For those who read my blog regularly, you know what we've been through over the last month. For those who don't, basically, I had a job this summer that I liked, and that I thought liked me. Then, just short of 2 weeks after the youngest of our five children was born (after two weeks of holding off labor with my wife having to remain 80 miles away from the family due to fears of inadequate medical care here), I was unceremoniously fired from that job. Since then, I have received exactly $44.32 in income, as well as small amounts of additional money from recycling aluminum cans.

The response from the JoeUser community was incredible. I won't go into details, as these people didn't do it for pats on the back, but to help out a friend in need. There were some that helped out with money (which I haven't yet been able to access, but will soon), many who helped with prayers, and many who helped with ideas. People wrote emails, and truly showed the kind of compassion that friends should show to one another. Most importantly, though, they picked up the spirits of myself and my family.

I won't say things have gotten rosy; they haven't. But the landlord has not been by with an eviction notice yet (although the late fees we've compiled are staggering), and I have temporary work for the week. There's no guarantee that I'll have work beyond this project, and no guarantee that we won't still end up homeless. But we DO have the knowledge that, whatever we will face, we will be able to do it with a positive outlook and a knowledge that there are people out there who care for us.

And that, friends, is much more than money can buy.

respectfully submitted,

Gideon MacLeish