Our New Laundry Shuttle has … “Long Legs!”
The first day out for the Laundry Shuttle was amazing! After a year and a half of hoping, dreaming, fundraising and building, we launched Faith — our beautiful mobile laundry bus, into the community to serve the homeless and working poor.
We had no idea how many guests we would actually have, as we hadn’t really advertised. But like the Shower Shuttles, we found it is a service that is both welcomed and needed by those who have little to call their own. Twenty loads of laundry the first day! Twenty people who benefitted from having clean, dry clothes to have and to wear throughout the week! And as we rolled up our hoses and packed away our supplies, we drove back to the warehouse with full hearts, knowing that we are making a difference and we are blessed.
As we reflected back on that first day, we talked about the smiles. We talked about the conversations we had with those we were serving. Some we served were regular guests of the Shower Shuttles and were able to add clean clothes to their week, hopefully as another way to take the hand up out of the desperation of poverty and homelessness. But some were new to us, perhaps not needing the showers but also not able to afford to wash their clothes, buy the soap, or transport them to the laundromat. Whatever the reason, they needed their clothes washed and we were able and willing. We made it a policy to never discriminate or establish need for any of our services; if someone comes to us and asks for help, we give it. It’s as simple as that.
Some of our guests had just a few items, like a pair of pants, a jacket and some shirts. Others were washing their clothes for the week, like adding a towel and some underwear and socks. One cute young couple brought their children’s clothes, and it warmed our hearts to see baby clothes being laundered and then carefully folded and placed into a tote to be used throughout the week. It was everything that we’d hoped for … a way to restore hope and dignity to those in need through clean laundry, and we realized that our prayers are being answered. The ripple effect of the kindness of providing clean laundry is generational, and we are blessed to be a part of it.
As we shared with a friend of the ministry, we mentioned that clean laundry has ‘long legs.’
“Long legs? You’ll have to explain that term to me,” he said.
I didn’t realize until then, how much my vocabulary has changed and some of my words aren’t always understood by those who are fortunate enough to not live on the streets or know someone who does.
“Long legs mean the effects last a long time,” I told him, not really wanting to tell him that it is, in fact, a street term for how long a drug will continue to make you high.
But I think maybe we’ve redeemed the term, and now long legs has another meaning. It certainly does in this case. Long legs can mean that the ripple effects of kindness and mercy can go a long way towards loving others as Jesus has asked us to do. It means that children can know that there are people who are kind and give of their time and energy to help meet their needs because they are answering the call of Jesus upon their lives. That each and every time someone takes a clean, dry shirt or pair of pants from their freshly washed clothes, they remember that the staff of the Laundry Shuttle cares about them and they are loved. And we will continue to serve, LORD willing, two days a week (or more if the time and locations become available) and praying for more and more of our guests to grow to know Him.
What Can You Do?
Join me in prayer, won’t you? That those in the midst of poverty and homelessness begin to make their way out. That they take the hand up that we are providing and use our services as a way to make a better life for them and their children. We have seen it often with our Shower Shuttles … may it also be so with the Laundry Shuttle.
Support our work.
As a local non-profit (501C3), we depend on support from people just like you. Give a gift today and help us in our mission to continue restoring hope and dignity to those in need with both mobile showers and laundry … and know we will continue as long as there is a calling for us to do so.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in Heaven.” — Matthew 5:16
