A story from Joy Gort, Bus Boutique coordinator:
A small young African-American girl came on the bus, asked what she could get and I told her ten items for free. She was by herself, and she was about 9. Her mother was at home asleep.
I asked the young lady what size she was, and she didn't really know, she said she only gets to wear what her sister outgrows, so her mom only buys her older sister stuff. I had her try on a shirt over her clothes just to get an idea. Then I told her, now we can go shopping! She was so happy. She grinned the whole time and was laughing as we shopped and joked at certain styles. I will not forget that moment. We found several blouses, and a few pants.
We found the perfect blouse for Easter for her, and she wished out loud that she had a skirt to wear with it, so I turned around and right there poking out on the men's side was a skirt, just her size with just the right colors to match the blouse. She jumped up and down and said that was perfect. We then found a pair of shoes to go with it, all her size and all her own.
She asked who gave the clothes and I told her they had been donated by others who wanted to share, and that the Lord provided to us the bus and the opportunity to share the clothes throughout Merced County. I gave her a flyer, and a brochure and a business card I had in my purse from Gateway so she could tell her mother where she got the clothes so she would not get in to trouble.
I prayed for that little girl as she left. I think of the moments like that when I work on the bus.