Finally got back into volunteering yesterday.
Still way too much that I need to do with graduation looming (hopefully), but it was time. I'll get to work with different volunteers this time since our schedules have changed, but I will not be seeing Wanda anymore, the sweet retiree who handled finances for us, because "it was just time."
Randomly ran into her this morning as I went into Albertson's, and didn't recognize her at first! That ever happen to you--you see someone a couple of times a week for a few months, then after not seeing them for a while you run into that person outside of the workplace in an unexpected way and can't for the life of you remember why they look familiar? Well after almost passing her completely by, I snapped around in recognition and embraced my friend. I'll be sad not to have her encouragement at Hope, and she said she'll miss the energy and work we "young people" do.
See, Wanda lives off of that. She knows the words Paul spoke to Titus, that older women are to teach the younger. She engages the youthfulness around her because she knows that such cross-generational ties add vitality to her life, and to ours.
So I will miss her, but I do look forward to the work still to be done.
Like yesterday, Ryan and I added to the endless clutter of the attic. I get the feeling that I'll be helping organize that soon.
The happier notes of yesterday involved a couple of young women. One got her ultrasound and could not wait to show us office workers the pictures of the 6-week old baby growing inside of her. Seriously, "giddy" would be an understatement.
The other was a young girl who, although claiming Christian beliefs, wanted nothing more than to abort. I don't know the details, but I am always heartbroken for them. Not because I'm disappointed or appalled or whatever--I promise, there's no judgement on this side--but because I know that they are in pain inside. Yet those people who find themselves in that crushing situation are precisely one of the reasons Hope exists, and it warmed us in the office to hear that, seeing her ultrasound, the young girl was reconsidering.
We're not in the business of chalking up "how many people changed their minds about abortion today" at Hope. Changing minds only doesn't really help much in the grand scheme; changing hearts does, and that's the work of the Holy Spirit making the person of Jesus known. We love His love. We speak His Truth. We show in every action His Grace and Mercy. All the while, we are well aware of the words Jesus spoke in John 4:37-38--"For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."
We may see someone's life change in Hope; we have. Yet we know it wasn't us who changed it, but that other people have been laboring for this one soul, and that Jesus Himself has been calling to it, as He does to all souls. We also know we may be used to plant a seed of hope that comes from Him, and that someone else will reap the joy of walking with this person into Christ Jesus.
We keep praying. We keep loving. We keep working. We keep Hoping.
"and Hope does not put us to shame, because God's Love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us."--Romans 5:5
Grace and Peace, ya'll
