I have always enjoyed helping others. It was a no-brainer for me to get involved when I learned about Care Portal. One of the things I love about Pathway Church is the call to action. Thoughts and prayers are wonderful but should we not do more if we can do more? I delivered items needed by families many times but did not truly understand what it meant to “walk with someone” in their time of need.
One day I was scrolling through Facebook and learned of a local woman’s plea for help. Tammy (who provided permission for me to share her name) was struggling to make repairs on her home that housed many adopted and foster children, placing them at risk of displacement. The need was well into thousands of dollars. My initial thought was that the amount needed was too big for me and that there was nothing that I could do. I closed Facebook and went on my way. The next day I saw her post again and felt a nudge.
I contacted Tammy over the phone and spent the next 20 minutes listening to her story, her sobbing and nearly crying with her. My heart was broken for her and felt that God was leading me to DO SOMETHING. I created a church need within the Care Portal and was in frequent conversation with her over messenger sharing songs of hope and words of support.
There were several moments in this journey that I knew that God was opening doors and guiding me on what to do next. One of the items that this family needed was a Geothermal Unit (which is a type of heater). I came home from work one day to find that my heater was malfunctioning. My husband typically takes care of these things, but he was out of town. He contacted Clifford from a local company to fix it who has always done a great job. I wasn’t supposed to be home when Clifford came but for some reason, he wasn’t able to come until 7 pm that evening (when I was home). I decided to discuss the situation with him to get some insight on how a heating unit like this would work. When I mentioned the case to him, his face looked incredibly surprised and shocked. Clifford stated that he had been trying to get ahold of Tammy and that he wanted to help as this had been on his heart all week. He was so excited he even hugged me! He was able to call her that evening and answer many questions for her. He gave her hope and provided solutions for an affordable fix. I was stunned and feeling pretty hopeful. We were starting to get somewhere!
After Clifford had left, I noticed my Jesus Calling book and decided to flip it open to January 22nd (the day this all happened). The passage could not have been more appropriate for what I had been experiencing as well as Tammy. Each day working on this case had been a struggle between me trying to fix things MY WAY vs. allowing God to work in his time frame and to just trust him. Here is a small excerpt of the passage that brought me and Tammy to tears:
“Strive to trust ME in more and more areas of your life. Anything that tends to make you anxious is a growth opportunity. Instead of running from these challenges, embrace them, eager to gain all the blessings that I have hidden in the difficulties. If you believe that I am sovereign over every aspect of your life, it is possible to trust Me in all situations.”
The next week God opened the door for several news stations to get involved. Tammy was able to share her story with the media and raise much needed funding. Further blessings continued to come as a result of my willingness to be obedient. It turns out Clifford, from Buff’s Heating and Cooling, is also a deacon at a church in Wichita and has expressed interest in getting his church involved in Care Portal. This is HUGE! Care Portal is trying to expand and get more churches involved. In addition, Tammy has expressed interest in coming to church with me and bringing her family. I want to stress that I do not wish to take credit for any of the good that has transpired. I was only an instrument. Thank goodness, for once in my life, I actually listened because this case has embedded within me a deeper level of trust and understanding of how God can use us for good. Care Portal allows us all to be a part of the ripple effect of kindness: a single act of kindness or positive action can create a chain reaction, spreading positivity and impacting many people beyond the initial recipient. As Christ followers, our kindness and generosity will point the recipients of “the ripple” to Jesus and the immense love of God.
Now, this story is not over. Tammy is still short on her funding for the repairs needed and is now facing an additional health crisis, but I have no doubt in the power of God and that he is actively working on this case. I plan to continue to pray for Tammy and to walk with her during her journey with the newfound knowledge that God is in the details, and He is just one step away.
-Christin Kimball