April 8th 2025
Last Friday, the 4th, we were able to assist Matt in getting off the streets of Austin. Rental costs in Austin are extremely high and in this case we helped financially. He was able to come up with the deposit and one month’s rent. However, the management company required the deposit and 2 months’ rent. So, we paid the prorated rent for April allowing him to move in. This was a large chunk of our annual Direct Assistance budget, but it was the right thing to do.
There are so many in Austin who are on the streets (just look under the I-35 overpass at 6th Street) that it saddens my heart. No one should have to live on the streets. It reminds me of the story of a young boy encountering a beach covered in starfish…
A young boy is walking along the beach when he sees hundreds of starfish washed up on the shore. In dismay, and realizing that many of them are still alive, he begins chucking them back out to sea, so they won’t die on the beach. A man comes along and asks him, “Why are you throwing those starfish back out into the sea? You can’t possibly save all these starfish! What difference can you make when there are so many to be saved?” After thinking about it for a moment and throwing one more starfish back out into the water, the boy replies, “I just made a difference for that one!”
The streets are filled with those who have no roof over their head and those that are still lost-they don’t know Jesus Christ. We’re trying our best to make a difference with as many as we can-one at a time.