Rachel’s Story

Prior to my son’s birth, I was a very independent, proud woman who worked hard to avoid asking for help. When my poor choices led me down a hard road, I had no one to turn to. I have no family in Oregon other than my estranged and abusive parents. I learned about Love INC Beaverton from Care to Share and turned to them for help and support. They saved my family and taught me many valuable life lessons.
 
At that time, I was unemployed, and my infant son had many medical problems, including failure to thrive and a weak immune system. I was a first- time mom with an absent boyfriend. My son’s father and I had planned to marry, but after my son was born, he left. Love INC helped me hold things together that first year.

I initially called Love INC because I needed a car seat. They not only connected me with an event to educate me about car seat safety, but gave me a brand new car seat. The staff and volunteers were loving and genuinely cared. Love INC was the family support I didn't have. They helped in every way they could and when they couldn't help, they found a resource to refer me to. Ultimately, I received assistance with everything from cleaning supplies and hygiene products to diapers, linens, dishes, baby gear, and clothes. 
 
When my son was two, our situation became worse. Despite my best efforts, we found ourselves in a homeless shelter. However with assistance from the shelter and Love INC, today we have a home (apartment)! We are not back to where we were before, but we have a home, and I have a job as a paralegal.

I am daily reminded of all the love and kindness from others that helped us.
My situation was hard, but there are others out there just like me and in even greater need. Because of this, I decided to donate all my son's things that he outgrew back to Love INC. Whether it was clothes or baby gear, I wanted it to go back to Love INC to continue the cycle of giving to those in need and showing love and support. 
 
I now refer people to Love INC, not only because they can help with resources but because they are so caring and treat you like family. They don't make you feel ashamed of yourself or your situation. They understand that difficult circumstances can happen to any of us and treat people with respect. They are the true definition of Christian.
 

Veronica's New Roof

Veronica called Love INC asking if someone could repair her roof. Keith was contacted and went out to take a look. The roof was too far gone for a repair and Keith called Love INC to say that he was sorry, but the whole roof needed to be replaced. Veronica was contacted and given the unfortunate news. Her response to our volunteer was “Do you think I should sell my house?”

Two days passed by and we heard back from Keith. God was “really tugging at his heart” and Keith wanted to make this roof replacement happen. His work crew said they would donate their time and Allied Building Products donated the shingles. Keith’s company, K.E. Harn Construction, picked up the rest of the tab and the roof was replaced within a few weeks.

Following up with Veronica to inquire about how the roof replacement went, she said that she was overjoyed and burst into tears when the work crew showed up at her door. Veronica said that the same day her roof was replaced she had planned to put her house on the market.

God is good!

Her Aching Back

A donor called and said she needed furniture out within the week, and that it was currently loaded in the back of an extended van, parked in their driveway.  We arranged to pick up items, and she said no one would not be there, but she would leave the van unlocked. The donation turned out to be a sofa, a chair and a recliner, plus a bunch of pillows.  Larry and I managed to get all items out of the van and onto my pickup in one load.

The client met us at her place and she was obviously very pregnant.  She said she was due in about three weeks.  We couldn't get the sofa in through the front door.  Fortunately, she lived on the ground floor, and had a patio door, so we carried the items around the end of the building, through the bushes at the end of the building and then through the yard to her patio.  The furniture fit and filled the room like they were made for the place.  As we were bringing the recliner in, we also noted that it had a control for a vibrator/massager.  When I mentioned this to the client, she almost started crying, and told us that her back had been killing her, and that she hadn't been able to sleep hardly at all for days. She had been so looking forward to sleeping in a recliner, but to have a vibrator/massager built in was a miracle.

She thanked us profusely and tried to give us coffee and snacks.  When we said thanks, but no thanks, she asked if she could fix a dinner for us sometime.  My response was that she should just thank the Lord, not us, as He is the one who provided.  We then joined hands and prayed. 

