Saturday, November 3, 2007

A comment I hadn't expected.

At our outreach lunch today I overheard a conversation between Harvey, Vonda and Donald. It was strange to hear it. It gave me a new and different perspective about feeding the hungry.

Here I figured we had come to help out, by offering some food to folks that needed a little extra......and we had. But, this fact all of a sudden took a bit of a curve.....the three of them were talking amongst themselves about Africa and the tremendous needs there. They spoke of a TV show they had watched with the children dying of starvation and the people not having anywhere to go to get food or shelter. They were talking about others in need....others who didn't have what they had, who didn't have doctors to take care of their needs when they were sick, didn't have a soup kitchen to go to when they got hungry, didn't have a roof over their heads when the rains came or when the sun was oppressive. Ya, here they were, whom I thought were pretty down and out folks...talking about the needs of others who were much less fortunate than they. Go figure...........I wasn't the only one that wanted to help folks!!!

They realized how much they actually had and were very grateful for all that had been given to them, as they sat around the table and filled their stomachs and enjoyed each other's company in the shelter of the building.

Not sure if Donald, Vonda and Harvey's physical hunger has always been satisfied, but today it was and they were able to think of others needs. Strange how that chain of provision works it's way down the ladder. When we take care of our neighbor's needs, we set them free to offer help to other folks...........or at least, in meeting their needs, we might then allow them the freedom to think about what they could do for others.

I learned new things today about life and living it....and how I should never have preconceived thoughts of people. It humbled me.

3 comments:

Shauna Bennett said...

What a precious gift you have received today. Thoughts of you often, Sharon.

Sharon Kent said...

Yes, it is that alright. A gift.

Thinking of you too......

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