One-Generation Removed

Today my children and I along with many others served at Mary’s Center in downtown Washington, DC. We were helping stuff bags with food for distribution to needy families this Thanksgiving. The founder, Maria Gomez, was there and she addressed us before we started the actual stuffing of bags. During her remarks, she asked that as we filled each bag we think of each family that would be reached this holiday as a result of generous individuals that donated both food and money and also as a result of those of us there giving of our time. She shared the demographics of our local community and informed us of how many families are hungry on a daily basis. Living in the DC Metro area we are witness to much poverty and homelessness as well as much affluence and wastefulness. Ms. Gomez also reminded us that several of us in the room were actually just one generation removed from the stark reality of hunger and poverty. Those words struck me because they are most certainly true of my situation. As my son and his friend set up their station to start filling bags, my daughter and I grabbed our first bag to start filling. I felt a strange wave of emotion come over me because the last time I had done that I was a teenager standing in line with my mother filling a bag to take home for our own family. I remembered the sense of shame that I felt then because I needed to ask for food, but I also felt a sense of gratitude to the strangers that had donated willingly so that we might eat. I remember being thankful for each of the volunteers for being so kind and making us feel welcome. Even more keenly, I recalled how I vowed to one day do the same for someone else if I possibly could. As I watched my children interacting with others today, I could only feel gratitude. Gratitude to my Lord and Savior for the blessing of such amazing children that have a heart for others, gratitude for the gift of health and well-being to be in a position to be able to help, and gratitude for the gift of the humility I felt as I filled each bag remembering how mighty and able Our Lord is that He can use each one of us for His purpose if we are willing to submit to His will. I am humbled by the fact that I am just one generation removed from living in poverty but I am also keenly aware that through active compassion we can choose to serve others and be part of the solution as others work toward their one-generation removed. Have a wonderful, bountiful Thanksgiving! God’s blessings to you always! (PS: Thank you Kaitlyn and Toby for your giving heart and love for others—remember to always Pay it Forward and know that He is Lord. I love you!)