As I listened to the radio on the way home from CNMC, Toby Mac’s song, “Everything,” was playing. It made me think of one of our clients, Veronica. I had to smile. I met Veronica back in June along with two other mothers and their children. All were from Guatemala. They had found out about the beds we had given away and were asking if there were more. Sadly, no… but we would have a food distribution coming up in less than 2 weeks. As I gave them the information, I decided to sit with them and have them fill out the surveys we had been doing throughout the summer. I wound up helping them because not all could write much less read. We got to talking about their families, how they arrived to the USA, their needs, and more. I let them know we would have immunizations for kids starting in July as well as other services CNMC and The Well provide. They were thrilled. I saw her, and her friends, faithfully coming in for the food distributions twice a month. We all enjoyed watching them carry their food boxes on top of their heads and their infants on their backs. They sure knew how to balance it all. As time went by, Veronica would seek more help at CNMC. On one visit she told me all her children needed the immunizations being offered. I encouraged her to check with the clinic as I escorted her to the reception area for information. She was able to set up an appointment for the kids since school was fast approaching. There She mentioned the health department in Dumas had been closed due to Covid-19 and she has been waiting for them to reopen. We found out through our nurse, Carol, that the department of health in Dumas was not planning on opening on time for school and no one knew when it would be. That same day I told her about the “Kid’s Closet” that I was planning to help provide back-to-school clothing. That interested her too. The Dumas school district has a standard uniform, simple yet unlike your everyday clothes. Collared shirts, untorn, and unwritten on, pants, and no shorts shorter than the knees, hoodies okay over shirts. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to provide the kids in greatest need with anything at all. Could I get donations within a month from churches to at least help some of the children?
Thanks to several great churches and individuals that heard the call, and the wonderful help of a young lady volunteer named Hayden Rose, we were able to provide clothing for about 70 kids. Veronica not only came for this too, but on the day of her appointment she informed me that her two teen boys had just arrived from Guatemala with nothing. She had gotten them registered for school at the last minute. Not only were we able to provide them with school clothes a few days later, but 3 bags of regular clothing. The following week Veronica and one of her friends came back for car seats for their little ones at our (hopefully yearly event “Seats-4-Safety”. Not only did they not have car seats for their newborn, toddler, preschooler and elementary kid, but they didn’t even know what they were. Thanks to partnerships with the Texas Department of Transportation and the Cactus police and fire departments, we provided 60 car seats to children who had no safe and adequate seating. It was hard work, more hours than expected, but God opened doors for us to be able to provide a service that Covid-19 had brought to a halt. As I drove home my heart sang, “Lord, I see you in everything all day. And every beat of my heart keeps reminding me that I see you in every little thing all day.” I see Him every time Veronica and others walk in. I see Him when little Yaceli takes the dress that mom gives her and hugs it with joy. I see Him when a child gets into their very first car seat and smiles. I see Him when kids help their Mom’s carry boxes of food. I see Him as the the children come in and happily snack on the snack bags we provide waiting for their immunizations. But I mostly see Him in the lives that have been impacted by all the little things that CNMC and The Well Health Center do. Like Veronica’s family, many families have already received medical care, vaccines, immunizations, clothes, food, ESL classes, resources, car seats, immigration assistance and most of all, love and friendship. All of this and more is possible because of people who are willing to give, invest and extend themselves to share from what that they have so that Jesus can be in this little town of Cactus. Yes, with every beat of my heart, I am reminded, that I see You, Lord in Everything. I pray that they see our Lord and feel His love too.
By Raqui Forrest
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