Stories, stories, and more stories. What else would one expect, after all, we are in Texas! With a new year and new beginnings in a number of ways, Alves proved to be a treasure trove of fresh starts. Some of those ‘fresh starts’ began a long time ago and yet, because of the folks involved, seem to be not have lost their freshness.
Stories, stories, and more stories. What else would one expect, after all, we are in Texas! With a new year and new beginnings in a number of ways, Alves proved to be a treasure trove of fresh starts. Some of those ‘fresh starts’ began a long time ago and yet, because of the folks involved, seem to be not have lost their freshness.
Let me walk you through a few of these amazing stories. Alves is a community close to San Antonio and has been there for a long time, since 1978. A few residents have been there since the beginning and have loved it ever since. Their enthusiasm for where they live is contagious. One family has lived in this community for years and if you were to see the outside of the home, you would be left wondering. But, if you were invited inside, you would see an entirely different picture.
The house is rented and yet, because of a desire to better themselves and work hard, this family has almost completely redone the interior of their home. From floors to custom made cabinets, to countertops to lighting, the interior looks like a home makeover show. The folks that live there were more than willing to help with some work on their neighbor’s homes as well. The neighbor who struggles with some mobility issues, needed new steps and some pavers put down to be able to safely navigate to their vehicle. The first neighbor was willing to rearrange their schedule so they could be available to help out, and in the midst, tell more stories of life in Alves and Texas.
Another resident who has lived in this community since it opened way back when, was a wealth of stories. She had lived in a variety of places; her husband having been in the military. She noted that while it is great to see the world, it was also nice to be able to settle down, and Alves was the place for her! Struggling with limited finances and with physical challenges as well, we were able to help make her home more accessible as well. Sometimes, life sneaks up on you and before you know it, there is another story to tell. This is what happened here. Her neighbor, noting one day she didn’t look so good, asked if she was alright. She said, yes, but I haven’t eaten in a few days as the month ran out before her next social security check came. To make ends meet on a regular month, she eats a lot of hotdogs as it makes for cheap groceries. Not there is a story in itself, when someone has to try and make do with hotdogs in order to have something to eat all month. Well, the neighbor and Impact Cares went and bought her some groceries to stock her up for a bit. She was so appreciative and thankful! Her daughter wants her to move in with her, but this Texan said in so many words, ‘No, I can do this!’
We all have stories to tell. Many of those we heard were accompanied with great laughter and much joy. Helping a neighbor out by buying a few groceries, by fixing a few steps, laying a few pavers, or helping to paint their home goes a long way toward making more of those treasured memories.
The challenge for each one of us is to be intentional in how we live, not missing the chance to pour into another person’s life, even in small ways, and in so doing, you not only are helping to shape, encourage, and bless another but you are making stories that you can tell in the years to come!
Stories, stories, and more stories. What else would one expect, after all, we are in Texas! With a new year and new beginnings in a number of ways, Alves proved to be a treasure trove of fresh starts. Some of those ‘fresh starts’ began a long time ago and yet, because of the folks involved, seem to be not have lost their freshness.
Let me walk you through a few of these amazing stories. Alves is a community close to San Antonio and has been there for a long time, since 1978. A few residents have been there since the beginning and have loved it ever since. Their enthusiasm for where they live is contagious. One family has lived in this community for years and if you were to see the outside of the home, you would be left wondering. But, if you were invited inside, you would see an entirely different picture.
The house is rented and yet, because of a desire to better themselves and work hard, this family has almost completely redone the interior of their home. From floors to custom made cabinets, to countertops to lighting, the interior looks like a home makeover show. The folks that live there were more than willing to help with some work on their neighbor’s homes as well. The neighbor who struggles with some mobility issues, needed new steps and some pavers put down to be able to safely navigate to their vehicle. The first neighbor was willing to rearrange their schedule so they could be available to help out, and in the midst, tell more stories of life in Alves and Texas.
Another resident who has lived in this community since it opened way back when, was a wealth of stories. She had lived in a variety of places; her husband having been in the military. She noted that while it is great to see the world, it was also nice to be able to settle down, and Alves was the place for her! Struggling with limited finances and with physical challenges as well, we were able to help make her home more accessible as well. Sometimes, life sneaks up on you and before you know it, there is another story to tell. This is what happened here. Her neighbor, noting one day she didn’t look so good, asked if she was alright. She said, yes, but I haven’t eaten in a few days as the month ran out before her next social security check came. To make ends meet on a regular month, she eats a lot of hotdogs as it makes for cheap groceries. Not there is a story in itself, when someone has to try and make do with hotdogs in order to have something to eat all month. Well, the neighbor and Impact Cares went and bought her some groceries to stock her up for a bit. She was so appreciative and thankful! Her daughter wants her to move in with her, but this Texan said in so many words, ‘No, I can do this!’
We all have stories to tell. Many of those we heard were accompanied with great laughter and much joy. Helping a neighbor out by buying a few groceries, by fixing a few steps, laying a few pavers, or helping to paint their home goes a long way toward making more of those treasured memories.
The challenge for each one of us is to be intentional in how we live, not missing the chance to pour into another person’s life, even in small ways, and in so doing, you not only are helping to shape, encourage, and bless another but you are making stories that you can tell in the years to come!