I want to be like Ella.

One of my best friends, certainly the friend who has taken the most prank phone calls from me the last few years, writes a blog, Mike in Progess [sic]. Mike helps coordinate a cold-weather shelter in our hometown, which puts him in contact with some amazing people. Meet Ella.

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By Mike Ellis

Ella is 5 years old. She and her family come to the homeless cold weather shelter to serve. Ella can't wait to serve the homeless. Her enthusiasm to serve is contagious. Ella doesn't judge the men and women who come to the cold weather shelter. She doesn't know or care if they live under a bridge or sleep on a bench. Ella serves the homeless without hesitation. She doesn't care if they are dirty or that they smell. Ella has a mission. Her mission is to serve. After dinner Ella will sit down at the table with our homeless guests, talk a million miles a minute and eat a cupcake or cookie with them. Ella doesn't think of them as homeless, bums, addicts or losers. I really believe that she thinks they are her friends. I want to be like Ella.

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...Father, thank you for Ella. You teach us through children. Impress Ella's spirit of love and service on our hearts. In Jesus name...

Just Look

"Just take a look at what God has done for me tonight."

- Homeless man in Port Orange, Florida

My friend, Mike Ellis, runs a cold weather shelter. Here are some notes from his blog Mike In Progress...

When temperatures dip to 40 degrees or colder First United Methodist Church in Port Orange, Florida opens its door and provides dinner, breakfast and shelter to the homeless. This season we've opened the church two times. It looks like we'll be open again this weekend. Below you'll find some of the things I've seen at the homeless cold weather shelter.

A tweep from Twitter crocheted scarves for every homeless man and woman.

A couple of days before Christmas, a homeless man led a homeless choir as they sang "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" to all cold weather shelter volunteers.

Another tweep from Twitter made phone calls and found 30 cots so that the homeless could sleep comfortably.

A homeless man gave up his spot at the shelter so that his girlfriend would have a warm place to stay.

Tweeps from twitter brought blankets, backpacks, socks and medicine for the homeless.

A homeless man stopped me and with tears in his eyes said, "God bless you and your church for keeping us warm for tonight."

I gave a woman a warm coat and she responded as if I had given her one million dollars.

A young man found a homeless person in a parking lot and drove him to the cold weather shelter. The young man made sure his homeless friend was comfortable and then drove home to find a couple of needed items. The homeless man cried as the young man came back to the shelter and gave him a pair of pants and a bible. I remember the homeless man saying, "I don't deserve this. I don't deserve this."

A tweep from Twitter talked, listened, looked into the eyes, sat down with and entered the world of almost every homeless man and woman.

Volunteers unselfishly donated and shopped for food, prepared and cooked meals, served food, passed out socks, washed dishes, stayed up all night and sang songs.

One of our volunteers brought her daughter to help. This young girl poured dressing on salad and hugged each homeless man and woman.

Last night as I was leaving the cold weather shelter a man walked up to me. He said, "Sir, do you have room for one more person tonight? I don't have a warm place to stay." I took him into the church and found him a place to sleep. As he was lying down he said, "Just take a look at what God has done for me tonight."