Christ's Body Ministries--Falling Through the Cracks

     Lynn worked as an Optician for 30 years until his first bout with congestive heart problems made retirement mandatory.  He still felt secure in his apartment covered by Medicare, with his monthly Social Security check and a small Air Force veterans pension.  But gradually the prescription copays (he now takes 22 pills daily) ate up his savings and then his rent.  Once he lost his apartment then the only housing option left was cheap motel rooms which still cost $30/night.  Within a few weeks, Lynn, for the first time in his life, was one day away from being homeless.  As he tells in his soft southern voice, "I finally had to swallow my pride."  He went to Pastor Miriam at his church, Trinity United Methodist, for help.  Fortunately Miriam knows us and our respite care program.  She called Deb and thankfully we had one open bed for him.
     Lynn has been at Christ's Body for two weeks, and wanted everyone to know how grateful he is.  He said, "Everyone here is so kind.  Deb has been very helpful and with her help I have gotten more help and more things done in two weeks than in the months before."  Specifically Deb signed Lynn up for a Medicare program that covers drug costs for low income patients.  She also has started the process for him to get Veteran's disability help and placed him on Colorado Coalition for the Homeless low-income housing program.  Lynn had no idea that such programs even existed, let alone how to apply for them.  Beyond the practical help, Lynn told me, "Deb has God in everything she does and you don't often see that in social workers."
     What a blessing it is when we can show someone like Lynn that God is real and cares.  Many times people fall through the cracks of man's social safety net.  We are grateful to our government for the help they do provide.  This help however is often very hard to access, especially when sick, without a caring hardworking advocate like Deb Butte.
     Lynn now hopes to be able to get his own place in the next weeks.  I told him we were pleased to have him as our guest and there was no hurry.  He replied, "Oh no, as soon as I can, I want to move out because there is someone else out there who needs this bed as bad as I did."
     Thank you for supporting Christ's Body.  You make it possible for us to be the arms of God catching those falling through the cracks.                    -John Moorhead