Before we left, she asked if she could at least give us a hug.  My response was, “Of course.  A hug costs nothing, but is worth so much.”

This delivery was last November I think, but I still remember it vividly and it still warms my heart.  Its one of those coincidences of timing and need that I call “a God shot.”

Janelle’s Story

Janelle called Love INC in September of 2010. She and her 9 year-old son had just moved to Bethany from Tigard. Her son had never had his own bed, and she wanted to get a bed for him because it was his first time that he also had his own room. He had been sleeping on a love seat hide-a-bed.

Love INC delivered a new twin bed to her and her son in November of 2010. They also brought her son a new pillow. They set the bed up for her and asked her what else she needed. They also received a dresser for her son (he had never had a dresser before) and new kitchen chairs. Janelle was especially pleased with the new kitchen chairs which were beautiful and sturdy and all matched. Her son was equally excited to have his first dresser. He was glad to have a new bed but a little scared at first because he had never slept by himself. Janelle said that the people who delivered her furniture were warm, loving, and offered to pray for her, which she appreciated.

Love INC referred Janelle to Comforts of Home where she was able to get a comforter, sheets, and blankets for her son’s new bed. She also got some kitchen dishes. Love INC also referred her to Oak Hills Church for essentials. At both COH & OHC, the people were wonderful. They offered to pray for her and told her “God bless you.”

Janelle said that the volunteers at Love INC, COH, and OHC made her feel special and didn’t treat her like a needy person. She said that they treated her as if she was just someone who needed help and that they were glad to provide it. She also appreciated the follow-up from Love INC. She said the volunteers were very kind and loving.

Things are going really well for her and her son now. She said that it was worth the wait to receive help. It has been a real blessing to her and her son. She has referred both her daughter and father to Love INC as well.

BoB-Op to the Rescue

We had a great men’s workday today. This year we have shifted focus with our Band of Brothers aka “BOB” team efforts.  Our church wants to reach out to the non-Christian community and has linked to a local Christian based non-profit to offer large support. As a result, we in turn work directly with them to arrange “men workdays” or BOB-OPs, once a month.  Love INC http://www.loveincbeaverton.org/ is one of the non-profits our church heavily supports. This organization will vet all needs thoroughly before assigning something for a Local Mission Trip (LMT) or BOB-OP. 

Often people and organizations approach churches in need of support and many times you have “drifters” who “work the system” bouncing from church to church and entity to entity looking for hand-outs.  We realize we want to help, but often don’t have the resources to vet them out and if they’re not a part of our fellowship, we can direct them to Love INC who have the resources and procedures to assess and help or direct them. This is utilizing God’s local resources to support mission outreach to local community.

Today, we worked at a women’s safe-house in Beaverton, where battered women find a hide-a-way from abusing spouses.  It was an honor to assist in cleaning their compound and sprucing up the place.  We had our tiger team of ten guys and worked for five hours with all our guy toys and had a blast. Remember, there’s still a little boy inside of every man longing for someone to “play with” and this wasn’t only play, but a mission trip with divine purpose. When working with a non-Christian based entity, we experience what Christ taught in reaching out to those who are hungry or need a physician. Remember the words of our Lord, “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.”

Uncommon Ground

What do a phone call, car seat, sofa, washer and dryer have in common? Perhaps you can find the answer in this short story of salvation. The Department of Human Services referred a 19-year-old single mom to us for assistance. As the story unfolded it became clear we were witnessing the miracle of new birth.

This young mother of two had come to a crossroads of walking the streets of Portland for money or responding to the call of God to turn her life over to Him. We were blessed to hear that just the night before she had surrendered her life to Christ. We heard heaven rejoicing as we prayed with her that these items she is in need of would be provided through the ministry of Christ’s church.

So far we have a car seat, a referral for a local church’s single mom’s ministry, a possible washer and dryer and we are on the hunt for a sofa. Join with us and all of heaven as we witness a new birth in the Kingdom of God.