The holiday season: with all of the craziness of shopping, parties, traveling, and traffic, it is good to have a reminder of the true reason for the season. We all hear the Christmas story this time of year and I was thinking, how does the Christmas story relate to the work Good Sam does? Here’s what I realized:
Mary & Joseph: Were far from their home in Nazareth.
Good Sam Participants: Many are probably far from home (literally or metaphorically) when they come to Good Sam.
Mary & Joseph: They probably had broken relationships with their families. Mary for being pregnant and not married, and Joseph for wanting to marry a woman that was pregnant with a child that wasn’t his.
Good Sam Participants: Many are experiencing broken relationships with their families for one reason or another.
Mary & Joseph: Didn’t have a lot of money. Leviticus tells us that in situations when individuals couldn’t afford a lamb for sacrifice, they had the option to offer two doves or pigeons instead. When Mary and Joseph dedicated Jesus, they chose to offer two doves, indicating their limited financial resources.
Good Sam Participants: When they come to Good Sam, most do not have a lot of money.
Mary & Joseph: When they went to Bethlehem, they had no place to stay. No home.
Good Sam Participants: When they come to Good Sam, they have no home and no place to stay.
Mary & Joseph: An angel came to Mary and told her everything was going to be OK, God would take care of her now. Another Angel came to Joseph reassuring him he was on the right track and everything was going to be OK.
Good Sam Participants: When they come to Good Sam, their Resource Coordinator reassures them, “everything is going to be OK, we’ve got you now.”
SO….
Mary & Joseph: They had no place to stay, limited money, broken relationships with their families, and were now having a baby. They had to feel like they had “hit rock bottom.”
Good Sam Participants: They have no place to stay, limited money, and broken relationships with their families. They have to feel like they have “hit rock bottom.”
But It’s Not…
For Mary & Joseph, it was just the start of something Really Good wasn’t it?
For our Participants, it’s just the start of something Really Good isn’t it?
In 2023, Good Sam has helped nearly 500 Men, Women and Children start something Really Good. Better yet, 2/3 of those are in affordable housing, and are in the middle of something Really Good.
I’m proud to say I’m a part of Good Sam and help people start something Really Good.
Merry Christmas!
Help someone in our program start something REALLY GOOD:
