“I have finally found a place to live, just like I never could before, and I know that I don’t have much to give but I can open any door”. Lyrics from song “Presence of the Lord” by Blind Faith

Today, we had the privilege of serving 36 people.

• This morning began with sadness when we were told that our friend (Tommy) had overdosed 2 weeks ago.  They were able to bring him back to life but the amount of time he was gone may have done more damage to his brain.  Last time we talked he was sleeping next to a dumpster using cardboard as a mattress. We told him he needed to get his legs looked at.  They were swollen and had open wounds.  We keep him in our daily prayers.

• We met up with our friends, a married couple, who tell us every Saturday they are going into treatment.  We need to take this statement at face value that this may never happen.  I spoke to people who are in the field and they all say the same thing.  Doing this type of work is heartbreaking because of the low success rate of them getting free from their addiction or mental illness.  We just need to try and be a vessel of God’s love.

• On a happier note, we met some new friends (Jeanne and Jay) who were very happy to meet up with us.  We gave out a lot of socks, tee shirts, underwear, sweatpants, hooded sweatshirts, snacks, Gatorade, water, along with our packet of $10 bill/$10 Dunkin Donuts card/prayer card.

• We also ran into our friend (Rick) who looked good saying, “I am clean 30 days now”.  God works in mysterious ways.  He was with (Jose), a gentle giant of a guy who is so pleasant, I would ask (Jose) when (Rick) had not been around for a while, and he would tell me he went back to the dark side, (his addiction).

• I have a friend who refers to addiction and alcoholism as the “The Beast”.  In a way this is true because it comes in the beginning as an invited guest but overstays its welcome and doesn’t leave.  It then takes everything near and dear and just when you think it can’t take any more, it does – it gets you alone and, in the darkness, and to a point that you will welcome death.  Our hope is to bring some light into our friends’ darkness and see them through God’s loving eyes if only for a brief moment.  Life is a series of brief moments – we just need to make the best of them and ask, “Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see you”.

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We are changing our location for Donations for OSM from Holy Cross Retreat House to My Brother’s Keeper.  We currently have a box in the main stairway on the 1^st floor of MBK. We want to thank Nancy Smith for all she has done and continues to do for this vital Ministry.  God Bless Her.

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God Bless,

Claire and Shaun Teed and Tito

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“God in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor”. Psalm 68:10

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