Sometimes the greatest Christmas gift is the chance to go home.
Carla Jackson had been living on the streets of Dallas, unsure if she’d ever see her family again. She came to Operation Care International’s Christmas celebration at the Dallas Convention Center just looking for a coat.
Then she saw a sign: “Home for the Holidays – Help with Bus Tickets Home.”
“I said, ‘Y’all really do that?’” Carla recalled. “They said, ‘Yes, we do.’ I said, ‘Oh, I need help because I’m trying to get home.’”
It was her daughter’s birthday. After 12 years apart, Carla would finally see her again.
The next morning, volunteers met her at the bus station. When she missed her first bus, founder Susie Jennings stepped in without missing a beat: “We’re going to get your ticket. Everything is going to be fine.”
Before she left, Carla reflected on life on the streets, especially as a woman—the judgment, the indignities, the nights with nowhere safe to go. Through it all, her faith held her steady: “When you’ve got God on your side… He’s your stronghold.”
The bus ride meant more than a trip home. It meant safety, dignity, and family.
“I don’t have to worry about sleeping on the concrete anymore,” she said. “I’m so grateful.”
Her final words were for the people who made it possible: “Thank y’all for all that y’all do… I pray that you will continue to give because we want to help more people like me.”
A bus ticket became a bridge back to family. Compassion became hope. Hope became a fresh start.
You can help write the next story like Carla’s. Please pray, volunteer, or give to Operation Care International as they help people find their way home one journey at a time.
