the essentials

earlier this week i taught a cooking class to the pathway program ladies of the heart ministry center.  thankfully, i had help from friend and fellow volunteer, julie, as well as, hendrix.  the class went well and we were able to provide a crockpot to the ladies who didn't have one.  generous donors donated enough for all the women.  a crockpot may not seem like an essential kitchen item to some, but to a new mom it certainly can be.  or to a mom trying to get back on her feet without a spouse.  one of the women came up to me and said how much she wished she had the ten crockpot recipes when she had her baby a year ago.  she was alone, with a newborn, and stressed out.  she lost a ton of weight and couldn't find time to cook herself a proper meal.  another item that we brought were some chef knives.  this was exciting for some of the women since most of them do not have a proper kitchen knife to prep meals.  i remember when i first started cooking and i was chopping onions with a steak knife.  not  particularly safe or efficient.  and let's face it, when you are just getting started in the kitchen, every little slip up can seem like a monumental failure.
the clients of the heart ministry center are all lacking in some sort of life essential.  some worse than others.  a few days after the cooking class, i read this story on the heart ministry center's facebook page:

“When two young men came into the HMC on a very cold afternoon, they cautiously approached Dana and I at the front desk. You could see how scared and cold they were. We welcomed them and provided a hot cup of cocoa, and soon they shared their story. These young men were stranded in Omaha, having traveled here from Las Vegas on a job promise that fell through. Now, they were isolated in a city with no family, friends or funds. An HMC volunteer met these young men at another non-profit, and steered them in our direction.

Their names are Stephan and Alexander, brothers, 18 and 19 years young. We immediately noticed how lost and afraid they seemed, and how they were unable to stop shivering. They told us of having to stay in the streets during the day with clothing not nearly warm enough to fend off the cold. Our attempts to find other agencies to help get them home were unsuccessful, so we took their information, gave them our home phone numbers, and asked them to please come back the following day. When they returned the next morning, they looked somehow different. We could actually see a glimmer of hope in their eyes, and a smile on their faces – because they knew someone was ready and willing to help them.

The HMC Executive Director, John Levy, approached me and told me the Center would be happy to help Stephan and Alexander. When I told the boys we were going to put them on a bus home, they immediately cried tears. Mother Nature intervened before they could depart, however, postponing their bus ride for a day due to inclement weather. In the interim, we put together enough food to last them the duration of their trip. I rummaged through my purse to find what little cash I could find to help them while another member of the HMC staff, Keith, transported Stephan and Alexander to and from the bus terminal so they did not have to walk another day in the cold in an unfamiliar city.

The brothers thanked us profusely before they left and late last week I got a text message from an out of town phone number stating, "Hello. We made it, happy to be home. Wanted to thank you again so very much. We will always remember you." It was Stephan and Alexander.

We will always remember them too.

For me it was unimaginable for any human being to be in such a situation. I saw my own son in them, and thought if he were ever in such a hopeless situation, I would hope someone would come along and help him too.

The small family (staff) we have here at the Heart Ministry Center is one I’m proud to be a part of. Each and every day I learn life’s great lessons here, because this is what we do." - June Bear, Operations Director
(to read john's blog post  about the outstanding HMC staff, go here)
......
stories like this are why i am constantly talking about the heart ministry center.  the kindness and amount of giving that happens there daily is overwhelming and humbling.  the staff there is extraordinary.