A Post from Deacon Lou Primozic
Dear friends, IMM donors, volunteers/staff,
I would like to share a Christmas Street Story.
On Wednesday evening, December 22, 2021, I received a telephone call from Jessica, a mom with five children ages 17,13,11,10, and 8. She was referred to me/IMIM by the central office of the St. Vincent De Paul Society. During the telephone conversation, I could sense the frustration, disappointment, despair, brokenness and anger in her voice. Days before Christmas she had nothing and her children told her, “Mom, we will not have Christmas this year.” Jessica said “Pastor, I need everything. We are in a house with a few blankets and that is all we have.”. I told her I would do everything I could to help, however the problem was we had already scheduled the next two days to deliver food, clothing and Christmas gifts to families in need.
On Thursday morning, December 23, I called Jessica to confirm the list of the most critical items she needed and the sadness in her voice and her feeling of hopelessness was overwhelming. During the day I had several conversations with the Jessica, but from my first call of hearing despair, hopelessness and anger, the subsequent conversations changed. When I told Jessica IMIM would be at her house late afternoon, the tone of her voice changed, she became hopeful.
When our team arrived to make the first delivery, I called Alicia, one of the IMIM team members, to obtain an onsite update, Alicia said “Deacon Lou, it’s bad, really bad. They have nothing.”
After IMIM made the first delivery of 5 beds, new pillows/sheets and blankets, Jessica’s voice came alive with appreciation and hope that strangers could help her so quickly in a time of despair.
After the second delivery that evening, we provided additional furniture, and through the generosity of our donors, we provided gift cards for food, clothing and Christmas gifts for the children.
My last contact was Thursday early evening (the day before Christmas Eve). I FaceTimed Alicia and said, “Let me see Jessica.” As I FaceTimed Jessica, I witnessed the true joy and happiness of Christmas.
This, my friends, was the Christmas gift for me and the team of IMIM who made the impossible possible.
During Evening Prayer that night, I reflected on the Christmas story of Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus, homeless with nothing. At the end of a hectic week and isolated from family and friends because I was recovering from Covid, even though I was fully vaccinated, the Christmas gift I was given was from a woman with five children and was the Christmas gift that helped me put everything in perspective. Thank you, God, for the Christmas gift of a mom and five children, entering my life and helping me. Iminministry.com