Sacred Heart

So after InterVarsity's San Jose Urban Plunge (SJUP) I usually find myself convicted to sell all I have and live like the poor. Thus, I expected the same when I went again this past week. However, I did not feel that way.




I enjoyed volunteering at Sacred Heart I really did! I love working the counter at the clothes closet or food pantry where I could interact with the customers themselves. But I also helped out in the "behind-the-scenes" work too I sorted clothes, and helped people with their donations, sorted through all that, trying to decide whether or not the items were good enough to keep. I also worked in the freezer in the food pantry. THAT was also fun, mainly because it was hot that day, but also because I got to play "tetris" trying to fit everything into the fridge and freezer!

I personally thing that working to interact with the people I'm trying to help is the most beneficial for me. However, working the in back totally proved me wrong. When I worked the counter I got to see the people I was helping, but they would always thank "me" for helping them, for giving them food the things they need. But.. really all I was doing was handing them bags that had been prepared by my friends in the back of the room. I hadn't done anything. Then when I worked the back I realized how much of an impact it is to help out back there. Without the workers in the back the food wouldn't be prepared or packaged, or sorted through, and even though they might not have direct contact with the customers they were helping out in a big way. That was a big realization for me this past week.


And much to my surprise I enjoyed doing background work. I realized that I didn't need to be affirmed for the work I do by the people, just knowing, ME, that I did the work and that I was helping people out in the long run was thanks enough for me. At least that's what I'd like to say, I still seek some sort of appreciation, but I'm working on because, I think, somewhere in the Bible is says that everyone who has done good works on earth will be thanked in heaven. And if that's the case then I don't need the thanks that earth gives me, though, heart-felt "thank-yous" from the people I helped are very touching.


During our SJUP, the people at Sacred Heart had some of us IV kids work the petitioning. What we were supposed to do was get the customers to sign our petition which was to put 3 people on the Board of Director's. These three people were all people who had done numerous good works in the community and Sacred Heart believed that they would be a much welcomed help to the organization. Some of the people were really responsive! But not always in the helpful fashion. A couple of them attacked us while we were petitioning wanting repercussions right then and there, not wanting to wait for change to happen. And it was HARD because all these people wanted was what was rightfully theirs! They wanted a blanket, or clothes or food or some sort of shelter! And as citizens of America aren't these our rights? So why aren't we giving these people THEIR rights? And it hut because we couldn't do anything about it at the time, we could only tell them that change might happen with these people on Board.

Other things I realized during this time was that there is a huge language barrier between me and them. A lot of them are Latino, and I only speak limited Spanish due to 3 years of high school Spanish. In one case I needed the 9 year old daughter to be my translator! But working like this made me want to learn every language possible, or at least enough to be conversational. This is entirely unlikely but I'm going to do the best I can.

So what can we do to help?

First of all stop ignoring the poverty that is right next to you! If you acknowledge that we have a poverty problem that is the first step.

Second, take a step back and look at your lifestyle? Do you have an excessive amount of, say shirts, that you don't need anymore? Are there piles of clothes, books, toys, blankets just lying around your house? Luke 3:11 "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." And that's what we should do too. Go through your things, what do you have multiples of? What if our "wealth" wasn't measured by what we have but what we give away (Todd Madigan)? How much different would our world look at their materialistic luxuries?

Thirdly, go out and give these things that you have two of to those who need it, or if you cannot do that then donate your things to Sacred Heart, or another non-profit organization that has dedicated their life to serving the poor. Sacred Heart is located at 1281 S 1st St San Jose, CA 95110-3431.

Lastly tell everyone, and I really mean everyone! About what you learned from the act of giving, of donating and of your entire experience doing this. Spread the good news about what you've just done to help others. Because if everyone you told did the same as you news would spread fast and the percentage of poverty would decrease at a tremendous rate.

So...think about it ok? At least for a little while then go out and DO something to change the world, be the change you want to see in the world. (Mahatma Ghandi)