What you just read is how we as Urban Missionaries of Our Lady of Hope respond. We try never to say no whenever we are asked to help. Sometimes we can respond to the plea for help, sometimes we don’t have the resources to help, but we know where we can find them, and other times we just need to reach out to the Lord and pray for those seeking help.

Many times when we are out speaking about the “work” we get asked the question, “Do you ever hear from them again?” The answer is, “Sometimes, but not usually. But when we do, it warms the heart because we know we made a difference. Here is an email Kathy and I received while we were on vacation this past February/March from our Little Store manager, Karl Van Osch:

“A gentleman came today with 2 desks and a couple odds and ends to donate today. They were nice, gently-used pieces so I accepted them. He then asked for a donation sheet to fill out.

On his way out he stopped Charley, Ant and I and said “I have to tell you something”. He followed by saying that when he came to this country years ago from Albania he came with nothing.

A recent arrival who didn’t have so much as forks and spoons. He said he remembers going to the Little Store on Main Street to buy the essentials he and his family needed to be comfortable at home. He said he had very little money and in order to get the things he needed the Little Store was in the right place at the right time.

He mentioned Kathy by name and spoke very highly of you guys and what you and the Little Store did for him. He said he drove right past Salvation Army because he wanted to donate here because of the impact it had on him.

He said that when he got here he had nothing and now he’s donating nice furniture to the mission that was a part of getting his foothold in this new country.

I just wanted to share because I found the story/situation beautiful.

Hope you are enjoying your vacation! Cheers, K”

This is what we as Urban Missionaries of Our Lady of Hope do, every day, 365 days a year, for over 42 years.