I need help getting the kids something for Christmas and help with the bills. We are currently a part of the VOA Gray Street Affordable Housing program because we were once homeless.
I set up a time with Cornell to meet at noon on Saturday. When I arrived at the store I sent him a text letting him know that I was there. I received a text back saying that they were still a few miles away but should be there soon. At 12:20 I sent another text, and received one back saying that they were almost there. At 12:35 Cornell walked through the doors of the store. He walked up and apologized for being so late and told me that his wife was also there and was right behind him. It took a few minutes before she came thru the doors and that is when I turned to Cornell and said "did you take the bus?". His response was "Yes". At that point I felt really bad. I know that Cornell lived in Detroit and took the bus all the way to the store. I could not be mad at this man and his wife.
Cornell and his wife were SO sweet. The two of them have been through so much being homeless but have such soft spoken, gentle and kind dispositions. Shopping with them you could feel the love between these two people. And the way that they talked about how special their children are was just heartwarming. They knew their kids very well and knew exactly what they wanted to get for them. We were able to find most everything that they had on their list. But these two were very cautious of everything that went into the cart and they kept asking about what we had spent. When we got close to the end I asked if they needed wrapping paper and took the Mrs to find some. As we got to the end of the isle she saw the Christmas floor mats. You know how you can tell that someone really wants something but knows that they cannot afford it and they walk away but keep looking back. This was her. I asked her if she wanted it, she said that they could not afford it, the money was for the kids. I told her to put it into the basket. She had the biggest smile and talked about where she was going to put it.
We were just a few dollars short of the budget and I asked Cornell if they needed any laundry soap or cleaning items. They talked between them trying to determine what they had left in the budget and what they could afford to get. I said lets head over and see what we can get. We walked around and I told them if they needed it to pick it up. They picked up Laundry soap, bleach and dish soap.
We headed to the registers and I could see their minds going on how were they going to carry all of this on the bus. After we checked out and were walking toward the front door I asked them to stop. I told them that I had another family to shop for in a little over an hour but that I could not let them get onto the bus with all this stuff. I was going to drive them home. The tears swelled up in their eyes and I received the biggest hug from both of them.
We loaded all the gifts into the trunk of my little Toyota and headed to the expressway. Now I will tell you that it was a 20 minute drive for me on the expressway to their house in downtown Detroit. It took them 2 1/2 hrs on the bus to get to the store. The conversation in the car was so easy, these two are so grateful for everything that they have. And especially grateful to AK members for Adopting their family. They can't wait until the kids open presents on Christmas morning.
When we got to their home I was in a hurry to leave because I had an hour drive to my next family. But they were not about to let me leave without another huge hug and many Thank Yous to me and our friends at Audiokarma that made this the first Christmas in many years for his family.
I set up a time with Cornell to meet at noon on Saturday. When I arrived at the store I sent him a text letting him know that I was there. I received a text back saying that they were still a few miles away but should be there soon. At 12:20 I sent another text, and received one back saying that they were almost there. At 12:35 Cornell walked through the doors of the store. He walked up and apologized for being so late and told me that his wife was also there and was right behind him. It took a few minutes before she came thru the doors and that is when I turned to Cornell and said "did you take the bus?". His response was "Yes". At that point I felt really bad. I know that Cornell lived in Detroit and took the bus all the way to the store. I could not be mad at this man and his wife.
Cornell and his wife were SO sweet. The two of them have been through so much being homeless but have such soft spoken, gentle and kind dispositions. Shopping with them you could feel the love between these two people. And the way that they talked about how special their children are was just heartwarming. They knew their kids very well and knew exactly what they wanted to get for them. We were able to find most everything that they had on their list. But these two were very cautious of everything that went into the cart and they kept asking about what we had spent. When we got close to the end I asked if they needed wrapping paper and took the Mrs to find some. As we got to the end of the isle she saw the Christmas floor mats. You know how you can tell that someone really wants something but knows that they cannot afford it and they walk away but keep looking back. This was her. I asked her if she wanted it, she said that they could not afford it, the money was for the kids. I told her to put it into the basket. She had the biggest smile and talked about where she was going to put it.
We were just a few dollars short of the budget and I asked Cornell if they needed any laundry soap or cleaning items. They talked between them trying to determine what they had left in the budget and what they could afford to get. I said lets head over and see what we can get. We walked around and I told them if they needed it to pick it up. They picked up Laundry soap, bleach and dish soap.
We headed to the registers and I could see their minds going on how were they going to carry all of this on the bus. After we checked out and were walking toward the front door I asked them to stop. I told them that I had another family to shop for in a little over an hour but that I could not let them get onto the bus with all this stuff. I was going to drive them home. The tears swelled up in their eyes and I received the biggest hug from both of them.
We loaded all the gifts into the trunk of my little Toyota and headed to the expressway. Now I will tell you that it was a 20 minute drive for me on the expressway to their house in downtown Detroit. It took them 2 1/2 hrs on the bus to get to the store. The conversation in the car was so easy, these two are so grateful for everything that they have. And especially grateful to AK members for Adopting their family. They can't wait until the kids open presents on Christmas morning.
When we got to their home I was in a hurry to leave because I had an hour drive to my next family. But they were not about to let me leave without another huge hug and many Thank Yous to me and our friends at Audiokarma that made this the first Christmas in many years for his family.
