An Amazing Connection: A Common Cupboard Story by Robin Black

It wasn't planed but Deb Adams called one day and asked if I wanted to do brunch and we went and we talked so long she realized she was late getting the van back for Frank to take to Second Harvest. She asked if I had time to go there with her and pick up food for the pantry. I said, "sure, I've never been there and I could see what its all about."

After getting the food while the guys were packing the van I was standing by the parking lot. A car pulled up and I saw a woman smiling at me. She got out of the car and came right up to me telling me how she saw me on TV yesterday and how I said I would be here at Second Harvest today. I stopped her and explained that she must be mistaken me for someone else; I wasn't on TV. She took my hand in her hands and said, "Yes, I saw you on TV yesterday and you said you would be here at Second Harvest and you would help me".

So I asked her what she needed, and she told me she needed help getting food to her mother. I looked over at her car to see a sweet, elderly woman sitting in the passenger seat. I went over to meet her. I asked Phyllis, the woman who approached me, where her mother lived and she told me Matthews and she lives in Charlotte, raising her grandbaby who was in the back seat, and that they could also use some help if possible. She told me how her mother, Sara, had such bad arthritis and how she had taken her for a shot of cortisone the week before but, now the pain was back and she didn't want her giving into the pain. This was something I was so familiar with. I told her I could get her some help and she gave me the contact information I needed. I explained that I may not be the person to deliver the food since I already had some disabled woman I delivered to. Phyllis once again took my hand in hers and said, "I hope it will be you then maybe some time I could have you over for a cook out."

Well, at that moment I knew It was meant for me. When my son and I went to Sara's house to bring the food, I saw how hard it was for her to get around with just the use of a cane. My heart just broke for her thinking of her living there all alone and struggling, and her daughter going back and forth trying to help while raising her granddaughter. I helped her unpack the food and showed her I had brought some hot/cold packs and cream for her arthritis, she said she needed it now and put it into her robe pocket. I told her next month when I come I may have some different things for her depending on what we got in.

Tears started pouring down her face and she asked, "You're coming back?" I explained that I would come once a month and bring her some groceries. With tears streaming down her face we simply hugged there in her kitchen, the only words spoken were "God bless you". I knew I was the one that was truly blessed that day. That God would let me see how he works; I knew I was where I was supposed to be.

What Phyllis saw or heard on TV, how she knew I would be at Second Harvest that day when I didn't know I was going to 15 minutes before I went well......Only God knows. I was so glad that my heart was open to the message I was sent that day.