I'll Be Home for Christmas
Nowadays, Theresa can't imagine life without her bubbly little granddaughter, Tiffany, at her side. But not long ago, this 5-year-old was drifting from one stranger's place to another with her homeless mother. Theresa's heart broke over the situation, but she was helpless to do anything about it.
Then out of the blue, Theresa got a phone call from her daughter. "Mom, can you come get Tiffany?" She didn't think twice before boarding a bus to rescue her precious granddaughter. A million thoughts raced through Theresa's mind as she rode the bus that night. She was saddened by what Tiffany had already been through. The child had spent the first five years of her short life uprooted from one location to another. She was often left alone while her mother entertained friends. Of course, she needed help!
Still, this elderly widow wondered if she'd be up to the challenge of raising a child at this stage of her life. She was concerned about whether she could afford to feed and clothe Tiffany on her fixed income. On the other hand, how could she NOT afford to bring her granddaughter home?
With Tiffany's tiny hand in hers, Theresa stepped through the door of her modest apartment. Gazing from the single bedroom to the cramped kitchen, she worried about how she'd make life work with her new addition. "I had to learn how to use every resource possible," she says. "I had no change of clothes for Tiffany, no shoes or school supplies. No toys, let alone extra food. But I had hope." A neighbor told her about a place called Cityteam that might be able to help her out. "They came to my rescue!" smiles this grateful grandmother. "I received help with the basic essentials — plus the comfort of having someone to talk through the emotional pain of dealing with my daughter's situation."
Thanks to partners like you, Theresa got the support she needed at a very low point in her life. She reflects on how Tiffany has been a true blessing since losing her husband. "We have been able to bond and share smiles. She gives me something to be grateful for every day." It's been a long journey, powered by love. A grandmother wrestled with risk because she had hope.
Friends like you helped carry her burden because you have compassion for neighbors in need. Isn't that what Christmas is all about? Our needs, God's compassion, and making right of wrong. In the coming weeks, Tiffany will receive the Christmas present she's been needing for a very long time. Her mother is in a Christian recovery program at Cityteam. She's getting well, building faith and learning new, healthy ways to be the mother Tiffany needs. And this Christmas, thanks to God's mercy and partners like you, she hopes to come home at last.
Please send a Christmas gift to provide basic essentials for the poor and homeless.