A thrift store in inner-city Kalamazoo, Michigan.Exactly the place where you'd expect to meet Jesus, right? Jane Knuth's middle-class, suburban, church-going background had not prepared her well to serve as a volunteer at an inner-city thrift store. Reluctantly, she decided to give it a try.Thrift Store Saints is a collection of true stories based on Jane's unexpected, soul-stirring experiences at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Rather than viewing society's poor as problems to be solved, Jane begins to see them, one at a time, in a completely different light--as saints who can lead us straight to the heart of Christ. Jane's transformation is rooted in the prevailing message of the book: When we serve the poor, they end up giving us much more than we could ever give them. Each chapter introduces readers to new "saints," as Jane thoughtfully, at times humorously, describes how her frequent encounters with the poorest people were really opportunities to meet Jesus--25[ at a time. Jane Knuth has been volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Kalamazoo, Michigan, for the last 15 years. She is also an eighth-grade math teacher. Jane and her husband, Dean, live in Portage, Michigan. This is Jane's first book.