Mr. M

Okay, so Mr. M came into Grace Now tonight. He was friendly as usual, but I could tell something was wrong. I knew he'd been going through a tough time lately. But it was crazy tonight--people everywhere. It would be a while before we got to Mr. M.

When I finally sat down with him and asked him how he was doing, he replied, "Fair."

"What's going on?" I asked.

He then explained that he and his family (his wife, his daughter, and his graddaughter) had to move recently. They lost everything in the move. The problem is that he draws about $600 a month in assistance and his rent and utilities takes almost every dime. He has nothing left. Nothing.

He's hoping to fins a small house, preferably in the country, where the rent is more reasonable--$300-$350 a month (if you live in Richmond and know of anything, please let me know).

So what's so special about Mr. M? While he was waiting for his turn tonight, he was out in the parking lot smoking a cigarette. He saw a woman crying and asked her what was wrong. She was from Irvine (a town about 10 miles away) and had given some people a ride to the pantry. They had promised her gas money but then left her there at the pantry. She didn't have any money to get the gas to get home. So what did Mr. M do? He gave her his last $5, drove her to the gas station, and then took her back to her car.

This is what it's all about. It's not about "us" giving. It's about a spirit of giving. People who think that those who come to food banks are there only for a handout just haven't seen what I've seen. Yeah, I give, but when I'm around people like Mr. M, I realize that it's fairly easy for me to give out of my abundance. I've seen a whole lot of people give in spite of their own need.

Grace Now has taught me that while we provide food and clothing, the more important thing we give is ourselves. I've learned that while people come in for the resources we offer, many of them are lonely and somewhat forgotten and they just need someone to care about them. Mr. M said to me tonight, "I don't like telling people my problems, but you and your husband are the only ones who will listen." At Grace Now, we could be more efficient in "processing" people, but for us--and I think for most of our clients--it's about the relationship.