A few months ago I happened to stumble across a pin on Pinterest detailing how to make a sleeping mat for someone who is homeless. I was super excited about it, but was completely deflated once I learned it would take roughly 500 to 700 plastic grocery bags to make JUST ONE mat.
I wasn’t worry about the time it would take, but I did think, who has that many bags? So, I saved the pin, but quickly dismissed it.That is until recently.
A friend told me she found something we could do together for the homeless. I kid you not, it was making sleeping mats for people who are homeless.
Again, I got pretty excited! I couldn’t do this alone, but if she thinks we can do this, maybe we really can!
I put the word out that the two of us was collecting plastic bags and asked if our friends and family could help us out.
Immediately, bags started coming in, but just as fast as they were coming in, my friend became sick! Like, knocking herself on her butt, sick. Her baby too!
So, I’m on my own again! Funny thing is, is a few months ago, I didn’t think I could do one, but now I feel God has put an order in for 20!
It sounds completely insane, I know it, but His plans usually are. So, I need 20 of these mats made by Christmas. CHRISTMAS!
The plan is once these are made, we would like to give them to Church on the Street. They are awesome about reaching out to those who can’t come to them. Monday through Friday, they are at a local homeless shelter. Then on the weekends they bring church to a couple of local parks. We really would like to do this for them.
But until then…here I am. And I got to tell you, IT’S PRETTY COOL! I’m exhausted but trying to keep up with God, why wouldn’t I be?
Daily, someone is telling me they have more bags for me. I have a crew of friends prepping the bags, and a few more crocheting them together. And on top of prepping my own plarn (plarn is plastic yarn), I’ve been driving all over the valley picking up bags, and dropping off plarn.
As of today, I’m aware of four mats that have started being crocheted. One more is waiting for me to get some plarn delivered.
I’ve had someone tell me this has become their family thing.
I have friends who I only see a handful of times a year, drop them at my door.
One person who I’ve only met once, messaged me and told me she has four balls of plarn ready to go!
Still another friend dropped off two cloth grocery bags filled and zipped tied closed with I don’t even know how many balls of plarn.
Friends’ family members, are contacting me, asking how they can to step up.
Co-workers are pitching in.
People I’ve never even met before are offering to help.
And let’s not forget my church who has decided to cancel this Sunday’s service just so we can get together to pump some of these out.
Can you see how big this has gotten? These are only some of the stories. I’m pretty blown away at what God touches. And this is totally all God! I couldn’t do one, remember?
As I was leaving one of my friend’s home I was mentioning how this has become larger than me, and she yelled to me across the drive, “Fish and loaves, Kim. Looks like you got yourself some fish and loaves.”
Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. – Matthew 14:19-20
Growing Faith 