12.07.2006

MY DEAR FRIEND SARAH SENT THIS TODAY. IT IS A LETTER WRITTEN BY A MAN IN HER CIRCLE OF FRIENDS IN KANSAS CITY ABOUT A FAMILY IN ONE OF HIS RENTAL UNITS THAT HAS GREAT NEED. I LOVE THIS MAN'S DESIRE TO PAIR A VERBAL SHARING OF CHRIST'S LOVE WITH AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO MEET HER TANGIBLE PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL NEEDS.

I DO NOT PERSONALLY KNOW JEREMY, BUT I HAVE KNOWN SARAH FOR 11 YEARS AND I TRUST HER. IF YOU WANTED TO TALK TO HER SO YOU ARE NOT JUST SENDING RESOURCES BLINDLY, I AM SURE I COULD GET YOU IN TOUCH WITH HER.

I WONDER, IF YOU LIVE IN KC, IF THERE MIGHT EVEN BE A CHANCE FOR SOME FOLKS TO GET TOGETHER TO CREATE A NETWORK OF PEOPLE AROUND THIS WOMAN WHO COULD ASSIST HER IN LEARNING LIFE SKILLS (IF APPLICABLE), FIND A BETTER PAYING JOB, RESOURCES IN HER COMMUNITY (LIKE FOOD PANTRIES, CLOTHING FOR JOB INTERVIEWS, ETC), ADVOCATE FOR HER AND HER CHILDREN, AND HELP WITH HER KIDS, ETC.

SARAH DID NOT FORWARD THE LIST JEREMY COMPILED OF NEEDS THIS WOMAN HAS, BUT I BET HE COULD GET THAT TO YOU IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HELPING OUT, CALL JEREMY'S PROPERTY MANAGER, ALLEN NAY AT 816.838.8596

THANKS.
CARA

Hello guys -

It has come to my attention that one of my tenants
in my rental properties
is in one of the worst situations for a single mom
that I have ever come
across in all my dealings with poor single moms.

She is a single mom with 7 kids and is currently
living in one of my units.

I have found out about her situation by accident
because she backed her car
through the garage door of my duplex and destroyed a
lot of the front wall
of my duplex as well. Anyway.........she did $5,000
worth of damage and I
was very angry with her when I found out that she
had no renters insurance
or even car insurance (which would have covered the
damage).

Through this whole process I have found out that she
has 7 kids who are
living in some of the worst conditons that I have
ever seen for America,
other than being homeless.

My property manager has gone inside the unit and
found out that there is
NOTHING inside. No furniture, no beds, no fixtures,
nothing on walls, no
plates, no dishes - nothing. It is as if you were
moving into a completely
empty unit. The kids are sleeping on the carpet
with blankets and sleeping
bags. They have no toys, books, none of the little
items that we all take
for granted. This type of situation is almost
impossible for me to
comprehend.

She is not on section 8, but is surviving barely by
a monthly social
security check. I have wondered why she gets this
check, but people have
told me that it is probably because her spouse died,
or she is handicapped
in some way. She seems normal, other than a
completely overwhelmed poor
single mom doing her best with 7 kids.

I have forgiven all debt she owes me and have told
her that Jesus loves her
and cares about her and her situation, and her kids.
She does not know
Jesus, but I want her to see him in a very practical
way. I asked her to
compile a list of the very basic needs that would
bless her through this
holliday season and she has done so. I am attaching
this list to this
e-mail. She is not asking for the new playstation,
toys, or anything other
than basic items like beds, mattresses, and basic
living items that you or I

would not even think a moment about living without.

I am asking anyone who would like to assist in ANY
way to please donate used

items, furniture, beds, fixtures, toys, books,
grocery certificates
(anything but cash).

If you would like to do so please call my property
manager Allen Nay at
816.838.8596 cell - or home number 816.765.2125. If
you would like to make
a financial donation towards new beds, mattresses,
blankets, washer/dryer,
or anyting else, you can paypal me money to
swensonjeremy@hotmail.com and I
will apply it whatever you want to purchase.

This woman's name is Tonita, and I am attaching a
list of the names, ages,
and gender of her kids if you would like to pray for
them or buy them
specific gifts based on gender and ages. Every one
of these kids have
NOTHING and very little hope of anything for
christmas.

I have been working 75-100 hours per week for the
last three months
preparing for snow, but I am going to take the time
in the next week or so
to make sure this lady one way or another gets her
basic needs met that she
is asking for (she is not asking for much as you
will see from the list). I

would personally like to see her absolutely
overwhelmed by responses of
people who love Jesus and are willing to help out
with whatever they have
extra this Christmas season.

If you know of anyone else who may want to help,
please forward this e-mail
along to them.

Thanks,

Jeremy & Debbie Swenson

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cara, do you know what sizes the kids wear and how old are they?

1:42 PM, December 07, 2006  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cara-
Can you get the list of items they need? I would love to help out in some way but I know I can't do something big like a bed or mattress. If there are other ways I can help please let me know!!
Love you sister!

8:30 PM, December 08, 2006  

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