For years, 64‑year‑old Darla had worked two jobs — it was a matter of survival. So, when she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure, she was forced to retire from full‑time work and saw little hope for the future.
For Darla, there was so much to think about. Her adult son suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was just a teenager, and she is all he has. And when the pandemic struck, neither one could find even part‑time work. Left with no money, a stack of bills and a broken‑down car, desperation set in.
“There were many nights that I cried out to God and I just didn’t feel like I could go on,” Darla recalled. “Then one night He spoke to my heart and said, I did not bring you this far to let you go.”
Darla didn’t know it yet, but help was on the way. Hand of Hope had partnered with i5 City Church to plan a major event in Baltimore, Maryland, that would provide food and groceries to families hit hardest by the pandemic. They also had a few surprises in store.
On the day of the event, Darla arrived to a cheering crowd and was directed to the makeshift stage. “Pastor Irene and I have been praying for you,” said Jimmy Rollins, pastor of i5 City Church. “Darla, your family means the world to us, and we want you to know we are donating to you a brand‑new vehicle.”
It had been a long two years, and Darla had seen it all. But she never saw this coming. As she sat in her new car, she raised her hands and began praising God. “It gives me a purpose again,” she said.
And Darla is like so many others who you helped this year in response to the pandemic. When all hope was lost, you shared the love of Christ in real and practical ways. And they will never forget it.