This last week has been quite a week for me. I’ve been surrounded by a small army of people who love others and want to help in many ways. I’d like to share some of the stories of compassion I saw happen or heard about below. All names are fictional
♥ Two women met at Betty’s house and helped her pack her belongings to move. Betty was under a lot of stress and the help from these two good women not only saved her from physical work which would be difficult, but also put her mind more at ease through their friendship and love.
♥ Mary, an angel (she deserves that title), has been meeting people who travel at a bus station for some time. She brings them food. She translates tickets and instructions when they need it. She makes sure that children are able to sit on the bus together with their parents even when others yell at her. She collects clothing from other people and shares it with the travelers at the station.
♥ Beth brought home a mother and her baby who had no place to stay. The mother was exhausted and had a long way to travel. Beth gladly took her in, fed her, held her baby, and let the mother fall right to sleep for the night, giving her the needed rest before moving on.
♥ Ronald found out that a church was collecting clothes for people in need, but they lacked a good way to organize the donations that came in. When he found out their need he went to the church and installed shelves and closet rods.
♥ Leah was cleaning out her house and found some things she knew others could use. She went to a place where there are homeless and others who do not have much money. There she gave away not only water bottles and clothes etc. that she found in her house, but also homemade sandwiches that looked delicious, and even hugs for the love starved.
♥ Nala, a high school student, helped people who don’t speak English make arrangements for them to travel to their families. She served tirelessly and then went back to school and talked with her schoolmates and teacher about helping out as well. Then together they started organizing a drive for those who have need.
♥ Kate, an older woman, does not have the energy to get out and get supplies for a donation drive. She gave cash, hoping that someone could use it to get the supplies she wasn’t able to get on her own.
♥ Steve spent hours setting up tables, organizing materials, and working with volunteers to feed a group of hungry people. Then after it was over, spent another 2 hours taking everything down and cleaning.
♥ Joy gathered a group of high school kids together to help set up an apartment for refugees. This isn’t the first time they have done it and it won’t be the last. The students all work together well and enjoy doing the work.
♥A couple of Cub Scout dens have been working on sewing quilts together. These boys are 10 years old and each sews one, sometimes amazing their parents and others with the work they are able to accomplish. Then on Saturday, a group of women got together and tied these quilts. The quilts will be given to a boys’ home.
♥ Paula got an idea, asked someone in a charity if her plan was appropriate, and set out to implement her service activity involving girls she teaches through her church. The girls will be collecting stuffed animals, cleaning them and then they will give them to children who need comfort. Meanwhile, this week, she is working on a “Christmas project” where people can “adopt” a refugee family and bring them needed gifts.
♥A small bag of coins was donated to a charity. Was it from a child? A widower who did not have much? A single mom? No one knows, but it reminds me that it isn’t the amount that is received that matters. It is that you consider what can be done and if you can, give a little more.
I have been blessed to know of these stories and so many more this week. If you despair about what is going on in the world, look around and you may see angels near you. You could even become one yourself by smiling at someone, complimenting a stranger, giving a few coins to a homeless shelter, or making a phone call to someone who feels alone.
What stories of compassion have you seen or heard of in the last little while?