The LifeLine Project

Imagine you are on a much-deserved beach vacation.  You are relaxing alone on the beach, when you hear a terrified scream, “Help!  I can’t swim.”  A life preserver is attached to a rope nearby.  Of course, you would run, grab the life-saving equipment, and throw it to the struggling swimmer.  You’d do everything in your power to throw the Life Line and help this person.  Your part is to throw out the life-saving equipment; the struggling swimmer must also do his or her part in holding onto this equipment while you pull him or her to safety.

The LifeLine Project exists to be life-saving help and hope to prostitutes on the streets of Columbus, Ohio.  The project was founded by Karen Monroe, who we met during our “His Hands His Feet” mission project this summer.  You may remember Karen, who spoke in October during Taste of Missions.  Karen, and others working with her, relay the message of, “You don’t have to live this way,” as they give a gift bag full of toiletries and information of where and how to get help, as they travel around downtown Columbus.

How does this affect you?  How can you help?  How can we, as a group at Orange Friends, continue being the Hands and Feet of Jesus?

We have the opportunity to fill some bags that will be distributed to the prostitutes in Columbus.  Huntington Bank is donating 500 string backpacks to Karen – how many of these can we fill? 

1.    We are collecting items for the bags now.  There is a basket in the lobby (next to the mitten Christmas tree) for these type of items:

a.       Travel sizes of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush

b.      Chapstick, deodorant

c.       Packaged cracker sandwiches, granola bars, or other energy foods

2.    Write a short note, expressing Jesus’ love, your care, and your prayers; perhaps a scripture verse.

3.    On January 11, you are invited to join Karen and our youth to pack as many of these bags as we can, here at Orange Friends. 

Karen will provide materials from the health department, and rehabilitation facilities.  We will include literature that will tell about Jesus’ love for them.  Our Outreach Commission is pledging $500 to help pack bags.  We can  S-T-R-E-T-C-H  those funds with items we may already have, or items we can purchase as we shop.  PLEASE HAVE YOUR DONATIONS HERE BY December 28, so that we will know what needs to be purchased.

Being His Hands and His Feet, 

Ron Clark

Missions Coordinator