More Lives Touched in Charleston

St. Johannes Lutheran Church and Next Steps of South Carolina provide a volunteer counselor and financial assistance as we work with The Navigation Center. The Navigation Center offers a place where people can be heard, along with staff, volunteers, practical resources, and a broad network of nonprofits. Together, we are able to offer more than a handout. We can listen, offer practical help, work for justice, and reflect Christ’s love as we walk alongside our neighbors in the Charleston area taking their next steps. Here are three recent stories.

Debbie’s Next Step Toward Housing

Debbie lives with a disability that prevents her from working full-time, but she does work part-time through a temp agency when she is able. She has no children, and after she could not afford the rent increase at her previous apartment, she has been living in a motel.

When Debbie came to us, she needed help getting into transitional housing. We talked through the situation with her, and after counseling, Debbie decided that she could contribute part of the rent herself. That mattered. She was ready to do what she could and needed someone to help close the gap.

We were able to provide the rest. Transitional housing can offer more stability than a motel room, and we were grateful to help Debbie take that next step. This is the kind of practical neighbor-love that gives someone room to move forward.

Restoring Water for Glenn and His Wife

Glenn, pictured with sleeves, is a 59-year-old married man who cannot return to his former job because of a fractured spine. He and his wife are trying to move because they can no longer afford where they are living. In the middle of all of that, their water service was disconnected when they could not pay the bill.

Glenn also has more back surgery ahead of him. Before returning for surgery, he hoped to have water restored at home. It was a simple hope, but an important one.

We were able to pay enough to have the water turned back on. Glenn and his wife are facing a difficult season, but they do not have to face it entirely alone. We were thankful to help meet this immediate need and offer some breathing room before his surgery.

A Bridge for Steve’s Fresh Start

Steve, pictured without sleeves, is a young man who has run into some hard luck. He does not have a wife or children, but he came to us with good news: he has been hired full-time at Walmart. He starts in six days, will receive full benefits, and feels very positive about his future.

The immediate concern was rent. Steve needed help to avoid eviction before his new job begins and his paychecks can start coming in. He had already applied to another program for assistance and expected to receive some help there as well.

We were able to provide enough additional help to keep him from being evicted. It was encouraging to see someone looking ahead with hope, ready to work, and taking steps toward a more stable future. Sometimes the help we offer is a bridge between a hard moment and the fresh start already on its way.

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