Serving in The City

 

 

 

I love fall because it always feels like the beginning of a new year to me. You start new hobbies and new projects in the fall and maybe meet some new people who just moved into your neighborhood. During the earlier part of 2015 I listened to a sermon where the pastor recommended that you choose one word that you will strive for during this year. He said it's hard to strive for many small goals at the same time but if you narrow down all your goals to just one word it will be easier to reach it. I picked the word "outreach" to represent what I want to accomplish during year 2015. I want to get more involved than earlier in feeding the hungry, helping the poor, comforting the lonely and healing the sick in this world.

I did some research on what different types of projects people are already doing in our community. Once I found out that there is a small church in our neighborhood who has started a food bank I felt drawn to take part in that project. We currently live in a neighborhood with a lot of middle class and upper class families but just five minutes away from where we live is a neighborhood where many refugees and poor families live. We've volunteered at the elementary school in this neighborhood earlier and I remember the organizers of that program saying that there are many kids in this neighborhood who come to school without having eaten anything. Many of the kids live with single parents who struggle to have enough money to get by, sometimes there just isn't enough money to buy food for a whole week.

Once I found out about the food bank I instantly felt drawn to start volunteering there and also contribute by giving food to the bank. There are so many people who are suffering all over the world and we can't do everything but we can definitely do something. I think we do our best work when we pick to serve in a field we feel passionate about. I personally have a heart that aches for poor children all over the world, that's why I want to serve in the food bank in our community. I also like taking part in what World Vision is doing around the world for poor children.

There are many ways to make an impact in our cities and around the world, we just have to pick a cause and get to work! :) Few things will also give us more joy, meaning and satisfaction in life than when we get to take part in actively working towards making things better in this world. Love is an action.