I write this not to toot my horn or pat my back, but to share the story of what God is doing in our midst at Community of Joy. For two weeks in February we hosted a homeless men's shelter in our ministry center. For the second year, we hosted some of the same guys... one - Richard, this year seemed ready to break out of the prison of homelessness and today he made the final step! ALL PRAISE TO GOD!
Richard has been working with a caseworker, has a new payee, is doing Celebrate Recovery, and has been attending worship every week at Community of Joy and will soon be baptised and join the church. This week I spent most of the hours of the week with Richard helping him navigate the waters of getting into his own apartment. He is now a resident at a senior housing apartment here in Salisbury and is VERY happy in his one bedroom apartment.
Monday morning we got word that he would be allowed to apply since the age limit dropped from 62 to 55. But Monday night we learned that he was denied residency. On Tuesday, I spent many hours talking with the manager, composing an appeal letter with Richard, and getting the other necessary support letters together to advocate on his behalf. On Wednesday, I wanted/needed to get away and enjoy the spring day, so on my way out of town, I dropped off the packet we assembled for his appeal process. The managers are so sweet. They fast tracked it and got the regional manager to approve his move and he didn't even need to go to before the appeal board. That was a miracle in itself that it happened so fast! I was shocked when he called me already on Wednesday night to say he was in. Thursday, we thought he was meeting with the manager and paying his deposit and making preparations to move in... but the case worker didn't meet Richard. Today, word came that they needed his birth certificate to complete the application process. Richard was born in Illinois and getting a certificate could take several weeks. I no sooner hung up with Richard, when the manager called to say that they would accept a letter from Social Security verifying his age. So, Richard and I spent an hour and a half waiting in line at Social Security to get that letter. We then took it to the apartment complex and they put the packet together to go to the compliance office. The said it might take several days to get a response.
Just in case it would be approved today, at 11:44, I picked up a check from his payee (HALO) for the deposit and the pro-rated rent for this month. The treasurer was leaving at 12 noon. Then about 1 p.m. Richard called to ask if I heard anything. I hadn't, but no sooner had we hung up then the apartment manager called and said he was in and could move in today! WOW!!!!!!!!!
I grabbed the checks and set off to find Richard. We then went to get some groceries from the Ministry Center (even took him a 6 pack of green tea) and I grabbed a mattress and box set we had here at our house for him. Then we went to pay the rent and sign the lease. The lease papers were worse than a mortgage, but an hour and a half later that was done. While he was working on the parts I couldn't help with, I ran to the Townsend's to get some brand new towels, sheets, and kitchen utensils, a lamp, covers and toilet paper, paper towels and tissues. Then after getting all that situated in his new place, we went by the shelter at St Peters to get his clothes and then delivered them.
While we were in the office at the apartment, the one manager who had worked so hard on his behalf and who had left for the week at lunchtime, called back to see how we were progressing! What a sweet heart!
I am getting all kinds of people from our congregation, who responded to an email that I sent out about the situation, letting me know what they have to offer him by way of furnishings. And one even mentioned bringing him a "house-warming gift" on Sunday. What a sweet thought!
God has moved in some amazing ways and I am delighted to be part of what he is doing!
Yeah God! And Yeah Richard!
Richard has been working with a caseworker, has a new payee, is doing Celebrate Recovery, and has been attending worship every week at Community of Joy and will soon be baptised and join the church. This week I spent most of the hours of the week with Richard helping him navigate the waters of getting into his own apartment. He is now a resident at a senior housing apartment here in Salisbury and is VERY happy in his one bedroom apartment.
Monday morning we got word that he would be allowed to apply since the age limit dropped from 62 to 55. But Monday night we learned that he was denied residency. On Tuesday, I spent many hours talking with the manager, composing an appeal letter with Richard, and getting the other necessary support letters together to advocate on his behalf. On Wednesday, I wanted/needed to get away and enjoy the spring day, so on my way out of town, I dropped off the packet we assembled for his appeal process. The managers are so sweet. They fast tracked it and got the regional manager to approve his move and he didn't even need to go to before the appeal board. That was a miracle in itself that it happened so fast! I was shocked when he called me already on Wednesday night to say he was in. Thursday, we thought he was meeting with the manager and paying his deposit and making preparations to move in... but the case worker didn't meet Richard. Today, word came that they needed his birth certificate to complete the application process. Richard was born in Illinois and getting a certificate could take several weeks. I no sooner hung up with Richard, when the manager called to say that they would accept a letter from Social Security verifying his age. So, Richard and I spent an hour and a half waiting in line at Social Security to get that letter. We then took it to the apartment complex and they put the packet together to go to the compliance office. The said it might take several days to get a response.
Just in case it would be approved today, at 11:44, I picked up a check from his payee (HALO) for the deposit and the pro-rated rent for this month. The treasurer was leaving at 12 noon. Then about 1 p.m. Richard called to ask if I heard anything. I hadn't, but no sooner had we hung up then the apartment manager called and said he was in and could move in today! WOW!!!!!!!!!
I grabbed the checks and set off to find Richard. We then went to get some groceries from the Ministry Center (even took him a 6 pack of green tea) and I grabbed a mattress and box set we had here at our house for him. Then we went to pay the rent and sign the lease. The lease papers were worse than a mortgage, but an hour and a half later that was done. While he was working on the parts I couldn't help with, I ran to the Townsend's to get some brand new towels, sheets, and kitchen utensils, a lamp, covers and toilet paper, paper towels and tissues. Then after getting all that situated in his new place, we went by the shelter at St Peters to get his clothes and then delivered them.
While we were in the office at the apartment, the one manager who had worked so hard on his behalf and who had left for the week at lunchtime, called back to see how we were progressing! What a sweet heart!
I am getting all kinds of people from our congregation, who responded to an email that I sent out about the situation, letting me know what they have to offer him by way of furnishings. And one even mentioned bringing him a "house-warming gift" on Sunday. What a sweet thought!
God has moved in some amazing ways and I am delighted to be part of what he is doing!
Yeah God! And Yeah Richard!
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