Last week was an exhausting week for everyone at the office. After the Town Council handed down their decision to discontinue our funding by the end of this year, the office went into overdrive to try any means possible to get the decision reversed. Everyone knew that we were facing a steep climb and long odds. But it didn’t seem to matter. We believe in the work that we do, and we will give it our all until there’s absolutely nothing left to try and no one left to call on.
I was sitting in my office, in between emails and phone calls. I was exhausted. I reached for my phone and typed a text message to Anna: “It seems like everywhere I turn in my life I am facing a battle. I’m tired of fighting…” After I sent the message, I said to myself, “I need a miracle…”
Just then someone came to see me unannounced. It was a young Iranian woman. After introducing herself, she told me that she’s heard of our funding battles in the news, and wanted to come by to tell me something. She then went on to tell me an incredible story…
She came to Canada about 2 years ago, with no job, and no idea what she could do. Someone told her about Helpmate (our agency) and that we have a specialized program to place new immigrants into volunteering opportunities to help them gain Canadian experience, build their social networking and improve their English. She came to us, and apparently we placed her at a Senior’s home to volunteer. Day in and day out she faithfully went, spending hours at a time reading and talking to the Seniors, many of them never said a word in return.
One day, as she was reading to a Senior lady, who has not spoken a word for more than 7 years, suddenly she turned, and said to our young volunteer: “Please…I am thirsty…” Everyone stopped what they were doing. It was like the whole place grounded to a halt. You could’ve heard a pin drop.
The young volunteer’s work was recognized and commended by the Mayor of Toronto. She built from that experience and today she is in medical school, training to become a doctor. She said to me, “I just wanted to come and tell you, it all started with what you guys do here at Helpmate.”
After she left, it occured to me that life is a daily miracle. Every day, every where God becomes flesh and walks in our midst. But “He came to his own people, but they did not want him.”
I have no idea what will happen with Helpmate going forward as far as our funding goes. But as I sat and waited for a miracle, I was reminded that for that young woman from Iran, we were a part of her miracle. Perhaps when it comes down to it, that’s what I sign up for, not to sit and wait for miracles to come my way, but to find ways to become a part of other people’s miracles, day in, day out.
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Maybe it’s because I finished the marathon not so long ago, but I often think running is a great analogy of what we do in “real life”. It would’ve literally taken a miracle for me to qualify for the Boston, and after running the first half in exactly 2 hours, though not really expecting to finish that strong, and yet, thoughts of negative splits came to mind – maybe, just maybe a miracle would happen…As I was nearing the 38 k, though still feeling ok, I knew it was way too out of reach. Of course, you know the ending. I didn’t get that “miracle”. But somehow crossing the finish line completely exhausted felt good. Although it wasn’t the best time I have ever raced, but on that particular day, for those 4 hours+, I gave all that I had, and ended the race knowing I will be back doing it again.
So maybe it’s kind of like that for Helpmate. Who knows what will happen, but everyday, you give it your best shot. Miracles are nice to have, but for most of us mortals, it’s about fighting a good fight in the trenches. And when you believe in what you do and why you’re doing it, just staying in the fight gives people hope. (insert Rocky theme song….)
B