From The Heart...
The Director of Dimensions.
So, one of our board members, Rand, asked me "why do you do what you do, that's what I want to know". And my response at that moment was because I love it, because it's who I am, because that's what I do. I really had to think about it and pray about it for a while and I did and here's what the Lord showed me. First of all, it is about who I WAS. I was an addict/alcoholic who lived on the streets and did what I had to do and was just a "free spirit", or so I thought, for many years. Second, it's about who I am now, and that is my identity in Christ. I do what I do because of who He is and what He's done for me, and what He wants to do for everyone.
I accepted the Lord in the spring of 1998 and was compelled to learn everything I could about Him. After many years I am able to see now the preparation and the equipping He has done in me. I am now and have always been passionate about nutrition. Since I was 15 years old till my job at UPS I had always worked in the food and beverage industry and my husband currently owns a restaurant. I have been a recovered addict/alcoholic for 22 years so I have experience in recovery and am currently in leadership training for a Celebrate Recovery program. In the fall of 1998 I had a son Aaron, and that's probably the biggest lesson in unconditional love that I've ever had. After all that, I still felt lacking. I was still angry and resentful and didn't have joy. I didn't have the freedom in Christ that I knew was available. That's when I learned about delivery ministry. I learned that when I got sober, that was actually God's deliverance, I never went back. I have personal experience with being delivered from the rage and anger I used to have and I'm definitely not perfect but I am beginning to understand the wholeness that God wants for each of us, body, mind and spirit. He has made me passionate to tell others and show them about the freedom that is available in Jesus.
Probably the biggest area of understanding I have gained is in compassion for people. I used to think no one was going to get over on me, I knew better than them. Everyone we see who needs help is not in that position because they want to be there or because of poor choices. There are families at the pantry and downtown who go to work every day but just don't make enough to make ends meet. Then there's the mental illness. Much of the alcoholism and addiction we see is just the "calming of the mind". And then there's the hopelessness. People are just hurting these days. We don't know what to do, we don't know how to do it and many times we were never taught the right way to do it. Sometimes we just need someone to look us in the eye, to smile, to say hello, to shake our hand or give us a hug. And you know what, then there are the ones who just want a free meal, who don't care, but just does that mean God doesn't love them and does that make them any less human? We all just really want someone to love us.
So, that's why I do what I do. God has not only called me, He has equipped me and I am in a constant learning state. Dimensions strives to promote and preserve human dignity by demonstrating God's love in action, which transforms body, mind and spirit!
Blessings,
Fran Richardson-Dimensions director
Review & Vision
2018 Letter
For Dimensions and for myself personally, 2018 has been a year of depth, learning and growing in God’s grace! I could not, literally, have done it without your love, prayers, partnership and financial support…I am forever grateful for all this and for the trust you display in me and the ministry through these actions.
In 2018, Dimensions served 11,134 people groceries along with 1830 hot meals for a total distribution of 243,000 pounds of food. That does not include all the clothing donated, Bibles, hygiene items, “life packs” and anything else the Lord provided. Along with those of you who gave personally, we partnered with Trader Joe’s, Sprouts Farmers Markets, the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada i.e. St. Vincent’s, Alpine Ranch, who donated over 1500 pounds of local grass fed meat, Awaken INC, Pioneer AG Church, our local 7-11 on Geiger Grade and A Voice in the Wilderness Church. I could go on and on naming all 60 volunteers who serve in Dimensions and all of the things done in 2018 but I’ve got it down to three… I don’t do this often but I would like to tell you three stories of what your support has meant this year…
I’ll start with a man that I will call Ron. We met Ron through the food pantry several years ago and he has gotten assistance from the food pantry and has helped volunteer throughout the years. He found himself in a bad situation and homeless with nowhere to go and no job. So, with my husband, after careful consideration, we offered him our couch for six weeks. A lot happened in that time, good and bad, but he finally made the decision to move back to Southern California to be around his family! A single mom and her teenage son were in a radical car accident, hit by a drunk driver, she had two broken legs and he had liver lacerations. They were living in their car at the time and I gave a friend my card if she needed help (I was thinking groceries). She called me three days before fundraising help ran out with no money and no where to go. With prayerful consideration, and my husbands blessings, we took them in. Fran’s plan was that 3 months or so she will be healed up physically and that while that was happening I could help her in other areas to move forward, make better choices, etc. I had big plans and high hopes! So that was eleven months ago! Not God’s plan! It would take a lot of words to tell you what God has done in my head and heart this last few months. Suffice it to say He is molding me to His way, whether I like it or not!! He is shaping Dimensions to His specs! Fast forward, the boy is doing good physically and she was diagnosed with a bone infection, and had, at 7 months in, a fourth surgery with a no weight restriction on the leg. There have been bizarre and frankly unbelievable developments all along the way. With a small income from Victims of Crime and your faithful giving we are facing the mountain together!
At this writing, she is on the mend, with no pain for the first time, she has gotten a job and she will be moving to her own place next month! Then comes a woman I will call Mary… Mary came to the pantry about 5 months ago. What I observed was her slurring of speech and stumbling and all around weak state. I have my own thoughts but the Lord is teaching me to see thru His eyes (not always effective). As we served her, she said she walked all the way to the church from Toll Rd (at 6 am in November). I did not know til later that she met a neighbor in line who has become a friend to her and they share a ride to the pantry. So, about 2-3 weeks later I noticed she was helping others and us a little after she got her groceries and she was not slurring or stumbling and was very coherent and bright and super grateful. So I asked her what was up(which I rarely do) and she said she was literally starving and had no food for a while. Now Mary is volunteering with Dimensions! WOW! I’ve been doing this a while but I still think this doesn’t happen here, that everyone has food because it’s available, kind of like we can “assume” that everyone has heard about Jesus!!
Thank you again! I pray blessings over you as you faithfully give. I literally could not do it without you!