Gratefully ousted.
There’s really no other way to describe it. After nearly four years of visiting the Helping Hands food pantry every month, to answer questions about food stamps, housing and anything else under the sun we might be asked, I’ve been ousted by two Brooklyn Jubilee volunteers.
Last month, when I appeared at the pantry to serve with the Brooklyn Jubilee volunteers, both Marcey and Katie asked me, “Why are you here?”
I was not off-put by their declaration of my dispensability. I was thrilled! What followed was a thoughtful, and exciting discussion about their commitment to serve the patrons of the Helping Hands food pantry every month, and to work closely with me and Jackie (our Volunteer Coordinator) as they become Site Leaders in Park Slope.
The program model has always envisioned committed volunteers taking over leadership of established sites where we serve, freeing program staff for the challenging work of breaking new ground elsewhere in Brooklyn. And yet, it is understandably very difficult for most people to make the time to volunteer in any capacity, let alone to make the profound commitment to lead some portion of any ministry on a volunteer basis. What a great joy it is to see their faithfulness to serve their neighbors! And what a blessing to me to have a Saturday off!
Please be praying for Marcey and Katie as they weave this new commitment into the fabric of their very full lives and busy legal careers, for their sustained joy and enthusiasm in this ministry.
~Sandhya