Faith in Motion

What does it mean to put your faith in motion?

My faith is constantly evolving and changing, so what am I putting into motion?  Is it the teachings of my church, the traditions of Christianity or the scriptural model set by Jesus?  Maybe.  There is no denying that these are some of the filters through which my understanding of the world has been shaped.  But the most compelling influence on my efforts to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children through Faith in Motion is the look of surprise and awe on their faces and the unsolicited, unexpected, purely impulsive hugs. I don’t even know how to interpret the hugs.  Is it joy, excitement, hope?  Does it come from a place of darkness, fear and uncertainty?  Whatever it is, it’s a game changer. 

Friday afternoon around three o’clock, I arrive at my destination.  The location is unfamiliar, the setting different from my own and I am apprehensive about how I will be received.  Fences around every yard, an old car that hasn’t been moved in awhile and a faded blue and white boat sit in the front yard, just inside the fence.  Maybe I need to survey the surroundings.  Of course I am early, so I drive on by, wandering the neighborhood for another 10 minutes –wondering how I will be perceived by the grandma who has taken on the job of raising three grandchildren.   

Grandma and I had talked on the phone about the kids and what my church might be able to provide for them.  Without much coaxing she had opened up, trusting me with some of the details of her situation.  “I never imagined I would be raising my grandkids at this age,” she said.  “The twins are ten –a boy and a girl.  The oldest boy is fourteen.”  Their mother abandoned the family when the twins were only 2 and now their father had fallen into homelessness.  I suspected maybe drugs were involved but she didn’t say.   Before she got the call from a social worker, Grandma had decided to sell all her household items and move in with her aging parents so she could care for them and her disabled husband in one household.   The call came when most of her furnishings had been sold –including the refrigerator and the move was in progress.  Everything changed that night.  She scrambled to beg and borrow from relatives –blankets, air mattresses and minimal furniture so that she could take the kids.  Someone else would have to care of her parents –she needed to regroup and raise her grandchildren.   

I had circled long enough wondering if I was dressed appropriately or whether I would be intimidating.  I could hear the voice of my kids saying that I come off that way sometimes.  I wanted to make everybody comfortable, but it was me who was a little uncomfortable.  It was time to park and just do it.  As I got out of the car two young men walked by sporting shaved heads with tattoos on their scalp, baggy shorts below their butts and looking me over.  Maybe I could use a little of my intimidating energy right now or maybe I could just act like I knew what I was doing.  Then barking Chihuahuas met me at the gate. I took a sigh of relief and laughed –my kind of people.

Grandma and grandpa greeted me while corralling the dogs.  Grandma’s warm smile and invitation put me at ease. This tiny little woman with tiny little hands and a big smile hugged me and invited me into her home.  She helped me carry the bags of presents I brought for the kids.  I met the twins, Katherine and David.  The kids were a little surprised by my arrival and not sure what to do initially.  About that time Christopher arrived from school and came right up and shook my hand.  I told them my name and shared that I had brought some things for them.  To my surprise, Katherine came toward me and gave me a hug.  I gave them their bags of gifts and grandma told them to sit on the sofa.  They looked but didn’t touch, so I told them they could take the presents out, that there were clothes and books for each of them. 

David let out a gasp of excitement and shouted, “The Diary of a Wimpy Kid. I love these stories!”

That broke the ice and everyone started searching through their bags of goodies.  Katherine carefully took out each outfit and held it up.  With each hanger her simile grew wider and she started to comment.  She loved the pink one and the one that came with a necklace.  Her eyes sparkled as she continued to find another and another outfit in the bag.  I could see grandma tear up as she watched.  David was still hooked on that book, telling me about the Wimpy kid and his adventures.  Finally, he noticed swimming trunks and a superhero t-shirt in his bag not to mention lots of other summer clothes.  Christopher was more reserved but super polite –all the right thank-yous and seemingly rehearsed smiles at the appropriate time.  I am sure it is much harder at 14 to navigate his feelings and the perceived expectations of strangers like me.  I could see him trying to be what he was supposed to be. 

My heart was filled and I wanted to stay as they continued to explore their bags of goodies, but this was not for my benefit.  It was their time.  “I should probably let them have space and privacy to enjoy without being in the fishbowl of my experience,” I thought.  But before I left I had two more surprises.  I gave grandma gift cards so that the kids could pick out their own shoes and then a gift card for the whole family to go to the movies and buy popcorn! Now grandma was crying and she was going to make me cry. 

As I announced my departure and wished them well.  Katherine and David ran to give me more hugs and Christopher shook my hand as he headed to the back of the house.  Grandma and Grandpa walked me to my car thanking me and the church over and over.   I continued to convey that the folks at the church just wanted to help.  Grandma and I hugged –woman to woman.  I think in that moment there was some level of understanding that we do what we have to do for our families.  “You are doing a good thing,” I whispered.  She said she was working on their grades and helping them to do well in school as if to say she was working to keep them from the paths of their mother and father or a fate lacking of opportunity and destined for disappointment. 

I said goodbye to that tiny little woman with tiny little hands and a great big heart doing a great big job.  I wasn’t concerned about what she thought of me anymore.  I was thinking about what else we could do to help.  My faith in that woman and those children was in motion.  My faith in the interconnectedness of all people and our ability to make a difference in each other’s lives was in motion.  

Faith in Motion and ready to ride!

The names of the children have been changed to protect their identity.  The last thing I would want to do is to exploit the blessings of their trust.