What’s in a Name?

We just got back from passing out
bags of food to several families who live at the local trash dump.  While I was processing our act of service, a
teammate of mine already posted a blog with her perspective on the “activity”
of our morning.

http://nataliereeves.theworldrace.org/?filename=im-moving-to-the-dump

After reading her awesome blog (and I
hope you did too), I was convicted about potentially disrespecting or shaming
these families and immediately downloaded the pictures I took worried they might document a lack of compassion.  I came across this photo while
sitting next to my other teammate, Jamie Ham, who also just read Natalie’s
blog. 

We both sat and stared speculating
about this man and his story.  We both felt the picture exuded a warmth we certainly
didn’t feel walking around the dump in the freezing sleet. What was
he thinking and feeling? Could he have a slight grin on his face?  Is his heart warmed because we
brought him some much needed food? Does he find our visit amusing because we’re yet
another group paraded through his home?  Does he have a sense confidence you wouldn’t expect from someone in his situation?  Could that possibly be hope in his eyes?

I’d like to believe what most of
us viewed as a minor act of service, because we know we have so much more to
give, was actually received by these families as an act of love.  It would’ve been an exciting “God” story if my
photo captured the man inviting us in from the cold for a cup of hot coco to tell
us his story after which we all huddled together to pray and then exchanged
hugs. But that is not what God had in store for today or perhaps for our entire time here in Romania.  This month is teaching me that sometimes when we serve our faithful God, like in moving piles
of dirt for families we may never meet or passing out food without knowing the names of those in need, we have to trust that God working and loving through us and using “all things for good”.