CALIFORNIA – “I have learned that even small things can have a large impact on people’s hearts.” ~Katie, Master’s Commission Atlanta

Atlanta’s Master’s Commission spent their second ministry day working with Red Eye Inc. and the LA Dream Center. Here is what they have to say so far about their week-long hunger relief outreach with Operation Blessing in California:

From Katie:

The second day of our trip has come to a close, but just as before it was filled with moments of fun, reaching out, and all around joy. We partnered with Red Eye and the LA Dream Center to go out and “Adopt a Block.” We went to Imperial Courts and started off by just going around to various yards and picking up the trash. It is something so small and it seems like it makes no difference, but I have learned that even small things can have a large impact on people’s hearts.

Then a group of us went and knocked on each door telling people about the Dream Center and what “Adopt a Block” is, and even asking if they needed anything. Most of the doors that my partner and I knocked on remained shut, but that didn’t matter. The people at the Dream Center will still be knocking next week. Persistence and consistency have been the key for many of the people we met and are the things that have changed their lives.

I think my favorite part of the day came next, though. We found our way into a playground where I was greeted by a little girl named Junea. She loved having all the new faces around, and she played with everyone that she could. She decided that two of the girls were her god-sisters, and I suddenly became her god-grandma. We talked about family and how ours was growing as we played in that small playground. She wanted to include everybody in her family.

Family was what she wanted; it was what she was hungry for. She wanted someone to play with, to love her, and, as any little girl would, someone to make her feel like a princess. It was great to be offering so many different things such as food, love, or family to so many different people—all in the course of a couple of hours.

I don’t know if I will see Junea again, but she will be in my heart and I won’t forget her. I only hope that the small moment of family the group of us shared in that playground will stay with her for the rest of her life. I hope she always remembers that she is loved so dearly.

~Katie

From Allison:

What I have learned throughout today is that I really do have control of my own atmosphere. The efforts of other people trying to make things good really have nothing to do with how I respond at all. There comes a point where I have to make a choice to take the risk and create my own atmosphere for whatever environment I am thrown into.

Today, working with Red Eye, I had the option of letting all the people, the kids, and all the memories pass me by or to really jump in and love these kids. Once again I was making it far too difficult. All that these kids wanted was someone to love them! And that’s one of the most effortless things I have to give!

Once I let go of trying so hard to relate or get up close with these kids, I went from watching kids play, to playing with them. Within seconds I was surrounded by kids hanging on my back, holding both hands, telling me their names and what they like to do and who their family is…they never left my side. Immediately my heart broke for them in every way possible…

I gave out these little bouncy balls with smiley faces on them. It’s simple and small, but I believe it has the power to spread lasting joy in places where joy seems absent. I carry at least one on me at all times to give away at any given moment, but on this trip I carry at least 10 on me.

So there I am, walking around with 6-year-old Trishay on my back, and I remember the bouncy balls in my backpack. I gave all 10 away within 30 seconds. Right then I knew the call of God; I found the ministry in such a simple thing. I witnessed a joy that would make a child remember the day 40 joy-filled people came to love on them. I really do believe that the joy of the Lord will rest with those children forever because of this day. And I will never forget their faces.

~Allison

From Chris:

Why are the small things always the best things? Like the first time my little daughter wrote me a note. Or the first time I built a fort out of just about everything in my room. What about the smile on my best friend’s face just after we ate the best waffles ever? It’s the little things that put the smile on my face again and again. The funny thing is that I may not always remember exactly what happened, but I will always remember the way I felt.

It’s crazy how even the small things show such love. Yesterday we went and out with Justin Mayo and Red Eye to South Central LA.  This place was nothing like anything I have ever seen before. It was strange though; the deeper we went into the projects, the more a simple “Hi, how are you today?” seemed to actually matter.  I don’t think it was so much the words that mattered; I think it was the genuine smile and love that followed those words.

Love can come in many different forms. Justin Mayo and his team taught us that. Love can be shown by picking up trash around a neighborhood, by playing bouncy ball and soccer with a bunch of kids, or by just caring enough to listen to someone’s story. These are all things that Red Eye gets to do every week, alongside handing out food and the many other things they do.

It was awesome being a part of those little things that people will always remember. They may not remember what we did, but they will always remember the love that they felt.

~Chris

Tags: Atlanta, California, Hunger Relief, Justin Mayo, LA Dream Center, Master's Commission, North America, OBI, Operation Blessing, Red Eye Inc., Volunteers

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 at 1:59 pm and is filed under Hunger Relief, North America, OBI Volunteer Blogs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.