Good deeds happening in Front Royal

People all over the world, including the little town of Front Royal, Virginia, do good deeds for complete strangers everyday without asking for anything in return. Sometimes they have absolutely no idea how much their actions help those complete strangers. You may ask how I know this… the answer to that question is that I was one of those strangers. I had hit rock bottom and it led me back to my home town of Front Royal. I was staying in a rent-by-week hotel. I was unemployed and money was running out fast. I had to use the local food banks to feed myself.

One day, while I was walking back to the hotel, it was snowing and all I had was a jean jacket on. I was absolutely frozen from head to toe. This red jeep pulls up beside me and the passenger window goes down. Inside I see a man and woman I had never seen before. The man said that I looked cold and my response was that he was correct. He got out of the vehicle and pulled out a high-quality winter coat and handed it to me, and he told me it was mine now. I put it on and thanked him, telling him how much that meant to me as I could not afford one. He introduced himself as Barry and introduced me to his wife, Moya.

Barry and Moya told me about something called the Drop In Cafe. It was at a church in town, and they told me to come for a warm meal and conversation if I would like, and it is completely free. We parted ways, and I made a much warmer final walk to my hotel. Monday came and I decided to go and get a warm breakfast as promised, and once again to thank the people who gave me my new coat. When I got to the church, I was shocked to be warmly greeted by a few people from the community who asked what I would like to eat and drink, and said it is all free here to anyone in the community who is in need, homeless or just wants to drop in. Barry and Moya were there, as they said they would be, and introduced me to a wonderful woman named Linda. After sitting and talking to Linda and sharing some of my story, she offered to help me get resources and figure out what kind of aid I qualified for. Kind of in shock, I asked why she would do all of that for a total stranger. She just smiled and replied, “that’s what we do here at the Drop In Cafe.”

I got my food and some hot coffee, and I sat and talked with Linda, Barry and Moya for a while. After I finished eating, they asked if I would like more, to which I replied “no thank you.” Linda then took out a notebook and wrote a list of resources for me to look into as well as took my personal information down. She offered to help with any application process I needed help with. Before the Drop In Cafe closed for that day, they gave me a travel hygiene kit, a survival bag (which included a knit hat, gloves and some more hygiene products) put together by a lady at the church, and made sure I took a good amount of food with me. Linda gave me a ride home as all they had given me was a lot to carry. When she dropped me off, she told me I was welcome at the cafe anytime and to call her if I needed anything. As it turned out, I did take her up on her offer for a ride to use some of the resources she gave me to get clothing vouchers and some more winter appropriate clothes.

The week went by and I decided to make another stop by the Drop In Cafe. Of course, I got breakfast and chatted with the Barry, Moya and Linda again. Linda said she had a few things that she needed done around the house that she would pay me to do if I was interested. I accepted the offer, as I was very close to broke. Barry and Moya offered to drive me around place to place to fill out applications if I would like. I accepted that offer as well.

About a month went by without a missed visit to the cafe. One day I came into the cafe and Linda could tell something was wrong and asked what was troubling me. I explained that I was not able to pay for the hotel and was going to have to go to a shelter in Winchester, Virginia. She told me to hang out at the cafe for a while and she would see what she could do. That day she drove me back to the hotel and asked when I had to be out, which was the following day. She told me she had plenty of space, as she lived alone, and to call her when I checked out and she would take me to her place to stay for a while until I got on my feet. After moving in with Linda, we became close friends and I started thinking of her as as surrogate mother. She continued to help me in anyway she could to get a job, kept me fed, and kept a roof over my head. She never asked for anything in return.

I continued to go to the cafe every Monday morning but now as a volunteer instead of one in need. It has been almost two years since Barry and Moya gave me that coat. I now have a well paying job and am able to rent a beautiful townhouse. Things are going well for me. I still see Barry and Moya from time to time. As for Linda, we are still close; she truly is my surrogate mother and I love her as such.

There are many people who make the Drop In Cafe possible, and they are all deserving of praise for what they do. They take time out of their day to cook and feed every person who comes to that cafe, and even though it is at a church, there is no preaching or asking if you know God and Jesus, but will talk about faith if you ask them to. Just good food and good people willing to help you in anyway they can without expecting anything in return.

To all at the Drop In Cafe, thank you for everything. Thank you Barry and Moya for helping a stranger on the street and pointing me in the right direction. I still have the coat and it is still in good as new condition. It is still my primary winter coat. Special thanks goes to you, Linda, and I love you. All of you truly are a guiding light to those lost in the storm. I’m sure the Lord has a special place reserved for you at his table when you return home to him.

Thank you all.

Christopher Ferguson
Front Royal, Virginia

Drop In Cafe: Every Monday from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. in the gathering hall at the Calvary Episcopal Church (132 N Royal Ave, Front Royal, VA 22630)