God's Love We Deliver: Days 3 & 4

Day 3: Back in the Kitchens
On day three of our NASST adventure, we did some more extensive work in the kitchens.  We all worked in an assembly line of sorts to package the next day’s meals.  Again, we worked with older volunteers donating their time because of their jobs; still, they all seemed enthusiastic and happy to be there.  In fact, I wrapped 600 dinner rolls with a woman who immigrated to New York City from Trinidad and had volunteered with God’s Love We Deliver several times before.  She told me she grew up in a third world country and sought a change, so she moved to America where she gained a college education and a good job at a company that sells mass-produced clothes to outlets like Macy’s or JC Penney’s.  Volunteering at God’s Love, she said, is just her small way of giving back.  I’m not sure it should require seeing the struggles of a third world country in order to motivate volunteering (not to say that was necessary for this woman, by any means), but I do admire her drive and generosity.  After a long three hours of sealing packaged meals and wrapping rolls, my arms were rather tired, leaving us with one day to go.

Day 4: Walking Deliveries

If there was one thing that impressed me about God’s Love other than the efficiency, it was the genial and upbeat attitude of the employees.  The woman who directed us Friday was no exception.  Full of spunk, dedication, and an impressive knowledge of New York City, she informed us of our tasks and responsibilities with zeal.  We then took the subway to a church where we bagged meals and delivered them on foot to nearby clients.  Much like van deliveries, this provided a unique opportunity to see the city from a new perspective.

 Looking Back
 If there is one thing I took away from this amazing experience, it was optimism.  Sometimes, I think about all the programs the Ginsberg Center sponsors and the hours of service students dedicate to those programs, and then multiply that effort for every comparably sized university in the country.   While the dedication is certainly impressive, it is difficult to grasp how much work remains to be done and to be overwhelmed by the apparent lack of fruits of our labors, no matter how remarkable the experience.  Sometimes, whatever difference we make is dwarfed by the immensity of the world’s – or even one city’s – problems.  And yet, I could not be more certain that a difference is being made.  As long as there are wonderful, passionate, inspiring people like those employees and volunteers at God’s Love orchestrating organizations to address causes that matter, a difference is being made, and there is hope.  If you look through the right lens, the goodness of the world is just as overwhelming as the misfortune.