Year-End 2006

This is Brandy (left). She just had her second baby.
You can read more about her situation in one of the
stories below. She is seen with Holly -- a volunteer.

600 STRONG

The colder winter weather isn’t holding anyone back from coming to our weekly Wednesday outreach in downtown Tulsa. Since Nov. 1, we’ve served 600 lunches – an average of 100 per week. People have even come on crutches, in wheelchairs and on bicycles – however they can.

A “SUB-STITUTE” SANDWICH

For the first time in a long time, we tinkered with the makeup of our sack-lunch menu to help celebrate Thanksgiving. On Nov. 22, we traded roast beef sandwiches, Pringles, bottled water and chocolate chip cookies for something a little more in line with traditional turkey-day fare. Our recipients were pleasantly surprised to find six-inch turkey subs, apple sauce, raspberry cookies, grape juice and pecan pies instead.

HAND WARMERS

Sometimes simple acts of love fit like a glove. Hours before Tulsa was hit by rain, sleet, ice and 10 inches of snow on Nov. 29, we hustled over to the John 3:16 shelter to drop off a box of stocking hats and 100 pairs of gloves. Later in December, we’ll be delivering roughly 300 Christmas presents to downtown shelters. The gift boxes contain socks, a heavy winter shirt and a book about God’s grace.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

As we’ve reported, we’re helping a Williams’ employee in Denver begin working with the homeless, supplying him with socks, gloves, stocking hats and street-wise advice. On Nov. 28, he expanded his efforts, securing a $2,000 grant from Williams for the Denver Rescue Mission. We can foresee taking Filling The Void a step further in a place like Denver, too. We’re just watching to see where God leads.

AWAY IN A MANGER

We introduced you to Brandy in September. At 21, she is unwed and was expecting her second boy. We had been praying for her pregnancy for several months. On Nov. 12, her baby arrived right on schedule, entering the world at 8 pounds, 4 ounces. We’ve since bumped into her on the street, but without the baby. We’re guessing he was either given up for adoption or is in the hands of the Dept. of Human Services.

O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL

Our volunteer base continues to boom. We’ve now been blessed by more than 200 people who share our heart for helping the homeless. Churches are sending significant manpower, too. Groups from Cedar Ridge Christian Church, Central Church of the Nazarene and The Church at BattleCreek have been busy preparing sack lunches for us and wrapping the Christmas presents that we’ll hand out at area shelters.

SILENT NIGHT

Every story doesn’t have a happy ending. According to a news report on Channel 6, the bitter cold in Tulsa led to the death of a homeless man during the first weekend in December. That’s when the mercury dropped as low as 7 degrees. His body was found in a dumpster. It must have been where he tried to survive the cold.