Blankets

There are a couple of women and a couple of high-school small groups that have been making double-thickness fleece blankets for the people downtown. We take a couple everytime we go downtown. We’ve given a bunch to Naomi House (an apartment for women and their children transitioning from life on the streets). Others we’ve given them directly to people we’ve met.

One day Bill and I were walking, and came across a couple of people sleeping in an alcove. They woke up while we were leaving some food and water. We offered blankets, as they had none. When we handed a fleece blanket to the woman, she took it and scrunched it up and rubbed it against her face. She looked at us and said in a surprised voice “This is new! And so soft and beautiful! Oh thank you!” I told her that I knew the people that made it, and that they cared about the person getting it. Walking away, we realized that even though this lady was on the street, she showed a tender side that we didn't expect. It opened our eyes a bit further to our friends.

A couple of weeks later, we were handing out blankets. One lady that we'd given a blanket to saw another one in our bag. "Oh, can I give this one back and have that blue one? It's so pretty!" The one she was pointing to was powder blue with a white snowflake pattern. Of course, she got the one she wanted. Walking away, Bill said "She's a lady. She's still a lady." And our eyes were opened a bit more.

Tonight at church someone asked us how much longer we would be collecting blankets. "Ah, the Second Coming?" I said. Goofy, but that's the intention. Blessings to the ladies and senior high groups that have been making the blankets, and also the people that donate new store-bought blankets. You have kept people warm at night.