These days, I have plenty of time to spare in my role as the re-re-re-re-tired teacher. Of course, I’m back to the point of wondering how I accomplished everything that needs doing while working. The answer is simple. Prioritization and organizational skills. It’s much more fun to choose random and important activities that come along. Yesterday was just such a day.
In the morning, help was needed to sort cans for the food drive. It’s amazing how many people just clean out the cupboard, forgetting about expiration dates on the cans. Although many expired cans are consumed in my own home, they can’t be given to people in their Thanksgiving boxes. Yesterday, 3 shopping baskets of food needing sorting.
The food drive is heartwarming in every way. The entire community is stepping up to the plate. A men’s group is holding a dinner at the firehouse from 11 -3. “Turkey cookers” are needed. I can certainly turn on my cooker for the cause. Then, the church is holding a dinner for singles at 3:30. Food for Thanksgiving boxes is rolling in. There are cases of cranberry, green beans, boxes of mashed potatoes, and jars of gravy stacking up in the sanctuary. Everything is sorting and awaiting the boxing and delivery days to come.
150 needy families will be very happy on Thanksgiving. People that might have needed to change the traditional meal to something less expensive will indeed enjoy a turkey dinner with all the fixin’s.
There is a wonderful group of people in this area that formed a group called “The Desert Pigs”. About five years ago, the trash in our desert was visible everywhere. It seems some people (true pigs) find it okay to back their truck up to some sage brush and empty out their discards. While totally illegal, it is also downright disgusting. A group of people came together to make it their mission to clean up the desert. Just a random group of people with time on their hands. The Desert Pigs are a great group who donated three shopping baskets of food to our cause.
Small communities take care of their own. That’s just what we do.
Sometimes churches don’t have members that are moved to be helpful. There are no food drives. No community participation. No Christmas boxes for needy children around the world. No sense of giving or empathy for those in need. I’m so blessed to be a part of an active church community that is the exact opposite.
After two hours of sorting out life (with wonderful conversations) and expiration dates (someone donated the opened BBQ sauce right out of their frig– given with love, but not appropriate) our task was complete, and I returned home to my own projects. The two hours given freely energized me for the rest of the day.
At 5 PM, I returned to the church for my second session of volunteering. This time, we were collecting boxes for Operation Christmas Child from surrounding towns and churches.
Each year, Samaritan’s Purse asks people to pack a shoebox full of small toys, socks, games, and any other great gifts as tightly as possible. These shoeboxes are delivered to churches all over the country. They are then shipped to a clearing house in Denver for final inspection and sorting. From there, these boxes are sent around the world to children along with an introduction to Jesus Christ. The boxes are filled with love and prayers and produce squeals and giggles of delight we can only imagine while also containing an important message of hope.
My name was the only one on Sunday morning’s volunteer sheet. The rest of the volunteer slots remained empty. With the possibility of 1,000 boxes coming from our town alone, this would make an impossible task for the man in charge of this mission. As it turned out, last night people came from other churches and one lady from a town 30 minutes to the East. Everyone had a willing heart, ready to do whatever was needed to accomplish this task.
Last year, there were 1700 boxes shipped from the entire Northwestern Nevada Region. Only 1700, grouped 15 in each shipping box. This year, our town alone has already collected 600. It seems this will be a very good year for Operation Christmas Child.
After volunteering twice in one day, I found I had some extra energy of my own last night. It felt so good to help in anonymous ways while never knowing the outcome. How many family rifts will be healed over the dinners we’ll pack? How many children will get a wonderful message of hope and love in a package prepared for someone in a home on the other side of the world? Goodness will follow all the items that passed through our hands yesterday. I must trust know that as absolute truth or my efforts would be worthless. I know this as an absolute truth. These items were given freely and out of love for others. Therein lies the true beauty of both projects.
Whatever you do today, find an organization that needs YOUR help. If you have an abundance of unexpired canned food in your pantry, donate a little to your local food pantry. An old blanket or two? Take them to the animal rescue in your town. Like kids? Buy a toy or two for the local toy drive. Visit the lonely widow or widower on your street. The opportunities to shine for someone whose light is dimming are endless. Find something to do and do it soon. As VST always reminded me, we can all sleep when we’re dead.
More tomorrow.