Wrapping, Tea and Apples
One incredible part of my job is that I am often a bridge or link. At Christmastime that usually means that I am the connection between those that have the gifts and those that need the gifts. The best way that our community has figured out to bridge this is through The Christmas Store. Those that have the gifts bring them to one location that we set up like a store. Those that need the gifts are invited to come and shop, to pick out the gifts that they want to give their family. There is music and crafts for the kids and volunteers gift wrapping. It is a great day for our community.
It wasn't always like that though. The first two years were a lesson in putting others first and learning to serve one another. There was jealousy among neighbors and sneakiness and tricks to get the best stuff. One year we even had a full blown fist fight. This year instead of trying to serve our neighbors, we brought them in as partners. Neighborhood leaders were on the planning committee. They had lots of feedback and suggestions from years past. They worked for three months setting up processes, selecting families, and developing systems that were fair and honoring. We had a vision of what we wanted the Christmas Store to look like and we worked toward it together.
We saw the vision realized: 100-ish volunteers, 23 bags of trash, 18 shopping shifts, 6 churches, 4 business sponsors, 1 giant wreath and 102 happy families carrying gifts home. It worked. It worked better because we did it together- start to finish.
In the morning we all took our places, church volunteers, neighborhood leaders and staff. I went to greet one of our neighborhood leaders in the wrapping department. She told me how beautiful the store looked and we chatted. Then she grabbed my shoulders and with tears in her eyes told me that her son was deported last night. He will not be with them for Christmas. "What are you doing here, I exclaimed?" "I came to serve my neighbors," she said as someone plopped a gift down in front of her. She pulled the paper over and began wrapping. As I watched her I realized that The Christmas Store is a gift in many ways. This year her gift was not in getting the presents but in having the opportunity to serve others. In her own pain, it was better to have a way to reach out, then to be sitting at home with her grief. She was glad to be there.
We often say it is better to give than to receive, yet we always want to have the best gift- the giving gift. If the saying is really true, then we are giving a gift when we invite others to give. Giving the opportunity to give can be the most needed gift. My neighbor felt better knowing that she had something to offer besides her grief and need.
In all our planning and running around I had to drop a check off with another neighbor. It was a joint effort to pay her rent this month and a couple of donors had come through. I wanted to get the check to her on time but I was in a hurry. So much so that I called as I pulled up and asked her to come out to the car to meet me. As I pulled in I saw her rushing out with a pink mug and an apple. "Here", she said, "I know you're running around. You'll need some food." She handed me some hot tea and the apple. I knew that she had nothing and yet wanted to give something. On that day, at that hurried moment; hot tea and an apple were exactly what I needed. I received them gratefully and saw her joy when she realized that I really did want them. I devoured the apple as we chatted and left with my pink mug and grateful heart.
It is a privilege for me to play a part in giving to others and I am finding a deep contentment in recognizing my need for my neighbors. There is a great harmony is mutuality and our need for each other. They give me gifts I didn't even know I needed and I hope that in graciously receiving, I am giving them a gift as well.