This month I met a family of 7.

On June 23rd 2016, the Clendenin Flood displaced them from their home, and they spent the next few weeks in a temporary Red Cross Shelter. They now live in a mobile home that they had to buy after the flood, because their home that had been in the family for generations was destroyed.

 Next Step Ministries is so excited to begin a partnership this summer to add a room to their mobile home, so that they can continue to not only live together as a family of 7, but add to their family.

Did I mention the 5 children are not biological? They were all part of foster or kinship guardianship. This family has been through a lot in the last 2 ½ years, but they continue to grow stronger. They just completed their final class as part of the foster care system in West Virginia, allowing them to take children if they are in immediate need. This means they will be on a call list to receive a child for a night, or a few days, or weeks at a time.

 

So here’s my problem:

• This family has one vehicle that seats 5 people at a time.
• They lost a vehicle in the flood, and haven’t been able to afford another since then.
• They are not able to safely travel as a family anywhere. To the grocery store, church, soccer games, or school events.

 

When they told me that they were in this situation with vehicles, I immediately said “Okay, I’m going to pray for a van”.

 I’m not sure why I said this. I believe God can provide for our needs, but as much as I would like to say I always immediately respond with prayer, I usually don’t. When faced with an obstacle, my usual response is to work really hard and try to figure it out myself. But with this, it was almost like God was reminding me that I don’t have all the answers. Sometimes I just have to depend on Him to provide.

Scripture teaches us in Psalm 116 that God hears our prayers. Not only does He hear our prayers, He is described as a teacher that bends down to hear our pleas. Psalm 116:1-2 says “I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!”

I believe that God, through the generosity of His Church and His People can provide a resource to this family.

 

Here’s how I’m asking for help:

• Think about your home church. Do they have a church van that isn’t used as much as it could be? Could you rent a van for any trips your church takes?
• Think about your family. Are you selling your van or SUV in the next 6 months? Could you afford to donate instead? Could you donate it to Next Step Ministries and receive a charitable gift receipt, and Next Step will supply the van to our family in need?
• Pray with me. Add this need to your refrigerator, your small group or Sunday school list, or to your daily prayer time.

I KNOW there is a van out there that would allow this family to continue to recover from the flood of 2016. Please pray that God would make a way for us to provide for this family.