A Cry for Help

In older posts, I have talked about how I am trying to get closer to God. My dad said that since he said that if you do something to the least of these, you are doing it to him, so... here's my chance!

This morning, a large, black headline on the front page of our paper caught my eye. It said, "Family barely escapes blaze." I read the caption underneath the picture, and it said that they had lost EVERYTHING, and that their house had been set fire on purpose by someone outside of the family. Wow.

A couple minutes later, since I was listening to my dad's radio station, I heard the Bible verse of the day being read out. It was something like, give and you will receive. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. That was weird, since only a minute before, I had read about someone in need.

I talked to my mom about it, and she said that, as a matter of fact, I could help. She gave me a list of things that I could do, including buying clothes and supplies, giving older clothes away, and getting friends to help. I decided to give $30 to the cause, and called my friends. They all said that they would love to help! I was astonished that they all agreed so readily. It had taken me a couple minutes before deciding to do the whole thing.

Later today, I was watching the Cosby Show, and Rebekah called. She said that they had been going around the neighborhood getting donations for this family, and had raised $60!!!!!!! I could not believe my ears. I had started this avalanche of kindness! God had really been working today! Rebekah also said that lots of people had offered donations of towels and clothing, also.

My mom is going to call the newspaper and ask what address to send everything to, and all those other details. I can't believe everything is working out so well!

If you are interested, here is the article that I read this morning:

Henry B. doesn't know who would want to drag a mattress to the porch of his suburban apartment and set it afire.

"Somebody intentionally did that," the father of four said, shivering in the Tuesday morning chill outside his apartment.

Firefighters had the blaze under control in less than 20 minutes, the fire rescue Capt. Don D. said.

the fire is being investigated as an arson, he said.

Henry, a self employed chef, moved to his new neighborhood just two months ago with his wife, Calethea, and children Porscha, 20; Brianna, 13; Cameron, 6; and Keon, 2.

He has no enemies, he said

"We just moved in. We don't know anyone," he said.

Henry and his family were asleep just before 4 a.m. when the home's smoke detector sounded.

"My wife heard it and nudged me," Henry said.

"The front porch was all smoke and orange. That's all I could see," he said. "I went into action and woke all my kids up to get everybody out of the house."

With the front of the home engulfed in flames, Henry said, he steered his family to a rear side door.

The newly painted door was stuck, and Henry had to kick it to get everyone out.

Smoke wafted through rafters into an adjacent unit.

Henry said he had to pound on his neighbor's door to rouse those inside.

Except for minor smoke inhalation, no one was hurt, he said. But everything the family owns is gone.