Neighbors and Need

Last Wednesday, as I was getting organized for our Youth Group evening, Maria, one of our ministry coordinators, told me that a member was coming to speak with me.  She had a neighbor whose husband had been arrested and would probably be deported.  The woman in question has four children and the electric company had disconnected her power that very afternoon.  It wasn’t long before they arrived and explained the situation, speaking Spanish with Maria interpreting.  Everyone was clear that the neighbor belonged to another church.  The member who brought her was also clear that she didn’t know the neighbor well.  She didn’t know why the husband had been arrested.  All she knew, and she was adamant about this, was that it was too much for anyone to have four children and no assistance.

We needed to help.

After the problem was clear, we excused ourselves and discussed what we might do to help.  Funds are very limited, but we do have some money that we earned catering a dinner for a diocesan event.  We decided that we would pay a portion of the outstanding electric bill.  Maria said she would assist the neighbor to contact other agencies and our member said she could share her home and appliances until the electricity could be restored.  She would also assist her neighbor to contact her own church for assistance.  Having come to this conclusion, we rejoined the neighbor and offered our assistance.  After many “thank-you!”s, the women left, leaving the older children behind to have supper and play games.

Sometimes it’s hard to appreciate the holiness of moments like these.  There is so much to do, so much need, and so few resources.  It’s so easy to let feelings of impotence and frustration overwhelm the call to sit together in need and wait upon God.   But this is the grace that has been given to us.  And it is through this gift of humility, suffering , challenge, and the company of one another, that together, we are becoming Church.