The Rewards of Service

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because some day in life you will have been all these."
~ George Washington Carver


The Rewards of Service

I don’t think I ever knew what giving time, a smile, and a kind word could do until this past Saturday!

Myself and members from my writing group, The Mahogany Experience, volunteered with Brown Bag Ministries to feed the homeless in the downtown Raleigh area.
We meet at St.Andrews Catholic Church at 9 am. I must admit that I was surprised to see the number of people who showed up to volunteer for this cause. The organizers gave a brief overview of how the organization started and off to work we went. We unloaded the supplies off of the truck while others setup the tables. Once that was done people split off into different directions. Some were making sandwiches while others were starting to fill the brown paper bags with snacks.

There were children of all ages and each stayed busy with an appointed task. It was not just an opportunity to help out our community but one to meet other liked minded and kind hearted people. While in groups doing assorted task we conversed about this or that. Found a rhythm and by the time we looked back up, all 650 lunches were packed and ready for delivery.

We traveled to our destination and the first thing I noticed were the number of people sitting around the park listening intensely to a preacher deliver the word. A few gave their own testimony and it was amazing to hear the joy, faith, and fortitude that resided in their hearts.

Throughout our time in the park we passed out bags, talked to them, and even shared a few laughs. I remember a little girl in particular who was getting several lunches for herself and her family. She walked up, handed us her tickets and awaited her bags but lacked even the faintest hint of a smile. I don’t know her circumstance or her story but I knew or at least I hoped there was a smile inside of her just waiting to come out. I asked for a smile and she gave me the most beautiful frown turned upside down. I will forever remember that one moment.
You see what I expected was to give a gift, I didn’t expect to get one in return. I was saying to myself, I am blessed and it’s time to give back to my community in any small way I can. I didn’t know that they would be giving me something. They gave me the gift of knowing the despite our circumstance or lack of possessions, you can still find joy in the mist of it all!

I am making a commitment to volunteer once a month from here on out. There are several organizations in our area in need of volunteers. Check them out and give a little time, a smile, and a kind word!

To learn more about brown bag ministries vist: www.brownbagministry.org