Who would you visit?

As many of you know I, Meredith, was in and out of the hospital in January with pneumonia and other health issues. As I was in the hospital I was blessed with many visitors; my husband, kid, parents, siblings, friends and pastor. I also received cards from friend, gifts and meals and was blessed by my friends here in Fort Collins, CO and from MA. 

One night I was laying in bed in the hospital thanking God for the many people who continued to encourage me and say prayers for me and I thought about those who I was ready to serve. Who visits the homeless when they are sick in the hospital? Do other homeless check to see how they are doing? Who cares for the least of these when they are already the least? 

It was lonely just to think about days of being in the hospital with no visitors, with no encouragement, no stories of the outside world, no clean clothes and no push to get better and get back "home." To leave the hospital and go back to living in a car or shelter seemed so overwhelming and hard. 

As I left the hospital in my car with my husband driving to get my medicines, the good food I needed to be healthy at home and my family waiting for me at home, I was filled with peace. I knew they would take care of me and allow me time to heal but the homeless that leave the hospital don't have the same opportunities and it was hard to think about and pray through. 

When we were leaving the drug store we saw a homeless man on the side of the street and he was holding a sign and it said, "Homeless but not hopeless." We gave him a blessing bag as we headed home and I prayed that the homeless would all feel God's hope. I pray for the homeless that get sick this winter that they find encouragement through daily interacts in the hospital and that they can get tools while in the hospital to move towards a health living situation. 

Please join me in praying for the homeless this winter. Pray for their continued health. Pray for them to be filled with God's hope and love. Pray that we at Soaring Wings Ministries can continue to have meaningful interactions with the homeless that encourages them and points them to God and to resources to move forward to permanent living situations that are healthy.