Greetings SUMites. I hope you’re having a beautiful Christmas season filled with love and holiness. Today I have a special treat for you. What you’re about to read below was sent to me by a fellow SUMites, Cindy. This email arrived in my inbox on Saturday. However, I didn’t get to read it until late Sunday evening. I was utterly moved by this story, and by Cindy, and by watching her share the love of God. 

I pray you are moved to outrageous and generous acts of loving kindness for other people. Hugs, Lynn

Connecting with Someone Who Just Needed a Little Help.
By: Cindy Martina (Fellow SUMite) 

While volunteering to feed the homeless a meal in Santa Ana, CA recently, the Lord moved me to help a man. I was serving punch when he came through the line. I noticed he was limping. When he came back for seconds, I asked him if he was okay. Tears started to fall and he said he had been hit by a car. 

I said, “Oh my goodness,” and I offered to pray for him. 

He said, “Thanks.” 

The next 20 minutes or were so very busy, finishing serving and then cleaning up that I was not thinking about him at all. However, when I went to my car to leave I saw him sitting on the curb. Seeing him there, I felt the “nudge” from God. I stopped my car, walked over to him and asked how I could help him. 

He began to cry. 

I was so moved (Holy Spirit ~ NO doubt) by this man. I offered my phone, but he had no one to call. Forgoing my plans to visit a friend, I sat down next to him and we tried to find him a place to spend the night. He had come to California with a carnival which had shut down. He stayed in a motel till his money ran out. He had been on the streets for three nights. All he owned had been stolen. I asked him if he drank. He said no. I asked him if he did drugs. He said no, he was Muslim. 

I hope and believe that I reacted like Jesus would have. I loved him. I drove him to the Salvation Army shelter, about four miles away. I prayed for him, in Jesus’ name, and praise God, when 3:30p.m. rolled around, he was able to get a bed. 

Two days later the Lord led me to offer to buy him a bus ticket home. When I offered this to him on the phone, he was overcome with gratitude. The next day I picked him up from the shelter, drove him to Greyhound and bought his one way ticket to Ft. Worth. I gave him plenty of reading material… Biblical articles comparing Christianity to Islam. A New Testament and some other little Christian booklets. I was able to tell him, in all sincerity, that God loves him, is pursuing him, and that God has a plan for his life. Then I sent him on his way with a prayer, a couple of hugs, and tears from both of us. 

I cannot put into words the blessing this whole experience was for me. I am just eternally grateful that God gave me this opportunity to be Jesus’ Hands and Feet. For one person. One person that I pray for daily and that I can’t wait to see again someday. And I expect to hear about all the marvelous works that God will do through his life.

Cindy <><

"...For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord..." ~Luke 2:11 (NKJV)