Our mission is to assist people with a simple need; clean clothes. We have discovered, though, that Loads of Love is about much more than the clothes. It’s about being a listening ear, bowing to pray and letting our friends know that we love them. We want to do what Jesus would do.
Once a month we gather at a local laundromat and provide quarters for washing, detergents and a warm meal for those who struggle financially. Our projects are operated by volunteers and run completely on donations from people like you.
1st Saturday of each month
Contact church office for further information, 256-837-0971, or contact Rick Franklin, Kirk McCauley, or Michelle Stewart.
One of the first couples I met while serving at Loads of Love was a couple
living at Salvation Army who had just come to know the Lord. It was November
2019. This couple was excited about Jesus! While waiting in the laundromat
for the clothes to dry, they spoke to me about their enthusiasm for the
Lord, their acceptance of the Gospel, and how they turned their life around.
They had always been thankful for the laundry ministry and they didn’t take
it for granted. Not only did the ministry provide them with clean laundry,
but they also gave them food, and a group of people to share in their
excitement.
As the months went by, I got to know them more and got to hear how they were
growing in the Lord. Then COVID hit and things looked different.
With social distancing and face coverings for everyone, Loads of Love took a
different approach to serving others. People would come out to the parking
area instead of meeting inside the laundromat. They would receive a gift
card for the laundromat and some packaged food. Then they would do their
laundry while we remained outside. Interaction with everyone changed.
I met this enthusiastic couple again, and they humbly admitted that they had
stopped following Jesus and they had gotten back on the wrong paths since
COVID hit. I was struck at the contrast of their frame of mind from last
time I met them.
As they walked away to do their laundry, the Lord put it on my heart to pray
for them. So, I silently prayed as they went inside to wash their clothes.
When they came out of the laundry room to wait, the Spirit urged me to GO
OVER and pray WITH them. As awkward as it felt, I obeyed.
There was a sincerity about their brokenness as they shared how their life
turned around so quickly. They were new believers, but through COVID, they
were not discipled. When hard times came, they went back to their former
habits. I asked if I could pray for them and they were glad that I would.
Together we prayed, we cried, and we shared a spiritual closeness.
After the prayer, it seemed that this homeless couple had a fresh hope.
There was a beautiful sincerity as they reoriented and made a plan to get
back on track. Unfortunately, I never got another opportunity to see them.
One month later, Michelle Stewart gave me a report on how they were doing.
She mentioned that the couple had continued to do well, and that they used
that moment as a new beginning. They decided to follow Jesus, stick to His
Word, and grow closer to Him. God could have used anyone in that place;
there’s nothing special about me except that I was there and followed the
movement of the Holy Spirit.
If you find yourself helping at Loads of Love, there is a good chance you’ll
hear the enthusiasm of this couple. Let them know they are loved and wanted
by our Lord and Savior and are welcome in their family of believers.
– Joshua Dyer