A Grateful Heart

Dear Volunteers of the Hope Center.

Hello everyone. My name is Claudia Flores. I came in to the Hope Center on July 14, 2016 needing an electric skillet because mine had stopped working. My studio apartment does not have a stove; but we are allowed to cook with skillets or ovens or whatever other form we chose to use to cook hot meals.

As I walked in, the office ladies (sorry, I forgot their names) greeted me. They were compassionate towards me and treated me with love and kindness which shocked me a little. I saw that all their volunteers treat people with love, dignity and respect.

God wanted me to experience that brotherly love among the Hope Center. I had stopped attending church many years ago due to a lack of respect from the whole congregation. This made me lose faith in Christians. But as I walked in The Hope Center, I prayed with a lady named Marilyn and told her my experience. She said that the Devil wants to keep me out of Church, but God wants to bring me back. We prayed that I could forgive those people who had hurt me and broke my trust. Marilyn gave me a list of Churches that I can look into to attend.

I was given a George Foreman grill which works great and was taken to the back, where I was also allowed to get clothes and food and some house items, a Bible and a prayer book. The ladies who volunteered in the clothes and book area of the Hope Center were especially sweet, and loving. There was one lady that helped me out and helped me choose scarfs and taught me how to arrange them.

Then there was an older tall man in charge of the food who was so nice. He knew that I was taking the bus back home but he still made a food basket for me. Then he helped me to take only what I needed. I am thankful for him for being of such great service to me.

The office ladies were so considerate that they gave me a backpack to carry my stuff back home since I was going to take the GET Bus and I had to walk a distance.

Overall I want everyone at the Hope Center who volunteers their precious time to serve people in need like me, to know that they are all appreciated. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so kind to me. You demonstrated being Christ like; you really are doing God’s work. May God bless every single one of you and your families for your time and effort that you put into the ministry for Jesus.

In Christ’s Love, Claudia Flores