This is a story from a foreign exchange student attending
Thompson Station Church and who helps serve at Women's Rescue Mission with her Connect Group.
The Women's Rescue Shelter in Nashville is a place where
homeless ladies can find a little room for themselves. It is a spot where
people can help them by serving food and doing small things that will put a
smile on their faces. A person can also meet a really good friend like I did or
realize and appreciate how lucky she is because of what she has. One can also
learn more about herself, and it is a good opportunity to become a better
person.
The first time I went there was about four months ago with Kim, my Sunday
school teacher, and a few of my other friends from church. In the beginning, I
didn't really know where I was going or what I would be doing, but I was
excited anyway. I knew I would be able to help people. My first impression when
we got there and were standing in front of the building was that it looked like
a sad and melancholy place. There were a lot of women who were not smiling,
teenage girls, and small children running around. This was understandable
because it is not easy to be here for a long period of time.
It was almost dinner time so we went upstairs to put on an apron, gloves, and
hair net. We went into the kitchen to meet Kim, a tall, strong woman with
unique red hair. She graduated from the program a few months ago but still worked
there and helped with meals. She was smiling because she knew our Sunday school
teacher. They divided us up into jobs: who would put food on trays, who would
serve food and drinks, and who would do dishes. I really wanted to talk to the
women so I asked if I could serve food and sweet tea.
When dinner time came, Kim was taking care of people standing in the doorway to
the cafeteria. People were impatient and hungry When we started serving the
food, I tried to smile even though some of the girls were rude. A few of them
complained about spicy chicken when they should have been happy to have a free
meal. It didn't upset me because I was aware of their hard situation, and I
tried to understand their behavior. I was polite and nice to everyone. After a while
some of the girls started smiling back at me. A lot of them came up to us after
they were finished and said, "thank you girls; you're so sweet." It
was definitely worth it.
Why do you think some homeless people are impolite? Think about it. Most of the
time when we see them standing on the side of the road asking for money or just
sitting there with a dirty faces and clothing, we ignore them. Personally, I
think ignorance is the most hurtful thing. They already feel embarrassed,
humiliated, and often depressed when they hear rude comments about themselves.
How frustrated people can be when we ignore them! Those of us with families,
warm beds, and refrigerators filled with food can sometimes be egotistical and
selfish. Don't misunderstand me. I am not saying that we have to start helping
every homeless person we see; some of them do not really want help due to
drinking or drugs. But if we see that they are trying to change and want our
help, then we should help them because if situations were reversed we could
become one of them.
My second time to be there was in December at Christmas time which is a family
time. Ladies had prepared a special Christmas meal with turkey and dressing and
mashed potatoes. It was a busy evening with around 200 people, including
children. This time we brought gifts for 30 of them who were on a hope program.
There were socks filled with a few small things and a Bible. Faith is really
important for those girls. It is the only thing they can hold on to. The gifts
were given to them after the meal while we were singing the Christmas songs.
For the first time I saw all of them smiling, laughing, and even singing like
they had forgotten for a while about their problems. It was a blessing just to
watch them. It is sad that they are not accustomed to presents and that they
are alone without families and friends. That evening was one of my best
experiences at the women's shelter. I was able to share their joy.
My third visit was normal except I saw one new face. Her name
was Barbara, and I got excited because my name is Barbara. On this night she
was in charge in the kitchen instead of Kim. I don't know why but I knew when I
saw her that she would bring me closer to to the women's shelter. We became
friends on Facebook, and that is how we started talking.
My fourth time at the women's shelter was on Valentine's Day. I
already knew most of the girls. The day before our volunteer church group met
at my house especially to write encouraging quotes on the Valentine's cards and
to bake cupcakes and other candy. We ended up with 50 cupcakes and around 70
cake pops. On Sunday I saw Barbara again. She helped us give all the candy to
the women from Hope Center before the dinner started. They were really touched;
some of them almost cried. The ladies were really thankful, but what was more
important was that they were smiling. Proverbs 15:13 says, " A happy heart
makes the face cheerful." Even though I know that we didn't do a lot, it
really meant something to me.
After the meal we gave them all the clothes we collected. Then
Barbara stood up and shared her story with us. I know it was a really big and
important move for her. She had never talked about her story, and we didn't
want to push her so we had never actually asked. She had always been more
worried more about the other girls on the program than about herself. That
amazed me because even though she didn't have a lot, she was a more generous
person than most. When we were getting ready to leave, Barbara hugged me for a
long period of time and told me quietly, "thank you".
To sum everything up, I am really glad that I made a decision to
be a part of this mission. I am so glad that I had the opportunity to help
other people. I am sure that I will continue my volunteer work because it has
become both a hobby and a passion. Even though I realize that continuing this
in my native country will be difficult, helping people in shelters or similar
places is the right thing to do. I will never forget this experience and how it
opened my eyes to the whole world. This has definitely made me a better person.
Now I know that " the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the
service of others".
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