July 2006 Report

The Jefferson Awards have come-n-gone. We met Senator
Tom Coburn (R-OK), toured the Capitol and went to the
White House. Did we win big in D.C.? Read on...

MID-YEAR MARKER

We’ve tried our hand at many things to help the poor. We used to deliver diapers, get groceries, pay utility bills, give bus passes, act as furniture finders, and write rent checks. But knowing our niche, earlier this year we decided to focus on what we do every Wednesday – passing out sack lunches and preaching the gospel on the streets. The results speak for themselves. For the first half of 2006, we’ve served 1,785 sack lunches – putting us on pace to serve more people this year alone than in our first two combined.

KEVIN’S CRY FOR HELP

We always wonder whom God will guide to us for an encouraging word. On June 21, one man stood out in the midst of 108 – the most we’ve ever served in a single day. Kevin had contemplated suicide the night before. It wasn’t the first time. He’s still hurting after losing his marriage and a child that died soon after it was born. One of our pastors, Tony, prayed with him. He needs your prayers, too.

LIFTING UP LISA

On June 14, we saw another sight we won’t forget. Lisa – a homeless woman who receives our sack lunches often – was staggering stone-cold drunk into oncoming traffic on 2nd Street. We witnessed the entire event as we were walking in the enclosed pedestrian bridge that connects the Crowne Plaza hotel with Williams’ Resource Center. There was no way to get her attention. So we prayed. By the grace of God, she eventually stumbled onto a sidewalk without injury or incident.

PRIVATE EYES

Staying safe in street ministry comes down to common sense. That’s why we ask the homeless to line up when we serve lunch and why we ask our volunteers to work in pairs. We’re also glad that Rita Siegel at Williams is on our side. She has a few friends at the police department – like Chaplain Danny Lynchard. He observed our outreach incognito on June 28 and gave us high marks for crowd control.

PLAN B

Believe it or not, sometimes we run out of sack lunches on Wednesdays, even when we prepare 80 or 100. But no one ever goes away hungry. We have purchased pre-paid lunch vouchers from Arby’s that have our logo on them. This co-branding coupon concept has proven pretty important. We’ve sent about 50 people to Arby’s over the past two months for a sandwich, medium fries and soft drink.

SIGNING UP ANOTHER CPA

We’re all about accountability when it comes to your donations. We now have 3 CPAs in our circle of accounting support. The first two are spouses of our board members. Our third one though is completely independent. On July 1, we hired the local firm of Terry Mosley CPA to track our debits and credits. We gladly receive your gifts at P.O. Box 1134 in Broken Arrow, 74013. Checks can be made out to Filling The Void, Inc. Donations are tax-deductible.

BACK FROM THE BUSH’S

Helping the homeless can be an adventure. We’ve been under bridges, to a bar, in back alleys, and along the banks of the Arkansas River. And during June 19-21, we went to an awards ceremony for community service in Washington D.C. We didn’t capture a national crown, but for us – it’s not about winning. It's about serving. That's our calling, that's our passion and that is God's heart – to see lives lifted up!