Fall 2010

Newsletter – Fall 2010

A Place to Put Your Heart

I’m sure that many of us have some interesting or funny stories about volunteering, but this one might take the cake…

The other night at Monday Night Reading, two elementary-aged Vietnamese brothers came for the very first time.  I had invited them many times in the past so it was particularly great to see them there.

As they came bounding in, one of them had a wadded up grocery sack in his hand.  “Hey, here is my medicine, if I need it.”

Did he say “medicine?” 

All of a sudden I was vaguely remembering something about one of the brothers having some sort of health issue, but the mom had never mentioned anything about medicine or had given any instructions about anything.

“Yeah, “his brother offered, “he gets seizures sometimes.”

Did he say “seizures?”

“He has to take that red medicine in the bottle at eight o’clock.”

(Note To Self:  Make sure to have the boy home well before 8:00)

Then the brother nonchalantly continued with his instructions.  “And if he has a seizure you’ve got to put that other medicine in his b*!@” (A.k.a. Where the sun don’t shine)

Did he say “b*!@” ?

Actually, the thought of administering the medicine wasn’t as unsettling as just not knowing the whole situation.  So, the first thing I did was find his teenage sister to get all of the information.  (The mom only speaks Vietnamese.) Of course, this was all very matter of fact for her – she gave me the information about the seizures and told me that she had helped her mom administer the medicine many times.  Even though she said that he rarely had the seizures any more, I wanted to have a good plan – just in case.

Although none of the regular Monday Night Volunteers were doctors or nurses, I realized that I had a new volunteer coming that had medical training.  As soon as Sharon stepped through the door I pulled her aside and started telling her what was going on.

Just when I got to the part about what would have to be done if the boy had a seizure, a long-time Monday Night reader who was walking past us stopped dead in her tracks.

She turned toward us, wide-eyed and mouth open. “What????”

To which Sharon laughed and responded, “…And what did YOU have to do on YOUR first night as a volunteer here?”

Maybe one of the most surprising aspects of this story is that Sharon actually came back the next week!  Now, while reading with this same little boy she gives him the extra help he needs with a precious gentleness and sensitivity —not only to his physical health issues, but also to his emotional needs.

Sharon was a woman with amazing gifts looking for a place where she could tangibly be apart of God’s commandment to serve and help.  She was looking for a place to put her heart. . .and she found it here at MNM and with this little boy.

That is what volunteering is all about—having the desire to be an active part of God’s plan — to let the overabundance of love that He has given us overflow to others, overflow to folks who might not often get a chance to feel it.

If you are looking for a place to put your heart, I think Multi-National Ministries is the perfect place to be.  There are so many children and families yearning to feel God’s love.

And here is the deal, kind of a “two for one” guarantee:   As you put your heart somewhere (whether here at MNM or at another opportunity) I can pretty much guarantee you that you will feel it growing.  There is going to be a special someone (just like this little boy) who finds their way into it — and God will make room.

Laurie Graves