Most of our time in Louisiana was spent with a woman named Ms. Veronica. A tree had fallen on her roof and created a hole which led to tons of mold and water damage.
Her house was warm. A house you could always feel welcome at no matter that there was damage or the fact that we had just met her.
My teammate Emma and I spent most of our time with Mrs. Veronica while cleaning out her closet. The roof had created a hole right above it so whenever it would rain water would pour through. Everything was moldy and wet.
We spent the day picking through items, asking if she wanted to keep it, and learning about what each thing meant to her. Occasionally, we would pick something up and cockroaches would go scurrying, we would scream and run away, and then all share lots of laughs. We learned all about her life- how her and her husband met, how much she values family and her love for her children and two granddaughters all while throwing away the memories she has always held onto in the back of her closet.
It was sweet that we were able to share this time with her and have fun amidst the circumstances. Along with all the damage the storm had created, she had been taking care of her husband who had been in and out of the hospital and was in the early stages of dementia. We were able to be there for her more than just fixing the physical qualities for her house. We were able to be a sense of family for her. And the way she talked you could tell she valued family a lot.
At some point, after throwing out a whole section of her closet, we got to a part where a few things didn’t have mold and we could keep them. We told her that we could save them and she said “put them in a giveaway pile- people have it way worse than me”
That is something that stuck with me. A woman whose whole half of a house is destroyed, had to throw out most of her life and wants to give a few of the only things she can salvage, topeople who have it worse than her. That’s a beautiful thing.
In today’s world I find myself thinking only of me. How will this affect ME? What if I miss this? I need to do that. What would I do if I didn’t have this anymore? Rarely do we think about others. If I do this, how will it affect them? If I did this differently, will it benefit others? I think that is the mindset we need to get in because, we often miss out on beautiful opportunities when we become too wrapped up in US.
It is surrendering those expectations and desires and letting God fill that with even better things. Things that don’t just fill us up in the moment but for our whole lifetime. When we do that, we get to see God’s plan unfold and not our own.
Monday, we got to go to Walmart after we left Mrs. Veronica’s house. We had twenty minutes to grab everything we needed and be back at the car. We all ended up in the same aisle in the beginning. There was a woman in that aisle saying hi to all of us. Most of my team and I saida quick hi back and went back to getting what we wanted, and went back to the car. We waited at the car for an extra twenty minutes waiting for our squad leader, Jewel, to come out. We became a little worried about where she was since she was the one who told us only to be twenty minutes because we needed to make it to dinner. My teammates went inside to look for her and found her in the same aisle we started in, talking to the same woman.
That is something I admire about Jewel-she gives up any expectations that she may have and allows God to work with that, and then he does incredible things. They were able to talk about life and pray over each other in a Walmart.
Then I started thinking about how I was so caught up in worrying about finding new clean clothes, and snacks that I didn’t even need, that I missed out on such a God moment. I was able to take something away from that, and for the rest of the week I surrendered the little things to Him, like cleaning a moldy closet, missing dinner, & killing cockroaches for those extra conversations and prayers. Those not only make other people’s day but bless ours as well.
With that I encourage us all to be willing and ready to seek those opportunities where we can think about ourselves a little less, God a little more, and then allow him to work.
-morgan
phone: 716-261-0902
email: [email protected]
Morgan, thank you for sharing how God is growing you into the person He wants you to be. In revealing your heart, you remind others (me) to see our own need to die to self daily and put others first. Open the eyes of my heart oh Lord.
You will never forget Mrs. Veronica, and she will never forget you. Anyone could have helped her throw out moldy clothes. It took special people with hearts of love to spend extra time hearing her memories. God Bless you for your loving servant’s heart.
Love your perspective and all the work your doing with your group. Be safe and God bless you !
Can’t wait to see you. Papa
I love your last sentence in how we should think more about the less fortunate. You are living and helping people through God. These opportunities that you experience are going to shape and mold you as you continue to grow with God’s guidance. You are special and continue to leave a loving impact on many people that you have helped!
Love this and you so much! Can’t wait to see you!
Wow – what a powerful story of truly seeing God in the day-to-day moments. Thank you for sharing and encouraging us with what the Lord is doing in & through you!