This year’s Evangel Home banquet was quite an evening. It was filled with enough images, moments, and emotions to share with others for a long time. Rick Alonzo has an amazing gift and uses it to glorify God through his paintings. There was a lot of glory in the room that night!
Two “short stories” I want to share here came after the activities were over--sort of when no one was looking. Each shows the true character of the women, Char and Aziza, who so bravely stood before 400 people and gave their testimonies.
Char said she had been a serious drug user and thief, among other things, for many years. She graduated from our GARDEN program in 2002, but went back to her self- destructive lifestyle before God grabbed her attention for good a few years ago. After the banquet was over, she mentioned to Patty Lehman (our office manager) that she wanted to buy one of Rick’s posters, and Patty gave her $10 to do so.
When Char chose the poster she wanted, Rick told her there was no charge. She couldn’t find Patty to return the $10, so she gave me the crumpled bill and asked me to please give it back to Patty. That kind of clarity and honesty would not have happened in Char’s dark days. It was one more way for her to show, not only share, how Christ has changed her.
The second after-banquet moment happened when I got to work the next morning and found a note from Aziza on my desk. In part it says, “Tonight was an eye opener. People I didn’t know were thanking me for my testimony. Wow! My testimony. Something I had been ashamed of. Thank you for believing in me when I don’t believe in myself. For always pushing me to do better.
“I was honored when you asked me to speak. I hope that I can live up to your standards. But most importantly God’s standards.”
Thank you for investing in these women’s lives in so many ways. Luke 15 contains stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son. After each of those lost things is found, there is rejoicing in heaven and a party on earth. We’ve been to a party!
About Us: Telling our stories. Sharing our lives.
- Gerre Brenneman, Evangel Home Executive Director
- This blog is about the Evangel Home--a Christian ministry to homeless women and childen. It is called "Inside Out" because we want to give you a glimpse into our home--to share the joys of being part of redeemed lives as well as the hard landings that are the reality of being in the trenches. And sometimes there's just an opinion or thought we want to share.
God does wipe away ones tears of shame. I'm very happy for Aziza. And thankful she found Evangel Home. L.
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