The Beer Was Running Down My Leg
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I had just opened the back hatch on a trashed out mini-van. As I did, the bag of beer cans fell out. I could feel the beer trickling down my leg and filling the heel of my sandal.
That was the moment. 
That was the moment when kids and adult began lifting bags of food into the trashed out mini-van. That was my moment of being tempted to quit. That was my moment of saying "God, I will do this in your name." That was my moment of seeing how much I have to learn in doing good. I'm obviously not as loving as I think I am.
The trashed out mini-van? It belonged to an older couple in their late 60's. Living on a fixed income, they have little fresh fruits or vegetables in their diet due to their poverty. It's a common problem among the urban poor. The can of beer spilling down my leg? It was in a bag of cans they had collected to return for the deposit of 10 cents each. Every little bit helps when you live on a fixed income of $800 a month.
A 71-year old woman came thru the line. As Dan, one of the Threads volunteers, helped her home with her bags of food, he learned she cares all day for two granddaughters. Her son-in-law died of a heart attack at age 32. Her widowed daughter works all day to provide for her family. The grandmother is due for an angioplasty. High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and more occur at much higher rates among the urban poor.
Our volunteer team from Threads did an amazing job. We had joined with the Eastside Neighborhood Association. They had 3 volunteers from the neighborhood and Threads brought 9.
The expectation for the first day was that we would serve 100 people or so. Maybe 35 or 40 showed up. One old-timer at this said that it was probably the rain & thunderstorms earlier in the morning that kept them away. When you have to walk everywhere, it changes things. As this continues thru the summer we expect the line to stretch down the street and around the block.
After a morning of beer in my sandal, after watching beautiful teamwork across racial barriers -black and white, after sweat from unloading food from a truck on a muggy day, and after expressions of gratitude from those in need, I am reminded of Isaiah 1:17.
Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows.
I obviously have more to learn.
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Anonymous on Jun 21, 2007 12:52pm
I catch myself being amazed by how God can "overrule" my preconcieved notions and judgements in a matter of moments as well. He's continually humbling us in the light of others, showing us what reality is all about. We ask him to help us see people the way that He sees them, and suddenly people that I used to think could likely be written off as a hopeless cause become inspiring. That's a beautiful real-life depiction you shared. It's sad that so many people's conditions are so much like this. But it's beautiful to see kingdom-minded people stepping in to lift some burdens from their shoulders. Doug and I look forward to being a part of the next community service you offer:)