sitting on the altar in front
of the sanctuary. I had made a mental note to be sure to
pick one up as I drove to church that morning. We have not
attended church in several weeks, but I had read about the
RACK program in the newsletter. I asked my daughter to run
back into the sanctuary and pick up an envelope for me.
Although I was excited at the prospect of being part of this
ministry, I was unsure of whether an opportunity would come
up to give to someone in need. I spend my days at a local
high school, so I assumed a situation would arise there.
Little did I know that someone in need would literally land
on my front doorstep. Today barely twenty four hours after
picking up one white envelope, God has used me in a random
act of Christian kindness. A man knocked on my door this
evening and introduced himself as someone who had delivered
and spread pine straw in our yard before. He said his
daughter had been in the hospital for several days. He has
been driving back and forth from Sparta everyday to see her.
Unexpectedly, his truck broke down today, and he was
wondering if I could give him $20 dollars to help out. I
couldn't believe it. He did not ask for "whatever amount I
could give". He did not ask for a few dollars or even five
dollars. He asked for twenty dollars - the exact amount in
the white envelope. I was so taken aback that I handed him
the envelope with no explanation at all. I know that he will
see the card and the bible verse and wonder what it was all
about. I can only hope that he will be as touched by
receiving the gift as I was giving it. I feel so blessed to
be apart of this program and find it incredibly exciting to
see God at work in my own front yard.
* * * * *
I
Didn't Need a Newspaper
For the past month on the way to church at Wesley, I have
seen this young teen-ager selling newspapers. I always
think, as I pass by, "He should be getting ready for Sunday
School". After a week of looking for a recipient for our
RACK twenty dollar bill, I decided to go with the newspaper
boy. Sunday morning there he stood on the corner holding out
the Augusta Chronicle. I backed up my truck slightly, and
turned into the parking lot. As I pulled over to the side,
the adult "boss" walked over to the truck, as well as the
teen-ager holding out a newspaper to me. I explained that I
did not need a newspaper, since it was delivered to our
home, but I had been noticing the boy selling newspapers on
Sunday, and I hoped that he would get to attend church
sometime. The adult man said, "Oh, I always let my boys off
by 3:30 P.M. so they can attend church. I don't want them to
have any excuses not to attend church." "Well, Wesley Church
in Evans is having a program they call RACK," I told the
two. "We are giving twenty dollars away as a Random act of
kindness. I want to give this $20.00 to him (the newspaper
teen-ager) and I want him to spend it any way he wants. "I
handed the envelope to the boy. He had a slight smile on his
face, and quietly said, "Thank you." His boss was smiling
broadly and asked, "What was that church that is doing
this?" "Wesley United Methodist Church in Evans," I replied,
as I cranked up the truck and drove away."
* * * * *
Stranded and Hungry
I have been waiting to write something profound about my
Rack experience and finally realized that the simplicity of
it ... is what is profound. I gave away my envelope 3 days
after receiving it, at the mall exit off of Bobby Jones. As
I drove up to the light, I saw two young people (man and
woman) with luggage and cardboard signs labeled "stranded
and hungry". I decided on the spur of the moment to hand
them the envelope. Right after I did it, I began to feel
guilty wondering if I'd given the money responsibly. Maybe I
was supposed to save it until the absolutely perfect
opportunity arrived? It only came to me today that the
simple act reached several lives. One, I had a friend in the
car and I had the opportunity to explain the RACK concept to
her ... this brought tears to her eyes. Two and three, if
these kids were legit, they could get a good meal, make a
phone call and get home. Perhaps in the future they would be
able to give to someone else in a time of need. Four, if
they weren't legit, perhaps the random and anonymous gift
combined with the verse would bring them to some sort of
reality about how they were conducting their lives. I've
always believed that there is tremendous personal reward in
giving something and not taking credit for it. Maybe part of
the reward is having faith that they used the money wisely.
It's a wonderful high. This time it was money because Wesley
gave it to me in an envelope. It could have been a ride.
Thank you for the opportunity.
* * * * *
Thanksgiving Dinner
I was God lead to turn around in my car and return to a
residence in Thomson to offer the RACK envelope to a woman
trying to come off welfare. She had shared how her husband
had just returned to work after a long convalescence from an
injury. They do no own a car at this time and she was
worried about her sister that is homeless with five
children. She was going to try to provide a Thanksgiving
dinner for her family of five and her sister's family. I
felt the calling to offer her a random act of kindness in
her time of need.
* * * * *
Utility Bills
A man that mows lawns for a living told me he had been ill
and missed a month of work and had been unable to pay his
utility bills. AT this point he was given the RACK envelope.
He was very surprised and grateful to receive it. His wife
passed away about a year ago and he had been depressed.
Opportunities Passing By
First - the Wesley Rack ministry. I still have the $20.
Thus far I have given smiles galore. I have spoken to people
that I would not normally have even much noticed. I have
lifted prayers when I did not even know what to pray for,
God did. I was only to pray. I saw a neighbor and went
immediately to give assistance. That was a door that opened
so that I would be there for her.
My eyes have been open to my role as a Christian. I am to
show my love. It would be so easy to just hand out the money
and say, "I did my part." RACK does not stand for hand over
the money and run. It stands for our role in the community.
It has also given me an excellent chance to talk about "my
church". Circumstances, where I would not have even brought
up the conversation about church, have arisen. I was able to
share what Wesley is doing. People have said that they want
to do the same thing. I so appreciate the opportunity to
spread random acts of Christian kindness wherever I go.
I am not saying any of this so that you will give me a gold
star. I am telling you that before this ministry, I was
letting all these opportunities pass by. I now have the
license to do it.
* * * * *
Stuck Hungry
I was exiting I 20 at Belair Rd. and there sat a man with
his rolled up blanket and small bag sitting at the side of
the road. He held a sign that read "STUCKK HUNGRY". In the
past I would not stop because I was afraid. That day, I
could noT stop. I thought about the RACK gift, pulled over
and handed the man the envelope. As I waited for the light
to turn green, I rolled my window back down and told him to
be sure not to throw away that envelope. He said, "I saw
what was in it and may God bless you".
I have a few more of the "unleaded" envelopes, which are now
"leaded" and ready for action!! What a wonderful ministry.
* * * * *
Bus
Tickets
While walking down Broad Street to the Sunshine bakery, a
seedy looking guy with a backpack asked me for money. He
said he needed it so he and his older friend could buy bus
tickets. I hunted thru my purse and finally found my rack
envelope and handed it to him. He opened it and pulled out
the card, then the $20 bill. He said: "in the name of Jesus,
you are an angel, thank you." I felt overwhelmed.
* * * * *
Sugar Free Cake
Recently a Wesley Mission Team that periodically serves
lunch at the Masters Table (soup kitchen), put to good use
one of the "RACK" envelopes.
As anyone who has ever served on this team realizes, there
are at least two-hundred people who could use this money.
One in particular, however, was a kind gentleman confined to
a wheel chair, having lost both legs to diabetes and
struggling with the disease daily. In spite of these
difficulties he still had a smile on his face and a kind
word for everyone.
As he was leaving the dining area he inquired if we might
have a sugar-free desert he could take home. Indeed, a small
sugar-free cake was found, placed in a bag for him along
with the RACK envelope.
A few minutes later he returned to tell us how much he
appreciated what we did and added "that's got to be a great
church you belong to. God bless you all.
And we all felt blessed!
|
