“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” Hebrews 10:24
“Would you be able to find Awali’s* family a tablet or a laptop? The one they have isn’t working and the school district said they have to wait, as many are having issues.”
The request came from a friend we’re connected with at another local non-profit. Arrive Ministries volunteers had been helping support this family through a very difficult season they were walking through. Then COVID-19 started, broken devices and distance learning began causing additional stress for mom and several children in the family as they were trying to complete their online schoolwork.
“broken devices and distance learning began causing additional stress for mom and several children in the family”
The kids were falling behind, with no way to catch up without a device. Our school district, not expecting to have thousands of children learning online this year, was doing the best they could under the circumstances.
Finding a device for this family was a way we could love them. When these requests come along, we take them as simple invitations for us to enter into what the Lord is doing in the “here and now.” I personally didn’t have a tablet or laptop to give, but I knew others might.
“When we step into an invitation to help and invite others to join us, we get to see His hands at work in our neighborhoods and cities”
So, I took a couple minutes to put the request for a tablet or laptop on Facebook. Within minutes, I received not one, but three responses – a desktop, a tablet, and a laptop all coming our way, to be given to those who need them in these times. One came from a neighbor, the other two came from friends around the city. Our neighbor even offered to help fix and make sure future donated devices were up to par for the schooling needed. We’ve now been able to help several families with online schooling.
When we step into an invitation to help and invite others to join us, we get to see His hands at work in our neighborhoods and cities. We get to play a part of what He is doing, and all of us – the giver, the recipient, and onlookers – are encouraged in the process.
written by Samantha Grimsley
St. Cloud Area Director
*names have been changed