No matter what the season, there is always unspeakable beauty in human connections. Today I was blessed to be invited to be present when the volunteers gave their homeowner her prayer shawl. These are pretty common things in ASP-land--a lot of churches make them, bless them, and send them down with the crews. The church we have with us now has a pretty special ritual that includes a sweet blessing over the family and the home when the shawl is presented to them. We usually let the volunteers have their own special time with families and try not to intrude, but they insisted that I was welcome, and the family had made homemade peach cobbler, so how was I going to say no? When they placed the shawl around the grandmother's shoulders she started crying and then came to hug all of us after they had read the prayer. It was an incredible moment. I always feel that showing vulnerability with tears is an unconscious acknowledgement of a feeling of comfort and safety within that relationship and I'm so proud of the volunteers for building such a strong bond--after only 3 days! I'm uplifted by these little moments with volunteers and families that help remind me of all the unseen goodness behind the construction we do.
Thursday, February 21st:
I wrote before about how one of our homes was recently destroyed in a fire. Tonight the family came to see us at the center and it was wonderful to get to hug them and see that they're physically okay, even though the emotional damage is hidden. The daughter is almost ready to have her baby and we were excited to be able to provide them with some blankets and other basic supplies that volunteers have prayed over and donated to our center. Up until tonight we had only been able to communicate with the family through other people, so it made my heart happy just to get to hug them. I can't imagine the devastation I would feel to lose my childhood home, or as a mother and grandmother to lose the home and belongings where I had raised them.
Also, more puppies today!
Friday, February 22nd:
We had 4 work crews today scattered all around the county. While this is nothing compared to the summer and what it will be in March, things were insanely overwhelming. The groups who have been here all week have finished, in five days, all the things we had planned on their houses through the middle of March. And the new group that arrived last night is working at about the same speed. As much as we love getting to help more people when projects are completed sooner than we thought, volunteers who work beyond what our budget allows is a slight problem. So tonight I'm picking out lots more applications (some as old as 2011) that we can visit this next week and hopefully be able to help this spring. Even though I've had some issues with a lot of the changes within ASP lately, I don't think I'll ever lose the feeling I get when I remember how incredible this organization can be. I believe we are changing lives and that's beautiful.
Saturday, February 23rd:
I think I'm almost over the winter blues and I think I'll be done having to purposely find the beauty very soon! Today's weather (65 and perfect sunny skies) is probably helping me get there. Driving around with the windows down all day was good stuff. Also yeah, still trying to get the poison ivy to heal. See arm scratches (but also sunshine!) below.
"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13
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