Lufkin – May 2017

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from thine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”   Psalm 51: 1-2

If April showers bring May flowers-what do April hail stones bring? Flattened gardens and dented cars.

So You'll Know:
April 2017
1st-31 people
30th-25 people
Total helped-61 people
Praise the Lord!
EMPLOYMENT REPORT:
New jobs-0
Part time jobs-3
Still working-7

Praise the Lord!
“Create in me a clean heart, O God: and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

     Richard had been here several times. He was gone during the day, which he was suppose to do. He serviced and repaired his bike, which carried him all over town However, he didn’t save money or try to improve his life. Once again, Richard asked to check in. He wanted to change his life. His plan was to go to drug rehab. Martin told him we needed verification of a bed at a treatment center. It took him a day or two to get serious about his plan. The call finally came from ADAC (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council). Richard was accepted and he was in line for a bed. When we have folks waiting to go to rehab we tell them they cannot leave the property. We do this to help them stay on course and not fall into temptation. While waiting, we ask them to help around the place. Most of these folks comply. Richard did too. He did try to talk his way off the property, but he listened to wise council and stayed put. He was accepted to a rehabilitation center and left just before the end of the month. Our prayers go with Richard for a victory over his addiction. Tamra and Billie Jo came at the end of the month. They are participants at Drug Court. Drug Court takes drug offenders who just need help in making better life decisions. They attend meetings throughout the week. One of those meetings is in the court with the Judge. They are highly supervised. Hopefully, this opportunity keeps them out of jail or prison. But, of course, that is up to them. Hang in there, girls, hang in there with Jesus. The men’s dorm had a small outbreak of bed bugs. Three or four days were spent heat treating rooms and then following up with a powder treatment. The laundry room screamed for attention this past month. To calm her down two washers and one dryer moved in kicking the old ones out. Now there is peace and quiet while the new appliances hum their way washing and drying clothes, towels and linens. Meet Alice (not her real name). She is handling the laundry duties these days. She came in early March. She asked for extra time and volunteered for the laundry job. You should see how spic and span that hot room is. Alice has a sad story but you would not know it by her smile and helpful attitude. We are glad Alice is here no matter how long she stays. Our helper Roger moved out this past month. Warren has moved into his spot of supervising chores and men’s bed check. He recently experienced the Walk to Emmaus. It has been a blessing to see the peace, calm and joy in his walk with the Lord. Warren did laundry before Alice signed up to do it. He, too, kept the laundry room organized and swept. Thank you, Warren, for your obedient heart. Pedro checked in early March. He worked odd jobs but kept busy every day. It appeared that he was doing what he was suppose to do. One evening he did not come in. No one knew where he was. The next day his sister called and then came by to pick up his belongings. She said he was in the hospital for an overdose of cocaine. And he had almost died. It totally took us by surprise. Apparently he has had this addiction for quite a few years. We do not know what his status is today. My heart aches to hear these stories. Our guest cooks came in with their best chef hats on. We ate sloppy joes, pork roast, chicken enchiladas, hamburgers, fried chicken, ham and pizza times two. We appreciate the culinary talents of all our guest cooks. Gracias. Merci. Thank you. Resurrection Day. We were blessed from our heads to our toes. St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church provided our dinner meal that day. We had ham, potato casserole, green beans, rolls, and tea, sweet and unsweet. A bunny cake and brownies and cookies topped off our meal. We had help setting up and serving this delicious meal. Not only did the church provide our meal but several of their church family came. We welcomed Deanna, Judy, Ronny and their daughter, who was in from Dallas. The fellowship was great. Jesus is the reason for the season rings true for Resurrection Day just as it does for Christmas. Without His victory over the sting of death we have no hope. He is our new life. We owe Him so much for the blood He shed for us to pay for our sins. What about our hailstorms?! The spring showers of April included a serious hail storm as the month came to an end. From our perch, at the top of Moody Street, we watched as the pea sized ice crystals got bigger and bigger to the size of golf balls. We are thankful that our garden survived and no crippling dents were found on our vehicles.     Congratulations to all you graduates: from kindergarten to 8th grade to high school, college and beyond!

Happy Mother’s Day! Be sure and hug a mom that day, especially your own, if you can.

Thank you, dear folks, for your faithful support. Have a merry month.

“Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.”   Psalm 100:2
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Because of Him we serve,
Martin and Mary Baker