Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Praying for Towels

Stop whatever you're doing. Go to your linen closet (or whatever passes for it). Do you have extra towels? Gently used, perhaps? Could you spare one or two (or more?).

If your answer is yes, put those towels in a bag and deliver to your local domestic violence shelter. Don't know where that is? Call your state domestic violence coalition, or visit the website of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Why? Because people who are homeless because of domestic violence need to wash up, too. And they need to dry off afterwards. Think about it next time you take a bath or shower.

Domestic violence shelters nationwide are at capacity in these hot summer months when already bad situations go from bad to worse. They can use your help with the basics, so they can focus on keeping adult and child victims safe.

The staff at the agency where I work has taken to praying for towels at times like these. Because quite often, just when we need it, it shows up. Teresa of Avila prayed,

You are Christ's Hands:

Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours, Yours are the eyes through which to look out Christ's compassion to the world; Yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good; Yours are the hands with which He is to bless others now.


Your hands and feet are those which Christ will use to bring comfort to those who are in distress. Where will Christ walk this week?

While you're at it, if you have unopened shampoo and conditioner sitting around? They can use that too. Other common items needed on a regular basis? Pillows. New socks. New underwear. New, basic tshirts and sweats (Think about it, would you like to be stuck with someone's old pitted-out shirt?)

Can't think of an organization to donate to? How about this one?