On Friday I completed my community service project. I'm trying to gather my scattered thoughts about it. My husband and I went to the Baptist Children's Village, an orphanage in Jackson. We helped to fold letters for a large mailing that they were getting ready to send out. The letter was a request for money to buy Christmas gifts for the kids. As I read over the letter I realized how spoiled I am!! Every year I make a Christmas list knowing that I'll probably get at least half of the things on it. These kids probably get one gift that they treasure for a long time....long after the excitement of my multiple gifts has worn off.
The women that was in charge was so nice and friendly! She made us feel right at home. She insisted on getting us something to drink and a snack. Have you every met someone and just had a good feeling about them in your spirit? I don't mean to be over dramatic, but I had that sense about this woman. She seemed so content with her work...like she simply loved what she was doing.
Honestly, the work was monotonous. I have to admit that I wasn't really looking forward to it. There were boxes and boxes of letters to fold. I did some rough figuring and decided that there were about 36,000 letters all together! As I sat there folding I couldn't help feeling like I was barely making a dent. I wasn't able to stay as long as I wanted too. As I left, I glanced at my small stack of folded letters and wished that it could be larger. I don't know why I think that I should come away from an experience like this with a "warm and fuzzy" feeling about myself. Why do I need to be able to pat myself on the back for it to feel like a success?
I think one thing I can take away from this experience is the lesson that results are hard to measure. Sometimes "the best that we can do" doesn't always yield great and instant results, but God sees and takes pleasure in any effort that we make to reach out, regardless of how small it may seem to us.
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2 comments:
you are so right about the small things mattering even if you don't see huge results. the important thing is that you do something...not nothing. keep up the good work :)
As the recipient of your investment of time, I must share that you, along with many others on that following Saturday, folded and stuffed 30,000 letters. This appeal will provide Christmas and so much more in the coming year for over 300 children in the care of The Baptist Children's Village. You were indeed a part of something much bigger than you realize and your efforts, joined with the efforts of others like yourself, do make a difference.
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