Finding Herself On the Giving End

Jayde looked into the eyes of the unhoused recipients accepting the gifts of gloves, socks and scarves wrapped inside warm blankets. It was an especially cold and wet winter in Los Angeles, a stark contrast to the postcard-perfect days that spoil Southern Californians. As homeless residents bundled up any way they could — sheltering under tents, tarps and trees — the feeling of invisibility was only intensified.

With each Homeless Care Kit she gave, her eyes filled with the empathy of knowing. Jayde, it turned out, was staying in a local shelter since permanent housing was still out of her reach.  On this cold, rainy day, she found herself in the shadows of a frenzied Los Angeles freeway, offering help to those who were also unhoused.

Jayde was under the bridge with her friend, Sarina, who was previously homeless, and Pastor Roslyn, founder of Virtuous Women Ministries on the Move, a Los Angeles outreach ministry. Although now housed, Sarina never forgot the vulnerability of being without a place of her own, so she volunteers with Pastor Roslyn. This time, she invited Jayde to join them for the distribution in South Central, a dire Los Angeles neighborhood.

During the outreach, the three women initiated spiritual conversations, expressing care for people as they passed out the blankets and kits.

“God has not forgotten about you.”

“We are here because God is thinking about you.”

“Can I give you a hug?”

“Can we pray with you?”

Beyond meeting physical needs, the free kits open heart doors to spiritual matters. That’s why Cru® Inner City partners with churches and urban ministry leaders like Pastor Roslyn. In addition to the warm clothes, toiletries and blankets, each kit also contains gospel literature which is shared with each recipient.
 

“Through her conversations with people who mostly felt unseen, Jayde realized just how far God had journeyed alongside her.”

One of those receiving a kit from Jayde was a young, pregnant woman. The mom-to-be told Jayde how grateful she was, noting she had just prayed for the comfort of a blanket.

Jayde’s heart was so touched by the revelation, she cried. Through her conversations with people who often felt unseen, Jayde realized just how far God had journeyed alongside her. Even though she still lacks a permanent place to call home, knowing she was in a position to help others and serve the Inner City team gave Jayde’s life purpose.

The sense of purpose is important for a population that struggles with issues that make them vulnerable to housing insecurity — domestic violence, substance abuse, mental health struggles and the lack of education and employment opportunities.

“It’s hard to do the right thing when everything around you is wrong,” Pastor Roslyn said of Jayde, who had a renewed appreciation for the temporary shelter that was keeping her warm during the frigid winter.

Urban ministries like Pastor Roslyn’s often lack essential resources for those they serve. Many of the pastors work full-time and shepherd their congregations on nights and weekends, often without pay. If they have church buildings they are usually small storefronts which can limit the scope and frequency of outreaches. That’s why the partnership with Inner City is so crucial. Hosting evangelism training, packing and distribution parties at the Inner City locations alleviates space issues for the congregations.

For its part, Inner City understands ministries with boots on the ground are best equipped to get resources to those who need them most because they live in the neighborhoods they serve.
 

“It’s hard to do the right thing when everything around you is wrong.”

As she celebrated and encouraged Jayde, Pastor Roslyn acknowledged that both the residents and the volunteers were experiencing transformation. Her message to Jayde was simple: Keep doing God’s will.

For Jayde and Sarina, their hearts filled with gratitude and hope for the future as they extended God’s love and compassion to others with similar struggles.
 

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Lori Arnold serves as the senior writer for Cru's inner-city ministry.

Previous Posts:

• Full of More Than Food
• Flames Fail to Quench Passion to Serve
• An Apprentice Approaches Advent
• Not the Letter, but the Spirit
• Fostering Sisterhood