Cowboy Tupperware

Imagine for a moment that all you have in the world is the clothes you have on and the contents of your pockets. Take an inventory, yes empty your pockets right now, and look at what you have. That’s it -- no more.

My guess is you do not have a water bottle, toothpaste, toothbrush, band-aids, towel, washcloth, underwear (other that what you are wearing), or a clean pair of socks. What about medicine? Got an aspirin? First aid cream?

That’s it; that’s all you've got. You can't just "run out to the store" to get what you need (there wasn't any money in your pocket, remember?). If you've got some change, you don't have a car. Do you use the change for the bus, or food or soap? Go back to the house and get supplies … oh, yeah, there is no house. Now what?

This is where you come in. You see there are folks right now living on the streets, sleeping under bridges, in trash dumpsters and other strange places that do not have much, if anything. Put the groups together and we - the CHURCH - have an opportunity to reach out and put our hearts, minds and spirits to work. We can show the compassion and love of our Lord Jesus Christ by our actions.

Every journey begins with a first step. This brings me to "Cowboy Tupperware and Shoeboxes." At our house cowboy Tupperware is composed of empty plastic containers that once held cottage cheese, butter or ice cream. We use the containers to send food from a big family dinner home with our adult children and their families; you know grandma’s good cooking. For now I am talking about the gallon ice cream buckets and/or shoeboxes. You have in your home items that could bless folks who have only what's on their backs, literally. So let's go on a scavenger hunt. Get the whole family involved!

The ice cream bucket or bucket with a lid has many other uses, if you use your imagination. For now we are going to fill it with necessities. The shoebox is also a multi use container so either works to fill. What exactly are you going to put in? There are some suggestions in the following list. You may think of others so add to it:

Band-aids Socks

Aspirin Underwear (men, women, children)

T – shirt needle and thread

Tissue Handkerchief

Toothbrush Toothpaste

Bar of soap Razor

Washcloth First aid cream

Brush or comb

These are just a few ideas. Why not 'brainstorm' with your family and add to it?

by Hank Salmans