#18- service

"You have never really lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you"

I can't tell you how true that quote is in my life right now. It is a truly humbling experience to be surrounded by people who feel they have nothing to offer, while you provide a service to them. The only difference is though, while these people couldn't offer me a tangible object...they gave me so much more.

I volunteered at a dining hall downtown yesterday, to serve dinner to the homeless community. I knew going into it that it would be an emotional thing for me. I've always had a soft spot for the homeless. You can never know or understand each ones own individual struggle, nor can you judge a person you don't know for a position they are in. So serving a meal to the homeless is something I've always wanted to do, but usually the thought comes about during the holidays. Naturally I think we feel inclined to give more around the holidays. But the harsh reality for these people is that they need to eat everyday, not just sometimes.

I pulled into the dining hall & was greeted by people lined up outside waiting for dinner to be served. Inside, I met with Russ, the guy in charge of a group who call themselves the Street Crew. I'll tell you more about them in a minute. He greeted Stevie & I ( my amazing friend who came with me) & gave us a task to take over. He placed Stevie in the serving line, and I was in charge of handing out water. I was excited and nervous because this meant I'd be having quite a lot of interaction with everyone who came in to eat.

When 5'o'clock rolled around, the dining hall immediately became flooded with people.  Young people, old people, people of many races, and the one's that really hit me hard....children. So many children.  My heart literally ached as I did something as simple as handing someone a bottle of water to people in dire need. I've never been greeted with so many smiles & thank yous, EVER. I studied every single person's face that I approached & wondered what their story was. I wondered if they knew how much I really cared. I wasn't there to get service hours, or because someone asked me to. I was there because I care about these people. And to be honest, I felt honored.

One particular family really stood out to me more than others & I felt drawn to them. A couple close to my age with 3 small children, ages 3, 2 & 5 months. The little girl was dressed in a princess dress, the little boy was wearing a sweater & was drenched in sweat. I handed them water, and walked away with tears in my eyes & a pain in my heart I don't think I've ever felt. Russ approached me & asked if I was ok...I apologized for being so emotional & reassured him I would be fine. He asked if he could take over my water task for a minute, and encouraged me to go mingle with these kids that I was so touched by. So I wiped the tears & gathered myself the best I could & I approached the family that had caught my eye. I told the little girl she looked like a beautiful princess in her dress...Xavier (the 3 year old boy) talked to me about his dinner & I told him I loved his name. I watched the 5 month old baby in the car seat wait patiently for his turn to eat. I talked to the parents & told them how beautiful their family was. My heart was literally breaking with every word. I wanted so much to tell them everything will be ok, to give them a hug, to help them...anything! I could tell they were happy I approached them, just to have a conversation and get to know something about them. I'm so thankful for that experience and it's something I'll never forget. I hope I encounter that family again in the future.

After I mingled with a few people I went back to my station & Russ came over & talked to me about the Street Crew. The goal of this group of HUGE hearted people isn't just to meet a couple times a month to serve dinner to this community. Their goal is to get to know them & to provide them with friendships to give them some kind of hope & something to look forward to.  I feel like this is something I'm supposed to be a part of, and I'm planning to volunteer for future service.

I went home that night & viewed my own life in a whole new way. I am SO incredibly blessed, beyond words. Once again...giving to others really put my "problems" into perspective! So happy this opportunity crossed my path!