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Our Christmas support 2016

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Flyin6:
I'm making a decision here. I'm choosing who Real Man will support for Christmas this year.

This has been a bit of a struggle for me because the individuals which God has clearly placed in my/our way are just regular Americans. Not refugees, not homeless, not sick, but other than the "Nots" I listed, they don't have very much at all.

The reason I decided, or rather why I struggled with doing something for them, is that it places my wife in a difficult position. She is the manager of the community where these people live. If we openly supported them, then it would create a situation where the property manager openly favored some of the residents, and that crosses lines.

But know what? When I tell you about these people, you'll know why I'm doing this and why they are the right picks. Sadie, a 10 year old 5th grader, and Bella, an eleven year old 6th grader dont have moms. Well with the exception of my wife who spends every moment she can with them, these girls have no adult female being a positive influence on them. THey both live with their dads in small apartments. Neither of these girls ever get much or anything for Christmas, not even a good meal. They have virtually no family support, and they are just barely scraping by.

Last week my wife told me that since the two girls hang around in her office from the time they get home from school, until my Frau leaves, my wife started paying them to do simple chores. Last week, she gave each of the girls $5 to deliver notices to the various apartments. The next day, Kat asked them what they did with the money. Each girl gave it to their dads, who immediately spent it on some food.

Now I don't know about you, but that just tears me up. I have two of everything and a big old house with food spoiling in the frig. Those kids don't always eat! Kat has to visit the apartments on a more or less routine basis to check condition and for needed repairs. Once she stayed and helped one of the girls make up her room more nicely. She couldn't find any sheets. Speaking to her father later, she asked where the sheets were. He told my wife that he didn't have any, but that he was going to get some just as soon as he could.

No sheets...

Speaking to the girls about Christmas, they were dismissive. It turns out that they do not get anything, any presents for Christmas. Bella said "Dad gets me something when he gets his income tax check...

No Christmas gifts...

Well to heck with that. I am going to pick the whole thing up, help or not. I WILL NOT let this happen right under my nose. Faith without works is dead...And my spirit is very much alive over these little girls.

I mean, this just tears me up...I feel wrong sitting in this big house knowing they have nothing...

I'm not asking for anything, God can provide the money. I just wanted to share this story which I'll bet is going on in every city. I can't get em' all, but I can get these four folks covered, and Real Man will cover them this year.

I plan to buy them bedding, coats, some clothes, some toiletries, and some Kroger gift cards. I think I'll finish it off with a gift card to a bowling alley, or movie theater, and a gift certificate for a decent restaurant where they can eat Christmas dinner...Or maybe I'll have them over our house for Christmas if I can figure out how to do that without my wife having charges filed against her or getting her fired

cruizng:
Don,

That does bring a lump in your throat and you are right... most of us have much more than we could ask for.

The other end of that spectrum is where I was last night. A black tie "Holly Ball" fund raiser for the local hospital hospice program. Very worthwhile program and so touching what they do for end of life and their family's. Almost 4000 people and they raised over $880,000.00 during the evening with other donations still coming in. I spoke to one of the people that have been involved for a long time and they have raised so much money over the years they had to expand to other areas beside hospice.

All good... but when you hear of the family in your story it raises the question as to how to get support to them.

Thanks for bringing this family to our attention.

God Bless

Flyin6:
Had a thought, rather more to the point, my wife had a thought and shared it with me.

Someone here stepped up and donated $200 which is awesome. Another member wrote me saying they were in a position to help. I wrote him back, telling him about the pay-pal donation tab we have in this section somewhere...But to pray about it first and just do whatever God tells them to do which might include doing nothing at all. That's not my lane...

But Don thinks like this: If you want to help, then just send money and I will spend all of it plus whatever else is needed to take care of this need. You see, I trust myself completely, that I will always take all of the money and spend it on whatever we decided to spend it on. It never occurred to me that someone may not be comfortable with that...my bad

In this modern day world of scammers and bad people, this might look like just that, some scam. So, Miss Kathy told me to correct what I said and amend it to say, you could send an age appropriate gift or gift card instead of money if you so preferred. Wow...never thought of that...What can I say, I'm only a crusty old pilot, and apparently not very smart. I just know myself and never think anything negative when God is busy doing his thing and I am involved.

So if you feel so moved, and please feel no pressure at all, I will do this myself and get it done, I am sure of that. If you feel like getting involved and want to send something tangible, PM me or email me and I'll give you my address or Sadie's or Bella's address. (I guess I can give out their addresses...legally speaking...can't I???) Well if I'm not allowed to give out their addresses, and I do, and the authorities show up at the door, and the web site goes silent for a time. If that happens, I guess I'll just do what Paul did and use the jail time to witness to everyone there! See, there's always an up-side!

Flyin6:

--- Quote from: cruizng on December 04, 2016, 11:00:50 PM ---Don,

That does bring a lump in your throat and you are right... most of us have much more than we could ask for.

The other end of that spectrum is where I was last night. A black tie "Holly Ball" fund raiser for the local hospital hospice program. Very worthwhile program and so touching what they do for end of life and their family's. Almost 4000 people and they raised over $880,000.00 during the evening with other donations still coming in. I spoke to one of the people that have been involved for a long time and they have raised so much money over the years they had to expand to other areas beside hospice.

All good... but when you hear of the family in your story it raises the question as to how to get support to them.

Thanks for bringing this family to our attention.

God Bless



--- End quote ---
Hospice at Christmas time. What a sobering thought...

I don't like to think about death during Christmas, but it is still happening. Folks everywhere are going through their last days during the Christmas time.

I never go a single Christmas without remembering Baghdad, Christmas day, 2005. I was sitting outside the hangar next to my bird...I was first up. The explosion rocked the building, it was a big one. I got in and fired up the aircraft. We were supposed to get on top of whatever just happened and provide some gun support while the ground guys sorted through stuff. It was an M1 Abrams tank. They blew it apart over on Canal street. Killed all our guys...

After I landed back at Washington LZ, near the US Embassy, I realized it was early morning. I'd make it, if memory serves me correctly, maybe 9AM, possibly earlier...

That's significant. Iraq is what, 8 or 9 hours ahead of the east coast. In those eight hours the death notifications would work their way through channels and about the time some families were opening their presents, an officer in uniform would be knocking on their door...What an awful Christmas...

I'll admit it, I wept at the thought, and it haunts me to this day.

cj7ox:
Don,

I think what you are planning for Sadie and Bella is great! I'll be in touch later this week by PM. The Lord is definitely doing his work through you!

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