This is one of those great stories where everyone is anonymous, but it all happened here in the last few months and days.
It begins with a man who was serving time in prison. We’ll call him Paul. When he was released he went to live in faith-based transitional housing. But, the clock was ticking. He had been given a certain amount of time to find a job and save enough money to rent a place to live or go back to prison. For a while it didn’t look like he was going to pull it off.
But, as God would have it, Paul got a job at one of UNITE INDY’s partners that employ ex-offenders, and he began saving for a place to live. He worked hard and one of the company’s executives took an interest in him. As the clock wound down, Paul had to find a place to live—somewhere close enough so that he could walk to his job. The executive again helped him find a place, but Paul was short of funds. So this executive turned to his men’s Bible study group which lent Paul the money, providing what he needed for the first month’s rent and the deposit.
Months went by. Paul walked to work in the rain and the snow and bitter cold. He could walk to two stores that were close enough—a grocery store and a dollar store. He was free, but instead of a cell, his world now consisted only of two stores and his job.
As all this was going on with Paul, tragedy struck a Christian couple here. Their son, who had fought to be free from his drug addiction, died of a drug overdose. The couple, broken hearted and crippled with grief, finally had to deal with their son’s car. The 2007 Hyundai still had value, but it had been their son’s, how could they part with it? So, it sat there…until a UNITE INDY volunteer who works with ex-offenders learned of the car and knew about Paul. (You’re connecting the dots, right?)
The bereft couple loved the idea of giving their son’s car to a man who was working to rebuild his life as their son had tried to do, but you can’t just hand over a car. Arrangements had to be made. They donated the car to UNITE INDY. Then the title work had to be taken care of and that can take weeks. The company’s executive had stayed close to Paul and prayed with him, asking God to supply this car before Easter. At that point Easter was less than two weeks away and title work was backed up, taking a month or two, due to COVID.
What can we say? Miracles happen. The clouds parted. Before Easter, in answer to his prayer—the title was ready for Paul. For him it meant new life and a fresh beginning. He had come from being alone in a cell to having a good job, mentors, friends, responsibility, money, and the freedom of having a car of his own. Can we begin to imagine his happiness knowing all the people who had cared enough to make this happen?
Truth is, we all got a car that day. We all felt the happiness. For Paul, his boss, and everyone involved, this real life tale is the very essence of the new life promised by the Easter story. We all recognized God’s hand in providing just what we need, and are reminded that He works through us to perform His will on Earth. Hands and feet…we are His hands and feet.
What a great responsibility,
Nancy
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