First, there was the gardener who has a plot at the community center. She sits out there in the heat and works on her garden for most of the camp day almost every day. She's out there in the sun with us pulling weeds in the heat and listening to our kids play as she waters and weeds and does everything necessary for her plants to grow. As she was leaving one day, she handed one of the staff a couple of her tomatoes. "So the kids can put tomato on their sandwiches," she tells them. When we thanked her for her generosity, she looked back in her basket and gave us two more. I'm pretty sure it was all she had. "There's a lot of kids," she told us as she continued to take her supplies back to her car. I don't know this lady's name, but I know she put so much work into those tomatoes and then just let them go to help feed some kids she doesn't know. That's pretty sweet.
Then we have our high school helpers. I told you about the saving of the kitten last week. But this week, one of our high schoolers overheard one of our staff talking about having a hard time paying for her husband's surgery. This one particular high schooler has a job where she gets a decent paycheck let me know that most of what was left after she paid back her aunt for what she owed her, was going to help pay for the surgery. I know that most high schoolers would spend their money on shoes, hot cheetos, and electronics. In all honesty, I don't know what this high schooler is responsible for paying for on her own, but I know that giving the amount she wants to give in proportion to what she makes is huge. I was humbled in awe of the maturity and generosity she showed. What a big heart.
Then we have our campers. Who daily create for us (staff, volunteers, whoever) trinkets that they work so hard on. They pick flowers for us, make bracelets and necklaces. They draw us pictures and write us thank you notes. Our smart, beautiful, wonderful children find the most creative and innovative ways to give us gifts and thank us. They share their talents of being able to tell you what day of the week a date will occur on, or awesome dance moves, or the ability to create beautiful artwork. Sometimes, they just give us the precious gift of time as they teach us the right way to dance, braid our hair, or include us in their games. When a little first grader is on their way full speed to a game of ninja, a hula hoop, or four square and they stop to say good morning and give you a hug, even that is huge. They take something that is so important to them and stop thinking about it for a minute to give you their attention. How sweet and valuable is that?
I've been convicted this week. As I'm surrounded by these sweet beautiful people, some are friends, some are campers, some are volunteers, and some are strangers, I just think of how greatly blessed I am to work in this place. It's no secret that Clarkston is a place where there is all kinds of poverty, but occasionally when I look around all I see are people sharing what they have (snacks, money, time, knowledge) to help bring someone else up. I still have so much to learn, but I'm thankful for the learning process. I can confidently say that I am rich in examples of the Widow's Offering and that is something that brings me great joy.
"And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
Mark 12:41-44
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