Terry Richards - July 2023

“When it rains, it pours.” This familiar idiom can mean good leading to better or, more commonly, bad leading to worse. That was the case for Terry. This 70-year-old amputee veteran was living in his RV before it was destroyed in a fire. On the heels of that, his truck was stolen, and he found himself homeless. Spending more time bearing weight on an old prosthesis then resulted in a leg wound that landed him in our respite unit. When it rains, it pours. Thankfully, though, through the support of a great team who cares about Terry, things have turned around.

“Watered Gardens is a good place to come if you have the right mindset—if you want to get back on your feet. They won’t let you stay down. You’ve got to want to get out, but if you do, the staff and volunteers will help you make the plans and take the steps to make it.”

Terry is making it. He’s nearly fully recovered and will soon leave the mission. Your support reminds me that “when it rains, it pours” used to mean something different. The Morton Salt Company coined it as part of their marketing strategy in the early 1900’s, promising their product would weather moisture without clumping - that even when it rains, their salt will still pour. We will minister to more than a 1,000 people this year who, like Terry, have been stuck in the rains of homelessness or worse, hopelessness. In Matthew 5, Jesus said you are the salt of the earth, and your support of Watered Gardens is good news for many that even when it rains, hope still pours.