Greetings! Last week, I was with one of my friends and Asha’s Refuge volunteers, Kortney.  We decided to stop by and see one of our refugee friends (we will name her Jane) and give her a bin full of toiletries, household items and a few toys that were donated by the Soup Friends (Debbie Roper) at Central Church. Kortney and I are grateful the Lord put it on our hearts to stop by.  Jane has been very sick with a fever, headache and some stomach pain for a couple of weeks. When we visited her, her house seemed cold and she looked very ill. She was trying to care for baby Hosea even though she was really not feeling well.  Jane’s body was aching and it caused her to tremble and move about very slowly. Kortney and I offered Tylenol as a fever reducer which she immediately took two of and was so appreciative. She didn’t have any medication other than some gastro pills. Jane asked me to please help make her a doctor appointment at Christ Community, which I was successful at doing this morning.

I felt that Jane needed to have additional Tylenol and something to replace her electrolytes since all she was saying she was drinking was water and eating little to nothing. Kort and I decided to run to Kroger and do this so that she’d have Tylenol for her fever and headache in case it took a while to get her to the doctor. As I was telling Jane that I was going to the store for her and would return, I suddenly had it on my heart to check to see if there were additional grocery items I could pick up for her since she has been unable to get out. Thank Jesus I asked! Jane requested diapers and wipes. Kortney and I went to Kroger and spent our last Kroger gift card that Central Church gave us! At the store we felt compelled to grab additional groceries for Jane and her family since Jane couldn’t. We thought of her oldest son (the 3rd grade math whiz) and middle child (the new kindergartener we had in our Kindergarten readiness program for a little while over the summer) and her baby.  Some of the items we bought were bananas, oranges, chicken noodle soup, two large Gatorades, a large pack of Kroger diapers and wipes, toilet paper, hand soap, a few extra-large bottles of Tylenol (one for Jane and a few for me to keep on hand, they were on sale for like $3), carrots and cookies (Kort was thinking of the kiddos).

How wonderful it was to have the donated Kroger gift card on hand!   We ended up spending an additional $39.29 on this family in need, but it was such a blessing to be able to do so. When we delivered the items, Jane embraced Kort and I with hugs, rolling tears on her shiny black cheeks, and a prayer for us in her language. Her voice was rattling with humility and sickness and her tears were so real. Jane wept. Our hearts connected to her heart. She wouldn’t let go of me! Kort and I had been obedient and the Lord used us to show Jane love. In turn Kort and I felt loved. And as Kort and I are learning, we had the honor of comforting Jesus. (Surely Jesus grieves when His people are hurting and when His people comfort one another then it in turn comforts Him. We believe we comforted Jesus yesterday!) It was such a sweet day yesterday and one that I will never forget.

It’s for those like Jane that Asha’s Refuge exists. Jane didn’t feel comfortable calling to make an appointment for herself with her little English and little understanding of our American appointment making procedures and cultures. She was sick and I believe the Lord brought Kort and I to her. I am still humbled by the experience with Kort but I am reminded how often this type of thing happens to me while working among the disadvantaged poor refugees. How could anyone not want to help? Please encourage our supporters to continue helping us by making financial donations to Asha’s Refuge. If we hadn’t of had the Central Church Kroger card and the funding available from financial contributions in our Asha’s account, I may not always be able to be so free at offering this kind of help to refugees because there is such a great need. Our Asha’s account is getting lower and we need real financial commitments and support. Please be praying about this as I know God will always make a way.

By the way, before Kort and I left Jane, her spirits were lifted. Her fever had reduced and her headache was a little better.