November 2024 Newsletter

Matthew 25:35 “For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me.”

November 9: Twenty one volunteers gathered to prepare and fill bags. It’s a fun time of fellowship, and all are welcome.

November 10: A beautiful day with temperatures ranging in the fifties to the upper seventies. Around noon our team of eleven headed to downtown Dallas making only one stop near Dallas City Hall and the library.

We were blessed to share with more than one hundred hungry, thirsty strangers. We welcomed them with smiles and five vehicles loaded with needed items. Today’s group consisted of 27% women, and 73% men, ages between 20 and 77.

Our homeless friends were grateful for us being there, and many personally thanked us for what we were doing.

This outreach required many volunteers, contributors, and prayers to make it happen.

What takes place when we arrive at our outreach destination?

The goal is to park our vehicles close together in a line beginning with the three vehicles carrying bags and ladies’ personal care backpacks. The other two vehicles carry clothing and other items.

We begin by directing folks to the first vehicle carrying bags where we have four or five team members standing by to help. Two team members begin taking information, first name, age, and prayer concerns. Two others begin handing bags to each man and women, and in addition all ladies receive a backpack with personal care items.

They are then directed to a table where other team members are giving out shaving kits, deodorant, caps, blankets, and men’s underwear.

Next stop are the clothing vehicles, one for men, one for ladies, where they will find a selection of clean, neatly folded, pants, shirts, tops, hoodies, and more. Our ladies assist the women with their clothing needs, including bras and panties. Each man or woman gets personal attention with our goal to give them a choice of what we have, and for it to be a good fit. No dumping out a pile of clothes on a table for them to sort through. Like us, they are God’s children and deserve the best we can offer.

We carry appropriate clothing for each season. Hoodies and sweatshirts were our focus for November. We will be giving out coats and jackets in December.

December, January, and February: 

Everyone receives a pair of gloves, warm hat, and a blanket.

Shoes: We pass out shoes several times each year, as we have them.

Donations

In addition to donated clothing and supplies, we spent $ 2,897.00 on the November outreach. We are thankful for each item of clothing, supplies and financial donations.

Sharing Today

100 Bob’s Bags, each containing a large print New Testament, homeless services  directory, mylar blanket, rain poncho, pair socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, lotion,           band-aids, lip chap, water, snacks, protein bars, food items, and hamburger.                                                                                           

   31 Ladies’ backpacks with personal care items for women

    4 bags for dogs, with food, water, biscuits, and bowls     

500 bottles of water

  73 blankets  

    3 sleeping bags    

    6 tote bags     

  23 packs with razors, and shaving cream

  28 Deodorant 

 115 hamburgers                                                                                                                                                      

461 articles of clothing

  75 hoodies & sweatshirts

 131 pair of socks

  29 caps

 30 ladies’ underwear

12 bras

 35 pairs of ladies’ pants 

 20 ladies’ tops

116 men’s underwear

42 pairs of men’s pants 

Please pray for these folks:

·       20 M Rafael- himself, family, and phone was stolen

·       21 F Sheila

·       21 M Keyshawn- good birthday next month

·       22 F Aaliyah

·       23 M Tramane- forgiveness

·       26 M Mieko- peace

·       26 M Derrick- strength

·       27 F Megan

·       29 M Nicholas- safe travels to L.A.

·       32 M Raylon

·       33 M Jazz- repentance, bitter attitude

·       33 F Amanda

·       38 M Craig

·       38 M Branch- injury, cut himself

·       40 M Jino- strength

·       40 F Queen

·       40 F Stellar

·       41 M James

·       43 F Leasha- housing and financial assistance

·       43 F Kristi- get off streets

·       43 M Angel- for himself

·       43 M Jason- prayer for him

·       44 M Nathan- family

·       44 M Alvin- his dad drinking

·       44 M Marvin- his back

·       46 M Christopher- stay sober

·       46 M Henry- health and family

·       47 M Jody- get off the street

·       47 M Nick- unemployment and neck to heal

·       48 M Todd- health

·       49 M Al- housing, all Lord’s children

·       50 M Elliott

·       50 M Fernando

·       51 M Keathon

·       51 M Jesse

·       52 M Antonio

·       52 F Phyllis- for herself / heal from cancer

·       52 M Bryant

·       53 F Lisa

·       55 M Paul- daughter and grandson in Washington state

·       55 M Ricardo

·       55 F Andrea- schooling

·       56 F Dana- stay safe

·       57 F Regina- home

·       58 M Willie- needs a car

·       58 M Cedric

·       58 M Edward

·       59 M Thomas- lives in a car, needs a place to stay, and wants to be a chef

·       60 M Dale

·       60 M Alvin- get off the streets

·       60 M Willie- pray to see 61st birthday on December 1st

·       61F Rose- health and finances

·       61 M Juan- everything

·       62 M Guadalupe- health and life

·       62 M Earl- housing

·       64 M James- lung cancer

·       64 F Mary- housing

·       64 M Jerry- pray over him, world needs to get better

·       65 M Mauricio- health, mental and phscical

·       66 F Cindy- trying to get into The Bridge shelter

·       67 F Engracia- papers and family

·       68 M Alfonso- feeling better

·       69 M Robert

·       70 F Estella

·       71 M Melvin- get an apartment

·       72 M Saleem

·       73 M Benjamin- his teeth

·       78 F Henrifay- health and strength

·             M Angel- home

·             M William- wake up tomorrow

·             M Timothy

·             M Jason- goodness

·             M Lucene- strength, get off streets

·             F Sharetta- prayer

·             M Jeremiah

·             M Cornelius- pray for everything

·             M Craig- prayed with Bob W.

·             F Laqeah

·             M Maurice- family, kids, Dallas Cowboys

·             M Nicholas- family and himself

·             F Reign- world to become a better place, racism dies

·             M Mark- start over, no jail

·             M Willie- car, employment

·             M Christopher- homelessness

·             M Jimmy- pray for him and things get better

·             F Yolanda- world leaders, love each other, harmony, peace, and growth

·             M Marvin- home

·             M Jody- sobriety (6 days sober) resources

·             M Carlos

·             F Bree- everything

·             F Chaz- stay out of jail

·             M Ishmael- thanks

·             M Charles- find a job

·             M Curtis- home

·             M Jeremiah- financial

·             F Mary

·             M Jerry- family

·             F Reshone- better life for herself and family

·             F Lisa

·             M Stephen

·             M Jay- family and friends

·             M Phillip- better life 

Your help is needed:

 Winter weather will be here soon! Our homeless brothers and sisters are not prepared for the cold weather. They need blankets, sleeping bags, tents, coats, jackets, sweaters, hoodies, and shoes.

·All sizes of clean men’s and ladies’ pants, shirts, tops, sweaters, coats, bras, socks and caps. Also, new men’s and ladies’ underwear and socks. Boxer briefs for men in medium and large, and men and women’s shoes suitable for outdoors are especially needed.                                        

Assembling and filling bags and Ladies’ backpacks. This is generally done one Saturday each month and is a fun time of fellowship. Check the website for upcoming events.

·Sorting clothes. People are responding to our need for clean or new clothing items. Volunteers are needed to help sort, size, and organize these items.  We meet in our fellowship hall every Monday morning from 9:00 to 10:30, and always appreciate help.                                                                             

·Financial contributions. As you can see it takes a lot of time, energy, money, and prayer to keep this ministry going.  Your financial contributions will allow us to continue this ministry and share God’s love with others.

·       Bob’s Bags is a self-supporting ministry of

·       First Christian Church of Duncanville

·       203 S. Main St. Duncanville, Texas 75116

·       bobsbags.org     fccduncanville.org