Blessed be the givers in Coeur d'Alene

Two men waited outside Winco on Monday night.  

One in a wheelchair wore a red hoodie, sunglasses and held a sign that read, “Not from here. Anything helps. God bless.” The other wore a dark hoodie, checked jacket and backpack. A scarf covered his face.  

They looked homeless.

Most people walked silently past them on their way to their cars in the parking lot. Some nodded and offered kind words. A few stopped, talked and held out a few dollars.

In response, the two men declined the money and offered thanks and prayers. 

To five who seemed to give from their own needs, they gave Christmas cards in sealed envelopes. 

Inside each of those cards was $1,000. 

“We really want to bless people who give out of the kindness of their heart,” said Pastor Tim Remington of The Altar Church in Coeur d'Alene.

Remington, joined by fellow Pastor John Padula, went incognito two days before Christmas. It’s something they’ve done before to gauge the condition of the human heart, witness about Jesus Christ and, hopefully, brighten someone’s day. 

Five, Remington said, were particularly generous and encouraging, treating them with respect and seemed to give even if it meant they went without.

“They very kind to us,” he said. “They didn’t make you seem like a bum. They treated you good.” 

All five carried the cards with them as they walked away. They didn’t open them. 

Padula said they prayed for discernment to know who should receive the cards and cash. 

“I believe God showed up and the people who were supposed to be blessed with those cards got them,” he said. 

Courtney Enache was one of them.

When she saw a man in a wheelchair, she stopped to donate and pray. She didn’t know his situation, but she knew about the challenges of life in a wheelchair through her career and wanted to help.

“That’s what spoke to my heart,” Enache said. 

After a short conversation, Remington prayed with her and gave her a card.

Remington said one woman who seemed like she didn’t have a lot of money offered $20. 

“I’ve been there,” she told him.

In years past, when Remington and Padula have gone undercover, they have had more cards, smaller cash amounts and it has taken several hours to give them away because so few stopped. One particularly cold and dark night they nearly froze. 

"Sometimes I’ve stood out for five or six hours and couldn’t even give one card away,” Padula said. 

“Let's not freeze tonight,” Remington said. 

Jeff Miller of Emida stopped to chat with Padula, asking where he was from. He had food in his truck and was going to offer some to him. 

After he learned their true identities, Miller laughed. He said one of the men looked like he could be a robber and the other could have been blind. 

He liked that they were sharing their faith in Christ and blessing people spiritually and financially.  

“Cool,” he said.  

Padula said it was an incredible evening and people were giving this year. 

“There were a few people who really blessed us,” he said.