When I shared the story with Tim he warned me to be careful of scams. The girl said she would like to get it after Thanksgiving, maybe over the weekend. I said that would be fine and provided my cell phone # for her to contact me. Well come Friday after Thanksgiving, she sent out another e-mail and said she was not going to be able to make it because she did not have any transportation and they had to use the money to pay there power bill. Continuing along the way to share stories of how their car had been in the shop for the past 3 months. She had to take her 6yo out of school because she couldn't walk him to school anymore in the rain with her 14 month old.
By this point I was wandering what was going on and wandering if I was being scammed. Not following my heart I reposted the tree again and began to get several phone calls wanting the tree. Another lady was going to be in town on Tuesday and was going to come get it. All this time I had not received a phone call or another e-mail from "Becky". Come Monday afternoon I get an e-mail from "Becky" wanting to know where we could meet so she could get the tree. I responded letting her know that I had another lady coming to get it tomorrow. I immediately get a response from her begging me not to sell it. She had already cleaned out a spot for the tree and told her 6 yo they would have a tree this year. And if they didn't get it he would be heartbroken. Plus her dad had already rearranged his day to come get it. I mean come on people.......have you ever told your life story to someone you had never meet. So, I told her to call me Tuesday morning so we could make arrangements. "Becky" finally called at 11am on Tuesday morning and we made plans to meet. She told me that she would be with her father and he drove an "old brown looking mater truck". I finally got to meet "Becky" and she appeared to be all that she had been telling me about. They were very poor looking and it was an old mater truck. I didn't want to take her money for the tree but she insisted.
On the drive home I felt terrible not believing any of her story and plus I had just taken $30 from her. I sent her an e-mail when I got home. Hoping she didn't take it the wrong way or be offended, I asked her if I could give her some clothes for her boys. I also offered her some toys. She sent back an e-mail overwhelmed at the offer and said she did not think it was offensive at all and very thankful. She even sent me a picture of her 2 little boys and they are the cutest things. Next week I will be going to their house and taking the boys clothes and toys. I am also going to give her back her $30 in a form of a gift card from Wal-Mart.
The whole point of the very long blog is to get everyone to remember those that are less fortunate this holiday season. Just the smallest act of kindness can make a huge difference.
5 comments:
I KNOW the Lord will bless you for your gifts. He sends little tests our way sometimes, to see if we really mean what we say. I would say you passed, my dear friend.:)Love ya so much.
Wow, our posts today are similar. We never know how we may touch other lives.
As it is written: "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever." 2 COR 9:9
Very heartwarming post indeed...such a great lesson of giving that your children will see and learn from as well. Isn't God amazes how he teaches us?
And Michelle...I thought the same thing when I read the two posts! Great job to both of you!
If more people could show that kind of kindness, not only at Christmas time, but all through the year, the world would be a better place. I pray you and your family are blessed beyond measure!!! Love you!
Boy, that story is heart wrenching. I know your heart must have been twisted in so many directions, but you handled it wonderfully! "Becky" is blessed to have found you!
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