Week 15 was a momentous week (as they all are) for many reasons.  We had one of the largest surges in our brief history and passed 500 families all in the same week.  There was even talk at EP HQ to suspend the project for the week, because we were moving from one home to another.  If any of you have ever moved a household you can appreciate the humongous challenge that represents in itself.  You add 3 children (ages 7/5/1), a 41 year-old baby,and  home school and well…it’s quite the challenge.  But we prayed and my wife won out over my excuses and we hit the streets with 133 meals!!!
We are so glad that we did.  After careful prayer and conversation we realized that there was no way that we could let so many down.  It was a week where families like the Beets, Blacks, and Cruz’ wrote about the project.  Families  including the Krupowicz, Romans, and Myers donated supplies.  The Lind family was present to volunteer, take pictures and open up their offices…and the weather was beautiful.
It was our 1st week supplying coats and it much needed and appreciated.  We stayed on Broad Street for over 2 hours talking, singing and spreading genuine LOVE.  As the afternoon started dying down all the families parted ways and my family and I set out with lunches to find some people that could not make it to us.  We like to do this as it truly provided us with all the reminders we needed to stay the course.  There were a group of men and women behind a mausoleum that were shocked and pleased to see us there.  They exclaimed,
“You are the Elisha Project people…I missed you today!”  WE ARE ALL THE ELISHA PROJECT PEOPLE
Then they thanked us and sat down individually to eat the lunches that you provided.  Our last group of the day were 3 men and a woman who were in bad condition.  You can see them in the pic below  and this week’s video. They were obviously not expecting anything good to happen on this Saturday afternoon and I wish you could have all been there to listen.  I will recant as best I remember.
As we saw them laid out in the street we parked the van and I started walking toward them with 4 lunches and 4 water bottles.  The 1st gentleman did not even sit up as I handed him a lunch.  But it wasn’t out of laziness, it was out of surprise. I gave him our standard, “God Bless You” and proceeded to the other 2 gentlemen who were now staring at me.  As I extended my hand to Joseph with a lunch, he started crying.  He whispered, “This is for us?”  He followed that up with, “Why are you doing this for…” and he never finished the sentence as he started sobbing uncontrollably.

His friend Bob offered his perspective, “People just pass us by and assume that we are all addicts and drunks.  I had a house and a family.  I lost my job and house, my wife left me and here I am.”  Then they shook my hand for the 2nd time and thanked all of us (The Elisha Project Families) and asked us to keep going. As we provide much needed “hope” and love.
As we were wrapping up our conversation we arrived at that point where they asked “What Church are you with?”
I responded with the usual, “That doesn’t matter..I’m with Jesus and so are you.”  He agreed and thanked God for us.
Church on Sunday is important for fellowship, but loving people every day and demonstrating through your actions that love…is important for TRUE CHRIST-LIKE RELATIONSHIPS!!!
Give. Love. Live
The Elisha Project
http://vimeo.com/31669957