Volunteering

 

On April 18, 2016 I was thinking about how I have been volunteering over the years since I was a teenager.  I think it’s true that you often get more out of it than you put into it.  When I was volunteering in Brazil for a short time I was working with street kids and I was amazed how grateful they were.  We would sometimes have them come into the place where we were staying and would let them shower and give them clean clothes.  Most people don’t have to worry about where their next meal, bed, shower, etc. will be, but where I was volunteering so many children did.

A lot of the kids that were on the street were there because their parents were already living on the street to start with.  Another reason some kids are on the street there is that they get caught up in drugs at a young age.  My heart broke for them, but they were so touched that someone like me would come over from so far away to help them.  It made it worthwhile being away from home as I could help a child feel important when they originally didn’t see themselves that way.

More recently I volunteered for my city when they were having a large sporting event.  I was one of the volunteers that helped people with directions.  I was outside in the sun often for eight or more hours on my feet and I loved it.  There were times where there was music on in the background and a group of us volunteers ended up dancing and entertaining some of the spectators that were coming by. 

I admit sometimes our dancing wasn’t overly coordinated, but it made the people coming into the sporting area laugh and smile.  Often we would welcome the spectators as they were coming in and leaving the area.  I was glad to be a part of the sporting event as I was showing people coming into our city that we are great people and that we like to help anyone that needed help.

In the past year I have been volunteering with a program that helps kids when they are coming into secondary care.  I am not directly connected with the kids in care, but I am one of the people that puts together care packages for the children when they go into the foster care system or are taken out of their parents’ place.  With the care package we put together we want the child to know that there are people who care for them and we hope that the package brings the child some form of comfort in the hard times they are in.

When I heard feed back recently about how one child was so touched by the care package that they felt loved it really helped me see that even in the little things we do for someone else it can really make a difference.

I found when I was giving to others I often felt better about myself as I am only focusing on the things I could do for others, instead of what I couldn’t.  I find when you look outside of your own life it can make you appreciate what you have in this life.

Patricia <3 J

Leviticus 25:35    If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.

 

Here’s a song about us coming to our God, and finding rest in Him, as without Him we fall part, and He’s the one who guides our heart.  We need our God all the time, even in every hour we need Him.  And in Him we are free.  When temptation comes I’ll fall on Him as our Lord is our hope and where we stay.

 

“Lord, I Need You” by Matt Maher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuvfMDhTyMA&list=PL3whQX319DaB37iB8NZpJe206iSdpe3kc&index=132