“As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me” (Ps 40:17). Every morning, Lula and I take a walk. Hamburg in winter is cold and rainy. For about the past month we have noticed a homeless woman sleeping on a gray wicker couch in the alcove of a restaurant. I got her coffee and a pastry a few times, but after a while realized that she might appreciate coffee not just occasionally but every morning. So, I’ve started making java in our apartment, which I bring to her in a thermos. She is indeed very grateful. I’ve noticed that on mornings that aren’t quite so chilly when I get there, she has already folded her thin blanket very neatly. Last week I introduced myself. “My name is Katrin,” she replied with a smile. The morning of Easter Vigil I said, “I might not make it tomorrow because it’s Easter. I’m a pastor and will have to do things at church.” “Oh, Easter… I had no idea…,” she replied. “You actually remind me of Easter,” I noted. “Really? How is that?” she asked with a quizzical look. “You fold your blanket very carefully after you wake up. That is a bit like Jesus…After rising from the dead, He folded the face cloth they had placed on Him” [John 20:7]. That prompted her to share that she is glad that she is baptized and confirmed, although she admitted that she knows little about Christianity. “The main point about Easter is Jesus’ resurrection,” I explained. “And everyone who is baptized and believes in Him will someday be raised from the dead as well. So will you.” “I don’t understand all of that,” she replied. “You don’t have to. Just cling to Jesus. You’ll be amazed at the wonderful things He has in store for you at the Last Day.” Praise God that the Lord takes thought for Katrin and for you too—whether you are poor and needy, or not.
The Tiews in Germany 