Some things in life stun us into a new reality. For some, items found in the garbage can be treasure. For others, the man in the garbage can reveal treasure. This story is about garbage and the revelation of treasure.
I left Buffalo School #6 after my first class. With an hour and a half until my next class, I always went downtown to grab a coffee. I pulled up to the corner of Delaware and Chippewa Streets and waited at the red-light. I glanced through the passenger side and saw a man going through the garbage can. I could tell he was looking for cans and bottles because of his partially filled bag at his side. As I stared, I was suddenly filled with admiration. I did a quick gut check - why the heck am I filled with admiration at the sight of a man in the garbage searching for cans and bottles?
When I finally realized why I felt admiration, it wasn't like a bolt out of the sky or anything. It was more like a slow seeping of wisdom settling in my soul; the man was taking an action. Let me put this another way; he wasn't going to a meeting to figure out what he had to do, he was taking action. That's exciting! In a City known for it's poverty, high unemployment and low high school graduation rate, this man was doing what needs to be done. He was taking action.
I stopped and grabbed some coffee for myself and others and headed back to School #6. I was pumped! I felt like somebody had just handed me treasure. Back in the classroom, I mentioned to the class what happened. One of the students said that her Mom collects cans and bottles for her uncle to give to a homeless man. We began talking about how we could change the world. Some students said "give money" others said "help people." At the end of class a girl gave me a dime and said she wanted to help stop poverty. She said she lived in poverty and it wasn't fun. That girl gave what she had, she took an action. The students were fueling the fire of inspiration that had been ignited by the man in the garbage.
This story continues through our actions in the classroom which are still happening. I will write about the fruit of those actions in another article. One action leads to another action. Buffalo has been a city of inactivity for too many years. Many people have been meeting and talking, time is of the essence for some action. There are a lot of people have been taking some kind of action and they are a Bright Spot. One step at a time begins the journey and we need to take that step now. If everyone would just find one step of action to take that will bless another human being, everyone would be blessed. It just might start by giving somebody some cans and bottles to redeem. Maybe they might be redeemed. Maybe you might be redeemed. Maybe.
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
If you have a "Millions Mindset" and you would like to become involved with Youth With A Purpose please contact us: ywapbuffalo@yahoo.com or 716-830-8240.
I left Buffalo School #6 after my first class. With an hour and a half until my next class, I always went downtown to grab a coffee. I pulled up to the corner of Delaware and Chippewa Streets and waited at the red-light. I glanced through the passenger side and saw a man going through the garbage can. I could tell he was looking for cans and bottles because of his partially filled bag at his side. As I stared, I was suddenly filled with admiration. I did a quick gut check - why the heck am I filled with admiration at the sight of a man in the garbage searching for cans and bottles?
When I finally realized why I felt admiration, it wasn't like a bolt out of the sky or anything. It was more like a slow seeping of wisdom settling in my soul; the man was taking an action. Let me put this another way; he wasn't going to a meeting to figure out what he had to do, he was taking action. That's exciting! In a City known for it's poverty, high unemployment and low high school graduation rate, this man was doing what needs to be done. He was taking action.
 |
| Urban Christian Ministries helps people take action. |
I stopped and grabbed some coffee for myself and others and headed back to School #6. I was pumped! I felt like somebody had just handed me treasure. Back in the classroom, I mentioned to the class what happened. One of the students said that her Mom collects cans and bottles for her uncle to give to a homeless man. We began talking about how we could change the world. Some students said "give money" others said "help people." At the end of class a girl gave me a dime and said she wanted to help stop poverty. She said she lived in poverty and it wasn't fun. That girl gave what she had, she took an action. The students were fueling the fire of inspiration that had been ignited by the man in the garbage.
 |
| Young people from Breakout and Love Buffalo take action. |
This story continues through our actions in the classroom which are still happening. I will write about the fruit of those actions in another article. One action leads to another action. Buffalo has been a city of inactivity for too many years. Many people have been meeting and talking, time is of the essence for some action. There are a lot of people have been taking some kind of action and they are a Bright Spot. One step at a time begins the journey and we need to take that step now. If everyone would just find one step of action to take that will bless another human being, everyone would be blessed. It just might start by giving somebody some cans and bottles to redeem. Maybe they might be redeemed. Maybe you might be redeemed. Maybe.
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
If you have a "Millions Mindset" and you would like to become involved with Youth With A Purpose please contact us: ywapbuffalo@yahoo.com or 716-830-8240.
No comments:
Post a Comment