A Day of Service...



As part of honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy, South Florida Urban Ministries held a day of service in nearby Homestead, FL. This day allowed the whole organization to provide services to others in the community. Many people painted houses, while others, like myself, assisted with projects around Branches Florida City. I helped in organizing and cleaning some of the rooms where the children in the after-school program receive help with their homework. I did this for the first part of the day. The second part of the day, I spent in the pouring down rain cleaning paint brushes. When I say pouring down rain, I mean pouring down rain. It was absolutely horrible. When I finished that day, I was soaked through and through. I had two shirts on, and both of those had been completely drenched. I could wring out my hair like a towel, and my socks and shoes had that irritating squishy sound and feel.

            Even though I was completely miserable and complaining, I enjoyed being in the rain. I enjoyed feeling it hit my face and my back. And it was a great reminder of how messy our lives can be. It was an even better reminder of how messy service and ministry can be. I just kept thinking as I was getting soaked that even though I was miserable, this was exactly what I needed to be doing. Ministry is not easy. Sometimes it leaves us feeling absolutely miserable. But how can we say that we have really done ministry if we are not able or willing to get our hands dirty?

            Getting up at 5:00 am on a day that we were supposed to have off was extremely difficult. Not only was it hard because I’m not a morning person, it was hard because it was a full day of work after waking up so early. And of course I wanted to complain. But I had to remind myself that this year is a year of service. This is what I was called to do for this year. This is what Jesus calls us to do every day; to be in service to one another, and to be in service to better God’s Kingdom. Matthew 20:28 says “for even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” If Jesus, God’s Son, the Messiah, the Holy One, came to serve others, then surely I can give up a day’s time to serve my community.



            My question then, is more of a challenge to those who are reading this blog. What have you done lately as an act of service, or an act of kindness? Have you volunteered somewhere? Do you volunteer somewhere regularly? As Christians we are called to serve. So where will you go? What will you do?

From left to right: Selen Turner (works for SFLUM), myself and Amanda May Moore, one of the other YAVs this year in Miami.