During our first week or so at Bethany House, we noticed a promotional certificate to Store X (a major retailer) on top of the microwave. We didn’t know whose it was, so we left it there until it was about to expire. Then we decided that we might as well use it so that it didn’t go to waste, and return our purchases for cash if someone claimed the certificate.
Although our kitchen was very well stocked thanks to the generosity of several individuals and churches (especially Wright Memorial Presbyterian Church on Long Beach Island), we wanted to get a few things, so Amy went to Store X to spend the certificate as cost-effectively as possible. She was really surprised by the “sale” prices ($10.39 for a plastic colander?! $6.39 for a vegetable peeler?!) and did not feel that she got good deals, even though she tried to get as much as she could.
The very next day, a friend of Bethany House came by to drop off a sum of money that she felt God wanted her to give to us. We were blessed by this gift and wanted to use it for a good purpose.
In a subsequent phone call, Amy’s brother noted that the kitchen goods would be much cheaper elsewhere and suggested that we exchange the Store X purchases for socks or the like to donate to The Crisis Ministry next door to Bethany House. Amy thought that this idea was great.
The four of us agreed to get socks from Store X and to use our friend’s gift to buy kitchen goods from other stores. It took time and some legwork, but we eventually got 66 pairs of socks (after sales and another Store X promotion) and more reasonably priced goods (for example, a $2.99 plastic colander and a $0.99 vegetable peeler).
We are happy that things worked out so well for us and The Crisis Ministry and hope that you are blessed by our (small) effort to be good stewards.