Winter came early in Columbus this year and many of us have experienced extended commutes to work from all the premature snow and ice. For some of us, snow on the ground is simply an inconvenience, but for others it means another night will be spent freezing in the car they live in.
Michael remembers his experiences as an 18-year-old, sleeping in a car, with nowhere to call home. "The feet," he says, "they get so cold in the car, to the point they are numb and it takes about 30 minutes to an hour to warm them up once the temperatures start coming up in the morning."₁
To help those who are struggling to keep warm this winter, Lower Lights Ministries is holding a hat, scarf, gloves and socks collection to pass out to men and women living on the streets.
Having faced awful ramifications of addiction, many of the Lower Lights Recovery participants have compassion for those in need. Some of the residents have experienced homelessness, and some know friends and family who still face the pain of it everyday. Armed with compassion, empathy and eagerness to make a difference, they are heading out with LLM staff members to the west side of Columbus to pass out the collected winter clothing items.
This is not just about giving out clothing items, but about meaningful interactions and conversations. At Lower Lights we call this a "point of intersection". A moment in time where we can be a light in the dark to someone, share an encouraging word, sow a seed of hope, offer a listening ear and give them an opportunity to see God's love for them.
Let's Do This Together!
Could you hold a collection party this Thanksgiving?
Could your family members bring an item to your reunion to donate?
Let's get creative and share about the cause and help those out on the streets!
Bring your (used or new!) hats, scarves, gloves and especially socks to Lower Lights Ministries' main office at 1066 Bellows Avenue by Dec 20th.
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