My week away this summer was atypical. Yes, I packed my bags, boarded the dog, left town and returned exhausted. Instead of sightseeing and sampling local fare, though, I worked 18-hour days while grocery shopping and cooking for 120 people.
I can't wait to do it again next year.
Teens and adults from four Texas churches descended on Granbury last week. A local church opened its doors, allowing us to eat, sleep, worship and play there. The campus served as home base for work teams that spread out to help rehab homes, build wheelchair ramps, replace roofs, spiffy up community centers and clear piles of debris.
I'm not confident with power tools, but I do know how to follow a recipe, so I signed on to support the kitchen team. Our job was to make sure that volunteers were well nourished for their important work in the field. We four Frisco women planned, shopped, chopped, sautéed, boiled, baked and served three meals a day.
We burned our hands, spilled an entire tray of macaroni and cheese, (accidentally) squished a tiny toad that hopped into our path, boiled over a batch of tea and started a tiny grease fire.
Those mishaps were inconsequential compared to the sleepy smiles at breakfast each morning and the profusive "thank you so much" dinner compliments from folks who'd just worked long hours in typical July conditions and couldn't wait to dig in to tacos or cold watermelon slices or piles of pasta and meatballs.
Dinnertime was the best time to catch up on project progress and hear about clients.
One gentleman had been confined to his home after suffering a stroke. His house is elevated because of its proximity to the river, and getting in and out in a wheelchair had been impossible — until a group of volunteers constructed a ramp for him.
Another resident was living with a hole in the floor that revealed the earth below. His back wall was so unstable it could be pushed out about 6 inches. A crew installed new flooring and reinforced the wall.
There were rotted fences and ramshackle roofs. There were jungles to tame and wasp nests to contain.
Volunteers didn't only perform manual labor, though. They worked on building relationships — with one another and with their homeowners. Volunteers invited clients to join their group for lunch each day, and clients in turn often invited volunteers into their homes. Everyone was in service together — the people who need a little help and the people in a position to offer it.
When the week began, I considered the sacrifices I was making. I sacrificed my usual sleep routine, getting at most five hours a night. I sacrificed comfort, sleeping on an air mattress in a nursery room. I sacrificed control, keeping a schedule that was dependent on the needs of others.
As Tuesday turned to Wednesday and then Thursday dawned, I thought less of the sacrifices and more about my advantages. My temporary living conditions were warm, dry and safe. I would return to my own home soon enough, where accessibility and security are no concern.
When the week ended, I gave thanks for all that I had gained. New friendships, new memories, new perspectives.
I am thankful for teens who give up cellphones for a week, work in hot and humid conditions without complaint, initiate conversations with strangers who become friends. I am thankful for adults who guide them through difficult tasks. I am thankful for neighbors in Granbury who trust strangers with power tools, offer genuine hospitality, share their stories.
I am thankful for a week that wasn't really a vacation but was refreshing nevertheless and a week of insignificant sacrifices that fuels a year of gratitude.
Tyra Damm is a Briefing columnist. She can be reached at tyradamm@gmail.com.
 |
| On Friday, Cooper's team helped to install basketball goals at a Granbury community center. |
No comments:
Post a Comment