Lake Region—On Friday, Jan. 11, the Detroit Better Living Center (BLC) received a truck shipment of pillows, mattress pads and blankets. Boxes and boxes lined the walls of the multipurpose room at the BLC awaiting pick up from churches and other agencies. In the dead of winter, these coveted items would be put to good use. But where did they come from, and how did they end up at the BLC?

Josephine Taylor is a member and the community services leader at the Ypsilanti (Mich.) Church. Some time ago, Taylor's daughter, Pam Meadows, introduced her to the directors of housekeeping in the hotel where Meadows was employed. A long time community volunteer, Taylor never turns away an opportunity that could be of future help to someone in need. Taylor told the housekeeping directors that if they were ever looking to donate any bedding, furniture or supplies, she could help get it to community agencies for their clients. Little did she know that it would be the beginning of a ripple effect that would go beyond her expectations.

Taylor received a call with news that the hotel had a surplus. They wanted to know if she could use 1,000 pillows, blankets and mattress pads. Undaunted by the challenge of distributing such a large number, she said, "Yes," and then got busy on the phone with her community contacts. Enter Detroit BLC director Ray Young, who consented to take many of the boxes. When the shipment arrived, he was overwhelmed. Young thought he would have pillows up to his ears until spring. Much to his surprise and relief, when he told people what he had, calls began to come from everywhere. People were happy to come and get the bedding he had.

But the BLC was not the only recipient of this mega-shipment. Other churches in the area, non-profit agencies and area shelters opened their doors to be a conduit to people in need. Taylor recalls, "I didn't know what I was going to do with all of this bedding, but God made a way for it to work out."

Ypsilanti church members helped in ways they couldn't have imagined. One member asked how donations were transported. When he learned that Taylor rented a truck, he offered to pay the gas for the transport. Even the rental company gave a break in the fee when Taylor told them the purpose for the rental. Taylor exclaimed, "God is good, you hear me! Everyone pulled together, and no matter how little the contribution of time, money or effort, it was just what was needed."

We don't always know the ripple effect of the work we do. But when we do our part, we can be assured God will do His, and many will be blessed.

Debbie Young, communication correspondent, Lake Region Conference