The Best Easter Service Ever!

Last summer we opened a Food Pantry. We put out flyers everywhere so people who were in need could come and get food and other things they need. Well, a homeless couple stopped in at a 7-11 one morning. They saw the flyer for our Food Pantry. They were living in the woods at a homeless campsite. They did have bikes so they made their way over to the Pantry. They ended up volunteering at the food bank day after day after day. We would always send them home with as much food as they needed. Well, eventually we were able to put Ron on the payroll and Cindy still volunteered. Now, months later he is now the pantry's warehouse manager. :-)

Last year our church was able to take 2 homeless families off the streets and house them for FREE for six months. The church pays everything for those six months as long as they agree to financial counseling (which we give them for free) and as long as they work. Well, this year my husband wanted to take 4 homeless families off the streets.

He and Ken (our church administrator and pantry director) decided it was time to give Ron and Cindy a home. They went to them and thanked them for their faithfulness to the food pantry and told them what they wanted to do. They were very greatful but they said that before they went into a place they wanted to be married. So, Ken and Carlos came up with an awesome idea. They secretly planned to do the service during our Easter Sunday service. Only a handful of people knew what was going on. I have an email list of about 105 ladies in our church so I sent an email out asking everyone to bring a $5.00 or more gift card to Wal-Mart with them to church on Easter Sunday. I asked them to trust me but I couldn't tell them what it was for.

Well, during this past week we got a suit for Ron and a beautiful dress for Cindy, their wedding rings, we had someone cut Ron's hair and then had Cindy's hair done the day of the wedding.

During the service Carlos told the church about Ron and Cindy's story. He told the church that Ron and Cindy was the next homeless family we were going to help but that before they went into their new home they wanted to be married. That is when he announced there was going to be a wedding today. The place went wild . . . then the song by Kelly Clarkson started playin "A Moment Like This". The flower girl and ring barrer came in first. I couldn't get pictures of the maid of honor and Cindy walking down . . .
Then the ceremony began! There was not a dry eye in the place.Exchanging vows!
Taking communion for the first time as husband and wife!
As soon as he introduced them as husband and wife Carlos said he had two presents for them. He gave each one of them two little boxes. He had Cindy open the first one . . it was a key to the place where they are going to start living that night. Then Ron opened the other box and it was a key to a car that the church bought for them. Now they don't have to ride their bikes everywhere. He then told them that an email had been sent out and that everyone was asked to bring a Wal-Mart gift card to church that day. We then had everyone bring them the gift cards. The neat thing was is that Ron and Cindy were given so many they gave half of the gift cards back to the church so they could help other families with them. Amazing!!!! I have to admit it was the most beautiful Easter service I have ever been to!

After church we headed to Carlos' parents home for lunch. We brought along Selena with us.


Carlos' brother Rick and Selena

Carlos' parents

Each year my inlaws hide Easter eggs for the kids. Selena wasn't much interested . . .she kept saying blue swing Aunt Emmy blue swing! So, she stayed on the swing through the whole Easter egg hunt.

Later that night Carlos, Sierra and I along with Ken, Lisa and their kids headed to a small reception for Ron and Cindy. It was a nice evening and was great to celebrate with them. After the reception we headed back to Ken and Lisa's for awhile - Ken and Carlos had some "church" work to do. Lisa taught me a game that she loves to play on the computer . .it's called Bejeweled. We were both soooooooooooo tired that we were both falling asleep as we were playing . . she had her laptop and I had mine. Eventually I looked over and she was totally out!!!

I will always remember this Easter Day. It was so neat to see Ron and Cindy start their new life off the streets on Easter Sunday!