Serving to See

This summer at Abbey Way we have been exploring the question: "Who is our neighbor?" The question has taken us into deep reflection on the Gospel's call to us as a community of faith.

Last night I went with two of our youth and served in a local transitional housing facility for women and children. Our job was to care for the kids as their mom's attended a meeting. We played on the playground--blowing bubbles, drawing on the sidewalk, playing basketball and chasing them around the playground equipment. It was a good evening, exhausting, but good.

The small playground overlooks a large parking lot of a nearby church. As the kids played, a family of six, four children and two adults, came out of the church building. I noticed a distinct contrast between the two groups of children: the ones inside and the ones outside of the fence. It was not only the fact they were well dressed and there was a mother and father near them which stood out to me, it was that there was a sense of family cohesion between them. The freedom I witnessed of their running and playing together and then getting into a car as a family amazed me. I don't know how many times in my lifetime have I seen or done the same action. It was in this place, at this time, that I saw something as if it was for the first time. It was beautiful.

And then sadness...

I wanted the same for all the children. I wanted a home and an intact healthy family for each child. I wanted them to know love and peace and joy each day. I wanted them to experience stability so they could fully become who they were meant to be. My wish is my prayer for them. All of them. 

As we drove away, I felt overwhelmed by the encounter we had together. I felt strangely guilty for the freedom I had to go home. I had a home. I knew where I lived. I had a family. I was safe there. I saw something new last night. I saw the abundance that I have been given. In the serving, I was given the ability to see.

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[Christi]

I wanted . . . I knew . . . I saw . . . Oh God . . .