Lovely People Receiving God's Love

Our congregation, St. Johannes Lutheran Church, has partnered with Next Steps of South Carolina and The Navigation Center to support a vital ministry in the Charleston area. The Navigation Center is a non-profit that began by serving military veterans and has since expanded to help anyone in crisis. The Center's mission is to empower our most vulnerable neighbors by helping them find the services and support needed to rebuild sustainable, independent lives.

By providing a volunteer counselor and financial assistance from St. Johannes and Next Steps of South Carolina, we join a powerful network of more than 70 organizations dedicated to this work. Together, we are able to offer more than a handout. We can listen, offer practical help, work for justice, and walk alongside our neighbors as they take their next steps. Here are eight recent stories.

A Way Forward for Allie

Allie, pictured with a necklace, is 43 and the mother of two children, one of whom is disabled. She missed the deadline to renew her child's SSI disability payment. Now she is reapplying, but that process can take months. In the meantime, the loss of that income has placed a real strain on the family.

Allie needed help with a past-due water bill so her service could be reconnected. The bill was large. Another charity agreed to pay part of it, and we agreed to contribute toward satisfying the balance.

When a family is waiting months for benefits that are needed now, a water bill can become much more than a bill. It can become one more burden in an already difficult season. We were grateful to join another organization so Allie could move toward having her water restored and keep caring for her children.

One Week of Shelter for Lilly's Family

Lilly, pictured with glasses, is a young mother of four. Her family is homeless right now. Her husband enters the Army in three weeks and is looking for work until then. Lilly starts a new job tomorrow. There is a great deal of uncertainty in front of them, but there is also a great deal of determination.

The family is working closely with The Navigation Center, which is helping them find a way forward. When they came to us, all of them waited together in the parking lot. It was clear they are a close family, holding on to one another during a difficult time.

We agreed to pay for one week at a motel. One week may not sound like much. But when a family has no place to stay, one week of safe shelter means rest, a chance for Lilly to begin her job, and a little room to breathe while the next steps are being worked out. We were thankful to help provide that.

A Home Within Reach for Sherry

Sherry, pictured with the bun on her head, works in housekeeping at MUSC and is a loving mother of four children. Recently, the children's father died in an accident. In the aftermath of that loss, Sherry had to give up her home. She and her children are now homeless.

There is hopeful news. The family has been approved for low-cost housing. Sherry needed help with the deposit, and she believes she can raise the rest. We agreed to help with that deposit.

For Sherry and her children, this is not simply a housing payment. It is a real chance for a home after a season of loss and upheaval. Sherry was very appreciative. We are praying that this door opens fully and that her family soon has a stable place to call home.

Tammy's Dream of Helping Others

Tammy, pictured in a colorful shirt, is a young disabled woman with a warm spirit and a big dream. She came to The Navigation Center looking for help finding a decent job and more affordable housing. Her current rent is far too high, and she also needed help with past-due electric bills.

What stayed with us was something Tammy said about her own future. She dreams of having a charity that helps people. Even while she is the one asking for help, she is already thinking about how she might someday help others. That says a lot about her heart.

We agreed to provide enough assistance to keep her electricity from being disconnected. The Navigation Center is continuing to help Tammy look for better work and housing that is more sustainable. We were glad to stand with her now, and we are encouraged by the hope she carries for the future.

A Safe Start for Nancy and Her Children

Nancy, pictured with her child, left an abusive relationship with her three children. Two of her children are in school and doing very well. That is something to celebrate, especially in the middle of so much uncertainty.

Nancy lost her job when the business where she worked closed. Then her car was repossessed. Now she is facing eviction. She has a good work history, and The Navigation Center is working to help her find permanent employment. Nancy came seeking help with rent while she gets back on her feet.

We agreed to provide enough assistance to help her avoid eviction. Leaving an abusive relationship takes courage. Rebuilding a stable life for three children takes time. We are grateful that Nancy and her children can have some stability while she works toward a new beginning.

A Place to Stay for Eve

Eve, pictured with her fiancee, has an eight-year-old child in foster care. She has been homeless for about a year, but she has recently been hired to drive a school bus. Eve is trying to get established so she can regain custody of her child. Her child's father is in poor health and lives in a nursing home, making this season even more difficult.

Eve and her fiancee needed help with one week at a motel while The Navigation Center works to find housing. We agreed to pay for that week.

This is a family working toward reunification, stability, and a safe place to live. A motel room is not the final answer, but it is a safe place to sleep tonight while the longer work continues. We were glad to be part of that next step.

A Week of Safety for Sandra's Family

Sandra, pictured alone, has two children and a job. But after falling behind on rent, she and her children have been living in their car. No family should have to make a car their home.

Sandra came to The Navigation Center for help with money management and possible government housing assistance. Right now, she and her children needed a safe motel room while the Center works with her on the larger problems. The Navigation Center believes it can find housing within that time.

We agreed to provide a motel room for one week. That week means a door that locks, beds to sleep in, and a safe place for Sandra and her children while a more permanent solution is pursued. Sometimes loving our neighbors begins with the simple but urgent work of helping a family get out of a car and into a room for the night.

An Emergency Response for Sally and Her Children

Sally was not pictured, but she and her two children were seen living on a porch by the director of The Navigation Center. They were brought to the Center, and their situation was treated as the emergency that it was. One of Sally's children is autistic, and the family will need serious, long-term support.

The Navigation Center got Sally and her children into a motel. However, the Center will not have funds available to provide financial assistance until the school year begins. In the meantime, Sally needed help with the motel bill.

We agreed to pay for one week at the motel. It is only one piece of what this family needs, but it is an important one. They are safe tonight, and The Navigation Center is already helping build the longer-term support that Sally and her children need. This is what it means to respond when a neighbor is in crisis.

If you would like to know more about this ministry or how you can help, please let Tom or Pastor Aaron know.