In response to what to do with the 1.1 million dollars the Catholic Church realized from the sale of Catholic churches in North Central Milwaukee we wrote this parable. Part 1 is tonight.
Thy Kingdom Come… on Earth as it is in Heaven
The Birthday
Devon’s wonderful birthday, his 13th on Friday, September 13, 2013 had ended and he was going to bed, his own bed. Devon thought how much my life changed over the summer. Just last June his mother, younger sister and brother and he were evicted from their apartment after his mother lost her part time job and could not pay the rent. They had spent a month or so in a family homeless shelter in downtown Milwaukee. At night they all lived in one room on the family floor and during the day they had to leave the shelter, even on the hottest of days. They would wander with their mother as she looked for a job or just hang out in some cool place like the public library. Since he was the oldest he had to watch his younger brother, 8 and sister, 5 while his mother was seeking a job or looking at a place to live. He had missed his friends from school and from his old neighborhood. Devon was constantly hungry and remembers how glad he was to see volunteers bring some food to the shelter each night.
Finally, his mother with the help of a social worker from the shelter had found a place they could live. Unable to find a job, his mother had entered some kind of program that gave her enough for rent. So in July they moved in. They had not much to move except some clothes and as they entered the new house they found nothing. Their old landlord had provided them with a refrigerator and stove and they had some old mattresses to sleep on. Now there was nothing.
Devon looked down at his own new single bed and thought how much his world had changed since August. Unlike the shelter, his mother and sister and brother had their own bed and with three rooms he could sleep in the same room as his brother leaving his mother and sister with their own rooms. Family members gave them some old furniture and a TV.
Now he was in a new school making new friends that he could invite over to his house after school, like he did today, his birthday. For him and his friends his mother had made some corn muffins, greens and barbecue ribs. She even baked his favorite cake, a chocolate cake. There was plenty of milk and soda to drink. Devon now understood what the minister was talking about on Sunday when he said we are blessed. Devon wondered how his life turned around since last July but was sure grateful it did. He made a mental note to himself to ask his mother tomorrow, Saturday, what had happened.
When he got up Saturday his mother had some blueberry pancakes ready for him. She asked him to watch his sister and brother while she was going to the neighborhood food pantry at the local Catholic Church. Watching his brother and sister was an easy job since they both were watching Saturday morning cartoons on TV.
When his mother came home with some fresh food from the food pantry he helped put it away in the refrigerator and freezer. He knew this food was important to supplement the food stamps they received. When they were done he remembered that he was going to ask his mom what had happened since August that had made their life so much better.
He said to his mother, “Mom, how did we get the beds, stove and refrigerator in August?” His mother sat in a kitchen chair right next to him and smiled. Then she said, “It was like a miracle. I kept calling the information number 211 where I could get some beds, refrigerator and stove so you kids could sleep on a bed and I could make you some real healthy food. They said the only group in town that could help me was a group called St.Vincent De Paul and gave me their number. I tried their number over and over again. When I could get through to a person they would say, ‘We are not serving your area at this time’ or, ‘You do not live in an area we service.’ Since this was a Catholic group and we lived near a Catholic Church I thought this response was strange but I kept trying and trying. One day I called your aunt Marna who lives down the block who told me she had recently called the number and got some beds for her kids after the landlord had finally sprayed the house and the bed bugs were gone. So I called again and this time someone answered and they said they would send two people out from the Catholic Church down the block to our house to see what we needed and they did. It was a couple who came and they were so nice and generous. They asked me what I needed and I told them I needed beds for my kids and a stove and refrigerator so I can cook some real food and not go each day to the corner grocery store to purchase some expensive food that was not so healthy. They said that was fine and wrote me vouchers for beds, even one for me and vouchers for a used stove and refrigerator. I was so happy I thanked them over and over again and before they left we prayed together in thanksgiving to God. I got Uncle James to take me to their store to get the beds and he drove me over to the used appliance store to pick out a refrigerator and stove. Even the man at the store was so nice, giving me a stove and refrigerator for only $25 over the voucher price of $125 each. They delivered and set up the stove and refrigerator and we all helped put the new beds together. You must remember doing that?” He said, “Yes” but wanted to ask her more though he could see she really did not know more and was glad God blessed her with the help of those Catholics. She than told him he could go out and play with his friends but just to be safe. He gave her a hug and went out to check on his friends.
Part 2 Encounter with Priest tomorrow
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