I was sitting here at my desk with this huge pile of baby clothes to sort through right beside me when I received an email from a friend that I originally met at CrossFit a few years back. I won't go into detail with her email - even just skimming the top to give you the gist is borderline vulgar - but basically this is what she said {the names used are not actual names}:
Dear Sheridan,
There is a student I had in my class three years ago. She has a long and very sad story, but the short of it is that her mother sold her over and over to help pay for the rent. Her mother went to jail for a little bit, but the day she came back home, Carlotta came to my classroom that morning crying hysterically -- it's a day I don't know that I'll ever forget. When mom got home, she picked up where she left off, and it wasn't long before Carlotta was pregnant by her mom's doing. Anyway, Carlotta had the baby boy three weeks ago. She has kept him and by all accounts, she seems to be doing well and should be back at school in three or four weeks.
I have never adopted one of our angel tree kids at school, but Carlotta is just a different case. She is one of the best students I've had and is just a sweet little girl. Her situation is really heartbreaking, and she doesn't own much of anything, so she certainly is not in a financial position to take care of herself and a baby.
Do you have any gently used baby stuff that you are wanting to get rid of? If so, please let me know! Carlotta needs a lot of things, like clothes, bottles, diapers, a car seat, baby blankets - any and every bit helps, so if you have anything, please let me know!!
THANK YOU!
By sentence two tears were streaming down my face. Looking at that pile of clothes, delaying their organization so I could check email, then to have this one pop up... I thought, "Thank you, Lord." I instantly emailed her back and said TAKE THEM! Take all the clothes. I have an old infant car seat, a swing, bottles shoved away in drawers and diapers coming out of my ears. Take it all. Thank you Lord for finding a better place for all of these things than shoved in a forgotten box in a dusty closet.
One of my favorite Scripture verses is Proverbs 21:13: Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will themselves cry out and not be answered.
Don't shut your ears. Answer.
My friend had also emailed her small group from church, as well as other friends and family members, and there was such an outpouring of help for Carlotta and her son that we moved on to her two younger sisters and began looking at their needs. There are countless needy children at this school. So here is my cry to you all: if anyone has anything else they would like to donate, ANYTHING, tell me and I will figure out a place to meet you and come get it, and make sure it gets into their little hands, on their backs, on their feet, in their hearts.
Suggestions: diapers, wipes, pacifiers, formula, baby food, any toys for babies up to teenagers, clothing {cold weather items especially like coats, hats, gloves}, shoes, shampoo or conditioner, any toiletries - ANYTHING.
While I was typing this post, another email showed up in my inbox from a woman in my mom's group Bible study saying this:
Hi Moms!
I adopted a family from my school district for Christmas. It's a single mom and daughter. They do not have a couch. By any chance would you know of someone who is getting rid of a gently used couch or who would be willing to donate a couch to this family? Thanks so much!
Let's make this happen! Does anyone have a sofa they can let go of? Been looking for a great reason to get a new one? I want to make sure this family has somewhere to snuggle. Drink hot chocolate. Look at their Christmas tree and read The Night Before Christmas, arms wrapped around each other. Browsing the Ikea website, there are several for around the $350-$400 mark. If anyone wants to chip in with any amount - even $1 is fantastic - comment below and I'll start figuring out a donation pot.
I will also throw this out there: if anyone has been wanting one of my Shoppers on my website - click here - that are $1195, and only two of a kind in the entire world, I will sell it to you for 50% off with free shipping and put every single penny towards a sofa for this family, and whatever else they may need.
We can do this!
