The Cookie Lady
Posted on August 23rd, 2007 by Reformed Pope into the Things Dougie wouldn't do categoryThere was an excellent article in the Portland Tribune last week about Sarah Modrall, a wonderful woman who has spent the past eight years working to help people on the streets. We talk a lot about the negative side of Christianity and constantly point out how it fails to meet any real needs in the world, so it's nice to get a chance to focus on someone who gets it right.
In my opinion, Sarah is a great example of how a Christian should live. She has sacrificed a ton, and she doesn't do it to "prosper financially", she doesn't do it for some level of fame, glory, or power…she does it because it is what Christ has called us to do. Here's a quote from the article:
Modrall's kindness, which was first distributed along with bags of homemade cookies, became a key ingredient in a charitable effort that now includes a well-staffed outreach center, partnerships with social service agencies and three Portland-area homes - including her own - that house street kids in transition.
What's surprising is just how unlikely a candidate she might seem for the role she's chosen. A pretty, Texas-born minister's daughter whose own children are grown, she wouldn't be out of place at the country club or relaxing at a vacation home somewhere.
But she found herself called to the rough, seemingly asocial youths who are an indelible part of the downtown landscape, the ones who inspire reactions ranging from pity to annoyance to outright fear.
Sarah is an inspiration to me.
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August 23rd, 2007 at 10:29 am
Ya know… she used to attend BT for MANY years…
August 23rd, 2007 at 10:55 am
I happened to run into her at Imago Dei a few months back. Good job Sarah!
August 23rd, 2007 at 7:08 pm
Her LIFE says more than any Biblical theology that rolls off eloquent lips.
A supreme example of a “Doer” rather than a “Hearer”.
August 24th, 2007 at 12:04 pm
I admire Sarah, as well. I’m surprised at how well the Mercury covered this, and especially love the quotes made by the downtown kids that know Sarah.
Yes, living life, she did go to BT, and, like most of us here, had bad experiences there. She has been at The Well now for several years (as have I), and actually preached recently, telling her story. A whole little section of our church is filled weekly with Sarah and “her kids,” and I love that.
August 25th, 2007 at 3:26 am
I agree, an excellent article, notwithstanding some of the pitiful responses posted in the Tribune by the ubiquitous, nitpicking complainers.
I attended PBC with Sarah and her sister, Rachel, back in the day, when she was Sarah Stanley, had her in all my classes. I was already good friends with Scott —we had previously attended Multnomah together — and we later did stuff together as couples. I always thought Sarah was one of the finest Christians I ever knew, just such a good person, as well as a good wife, and always had the fruit of the Spirit operating in her life. She really didn’t deserve all the hardships she went through, but it doesn’t surprise me at all that she got through it.
I’m so glad she has not allowed the hurts of the past to hinder her from enjoying the good life the Lord has now given her, and has sought to take the love of Jesus to these street kids who need it so badly, and which is obviously not an easy task. I pray she keeps up the wonderful work.
joe
August 25th, 2007 at 6:28 am
Thanks, everyone, for sharing this heartwarming story!
Funny how we are all so willing to talk up the good things and want to see it all over the newspaper, but we want to hide the bad stuff from the public eye and pretend it does not happen or has been dealt with.
Perhaps this is why the world views the church as too hypocritical?
Word
August 25th, 2007 at 9:25 am
Word said “Funny how we are all so willing to talk up the good things and want to see it all over the newspaper, but we want to hide the bad stuff from the public eye and pretend it does not happen or has been dealt with.”
Obviously you don’t read the news papers very much. Rarely a day goes by up don’t break down and cry, when reading news. Earthquakes, rapes, murder, war,… pain is all around us. Friends of kids in Sarah’s story set tied up and set fire to one of their own.
I grasp and hold tight to any good in this world.