A love flash mob for Zevelyn

Over the last year I’ve been super-duper inspired by Glennon Doyle Melton leading the charge in raising big bucks for families in desperate need through Love Flash Mobs.  Crowd-sourcing towards *actual* needs is a beautiful thang, y’all.  In fact, it’s one I embraced for many years as I’ve served on staff with InterVarsity.  Every year, I was responsible to raise and maintain thousands of dollars through hundreds of people.  Part of that life was rough but it was rewarding work.

Today, I want to introduce you to my cousin, Zevelyn.  She’s a young, single Mama with Chronic Heart Failure and a Patent Foramen Ovale.  She hasn’t been able to work since May and is waiting for SSI income.  With no income, she’s behind 1 month behind on her rent, facing a July eviction and unable to get her car repaired.  Besides her need for surgery, if she’s evicted in the next few weeks her & her 6 yr. old son will need to walk off the property with only what they can carry to an unknown destination.

She reached out to me this morning, bravely letting me in her current situation and asking me to pray.  She’s written 7 letters to 7 local Churches asking for help and none of them even responded.  Something about that eats away at my heart and soul.  Immediately, I knew I wanted to reach out to my blogging community to ask you both to pray and to give.  Her current need -medical treatment aside- is a relatively small amount of money: $600 for both June & July rent and $175 for car repairs.

It struck me that a mere $1375 could MEAN the WORLD to a scared Mama.  It would only take 55 of us giving $25 to accomplish something of sizable Kingdom value for Zevelyn and her family.   I’ve been in my own financial straights as of late, and  when I asked — many of you reached out and helped me to survive another month.  I understand what it’s like to be afraid, to think you could lose your residence, your custody, your sanity and then experience the joy of relief. That is, in part, why I am desperate to bring relief to my beautiful cousin facing similar circumstances.

I’m praying we will knock her socks off with generosity!  If you can give more than $25 please do, or if you can only give $5 please do!  I want her to know she’s not alone and that good people are willing to help, that God has His hand on her.  I’ll keep this post updated as to the progress towards $1375.

This.  This right here is advocacy.  This  is a way to put your money where your mouth when you say you love the poor.  Here is an opportunity to tangibly care for a Sister in Christ who is going through.  I’ve been praying on and off all day, that God will richly bless her heart, soul & real needs through these efforts.

You can give to Zevelyn at GoFundMe.  Please also pray that both her emotional heart and her physical heart will remain steady and strong as she faces her scary circumstances.

(Also, if there are any readers of mine near Clover, South Carolina let me know if you’d be willing to help or house in any way).

Thank you so much, y’all!