I headed home for a bit. I was not sure if I should go to the next event, considering it was all the way in Gastonia and it was like a rainstorm outside! Plus the sun had went down. However, I decided that I wasn't about to let a little water get in my way of spreading love. So I jumped in my car and took the rainy drive. Glad I did. I adopted a grandparent as we played Bingo with the elderly at an assisted living facility. I truly enjoy every moment I spend with an older person. They are very grateful, kind, and some are quite hilarious in their own right. This time was no different. If it wasn't so out of the way, I would surely go back on my own. You could feel the goodness in that place. Love is alive.
Day 7: This was it! The final (sadly) day of the incredibly powerful LOVE Week 2012!!! Oh, and what a day it was... I left service and headed to the soccer fields of William R. Davie Park to watch and cheer on the kids of One7 as they tore it up at some soccer. Oh but I forgot to mention, it was pouring down rain! It didn't help that I was without an umbrella either. In fact, when I stood up, my pants clung to my legs in quite an unpleasant way. Nevertheless, I hardly seemed to notice during the game as I was just enjoying being with friends and supporting kids who really needed it. Not to mention, it was pretty cold out there but I felt protected. The more you give, the more you receive, after all.
I headed home for a bit. I was not sure if I should go to the next event, considering it was all the way in Gastonia and it was like a rainstorm outside! Plus the sun had went down. However, I decided that I wasn't about to let a little water get in my way of spreading love. So I jumped in my car and took the rainy drive. Glad I did. I adopted a grandparent as we played Bingo with the elderly at an assisted living facility. I truly enjoy every moment I spend with an older person. They are very grateful, kind, and some are quite hilarious in their own right. This time was no different. If it wasn't so out of the way, I would surely go back on my own. You could feel the goodness in that place. Love is alive.
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Day 6: The LOVE Week fun continued on the 18th, as I spent all day Saturday running around for the greater good! It started at "Promising Pages" as I cleaned donated books and helped organize the warehouse. These books go towards at-risk children who typically don't have very many, if any, books to read. This usually places them behind their classmates when starting and continuing their education. These children deserve equal opportunities. After all, their future depends on it!
Next on the to-go list was the very colorful and happy "Bright Blessings!" This nonprofit provides birthday parties, birthday presents, and other joyous opportunities to homeless children. Their location even includes a toy store, playroom, and space for the parties! This positive, uplifting environment made this one of my favorites, as we sorted goody bags for the children. I love the idea of sharing happiness with those that often feel quite the opposite... Finally, I closed the evening by spending quality time with recovering, otherwise homeless adults who lived at Samaritan's House. They had all been recently released from the hospital due to a variety of medical conditions and were now in need of support and encouragement towards a new and improved chapter of their life. It was nice being able to interact personally with these individuals and hear their stories as we had dinner together. I spoke with one gentleman, probably in his 50's, who had a kind face despite his tough exterior. The earring in his ear didn't match his willingness to share and be open with me. We discussed books, TV shows, movies, and hobbies. This former alcoholic just so happened to love gardening and cooking! It gives true meaning to don't judge a book by its cover. I'll be praying for him and the rest of them. The people of LOVE Week have my heart for life. I hope to see them again one day. Day 5: Friday I lost my mind and spent all day volunteering for LOVE Week and loved every second of it! It began at the 2nd Harvest Food Bank as we filled large, paper grocery bags with canned goods and toiletries for those in need at lightning speed, even surprising the associates of the nonprofit! Yeah that's right. Then, they took us to the sorting room where we, well, sorted. We opened large boxes and put food in the appropriate even larger boxes. Pretty easy stuff, especially since there was apparently an invasion of cereal so most of it went to the same place.
