Homeless women — how often when we think of them do we think of an old woman pushing a shopping cart down the street with all her belongings. That picture can be true, but a homeless woman can also be a 19 year old girl who's just lost her job and has no reliable family to call on for help. Or, it can be an older woman who's just been evicted because she can't afford the ever increasing rent on a fixed income.

It can sometimes be a woman who has a mental illness and doesn't have a safe place to live or someone to help her with her medications.

It's hard to know exactly why so many women are homeless, but the number is increasing all the time. This year, for the first time in Benton County there will be a cold weather shelter offered for women by Love In the Name of Christ and local churches.

We're happy to let you know that out of the 17 weeks that the shelter will be operating at Knollbrook Church, we already have almost half covered by volunteers.

If your congregation is not participating as yet and you would like to work a shift, please give us a call and let us know. If you would like to make healthy snacks for one of the nights, that is also something that is needed. If that is not something God is calling you to, please pray that we will have many opportunities to show love in the name of Christ to these women. Thanks and may God bless you for your caring hearts.