Next up, The Salvation Army Center of Hope dinner! One of my favorites. Some of us prepared dinner, and the rest of us, myself included, served the food which really just meant that I poured some drinks and spent most of the time sitting down and socializing with the homeless families. I super enjoyed talking to the kids and seeing their hopeful smiles. Their courage is certainly admirable, especially amongst their situations. I met some really friendly people here who I wanted nothing more than to help. It breaks my heart to be able to witness their struggle and wonder if they'll make it. Finally, the Plaza Place wrapped up my night as I participated in "Fun Family Night!" The adults played BINGO in one room and the rest of us played BINGO with the little ones in their playroom. My buddy was a 3 year old girl who said she wanted to be my best friend :) Super cuteness. After BINGO, we played McDonalds, blocks, and spin tops, among other activities with all the less-fortunate children. The best part for me actually came at the end when one of the "tough" boys who I had stuck with, came up and gave me a hug all on his own. It's those moments that make all this matter.... Day four of this massive community outreach beautiful nonsense takeover of the city with love continued for me at Elevation Church at the Matthews Campus (1 of 6) as I was fortunate enough to be able to make snack bags for the fantastic nonprofit, "A Child's Place." This local organization works to eradicate the impact of homelessness on children by providing them with opportunities to get ahead, such as a proper education, as well as meeting their basic needs. We filled paper bags by the numbers with snack foods and drinks to go to these high-needs children. Standing there looking around at all the people uniting together to help these less-fortunate kiddos made my heart very happy. It's time we see this kind of love more often. These kids and people all around the world rely on us, for situations out of their control, to be able to make it in this life. Without us, the blessed ones, they have no hope. We are there chance. We are there opportunity. Our kindness can change their future. Let's not forget that. Day 3: For the first time, I visited the new and very lovely Ronald McDonald House that serves as a temporary housing facility for families and their children who are undergoing medical treatment, typically from out of town. The tour blew me away with the neat Ronald McDonald room that even included a large M headboard (insanity) and some of the best and most colorful paintings I have ever seen. The facility was very cozy with a fireplace, sofas, low lighting, a clean kitchen, and well laid out dining area. There were even kids' playrooms downstairs and a library. I was truly impressed with this building and high quality is definitely apparent here. As for volunteering, we made St. Patty's Day necklaces and decorated mugs. Yes, I made a PCW mug. Don't judge me! We also provided dinner for the kids and families. I hope and pray that these children have a safe and speedy recovery. This is for sure a place I will be returning to soon!
Day 2: Visited one of my personal favorite places to volunteer, "Crisis Assistance Ministry" to serve with my fellow Elevators "the least of these." We talked and listened to encouraging music while hanging up clothes for this free store that serves those in need in the Charlotte community. Time flies by when you're having fun and before we knew it, it was already over. I can just say that out of all the times volunteering for this nonprofit, I have never seen so many volunteers at one time. The overflow of love was everywhere! Fun fact- one person's hour long contribution can provide enough for a family for a whole year! So bring on the love!!!!
Day 1: Part 1- I was abnormally excited to go to my first ever LOVE Week volunteer event knowing that Elevation Church doesn't settle for mediocre! Well, I was a little late but that's okay because lunch was too, which is what I would be serving. Extremely interesting watching Habitat for Humanity and Elevators build a house up as this was a first for me. There were quite some people there working, well more like killing it, in no time. A neighbor even came over and remarked, "Wow, you all have an army of people!" Yes, that's how Elevation rocks it and hopefully PCW will one day too! Met some kind people and a cute little boy who was determined to build a bird house from the scraps. Best part for me was probably signing the wall post though with an encouraging message. Hope was certainly alive here. Part 2- Incredible Saturday night service at Elevation with the gifted Israel Houghton singing his pipes out and filling us with the music of love as well as another knock-out sermon from the ridiculously talented, Pastor Steven Furtick. But the fun is not over yet. They announce that they will be sorting shoes for Samaritan's Feet in the parking lot directly after service and we are invited to join. So of course I go. It feels like negative 100 degrees but I don't really notice because I'm surrounded by another army of loving volunteers and we are going hard. Between both church campuses, 15,000+ shoes were processed! Phenomenal is the power of love. And we are just getting started.... Well, here it is again. The day of love that some people can't stand and others wait for all year. But whether you think V-Day is just an excuse for greeting card companies to make an added bonus or you're a hopeless romantic that loves love itself, there is an aspect of Valentines Day that should speak to us all. We were born to love and be loved. So forget dinners you can't afford or hiding under the blankets today. Go out and give love to someone that needs it. Someone forgotten and alone. That 40 something woman huddled under her tiny blanket on a bus bench in the inner city or that kid with the sad eyes in a housing facility whose clothes have one too many holes and mom and dad aren't around anymore. Don't just throw money at them but spend time with them. Ask them their story or just listen to whatever they want to talk about. Easy enough right? Yet, so many of us wait for someone else to do it. "Why isn't somebody doing anything about it?", you ask. Well, guess what. You are somebody.
"The more love you give, the more you receive." Happy Valentines Day! |