A New Beginning: Time to Recommit
February 6, 2010
Getting up early in the morning on the second Saturday after vacation is difficult for anybody, including me. Running late, I rushed to the metro station to meet several other Circle K members eager to serve on a freezing day—an understatement from someone hailing from the warm South! Today, we were going to deliver groceries to senior citizens, who have been neglected and marginalized by the society. Welcome to the most powerful city in the entire planet with a fair share of its problems: Washington D.C. Indeed, it takes only a few weeks to notice the wide disparity between the rich and poor in this city. Something must done! This is precisely how Mark Anderson, the Co-Director of We are Family felt before establishing his organization to serve the needy, particularly the seniors of the African American Community.
Under Mark’s guidance, I along with other volunteers, including those from Circle K, delivered groceries to seniors, while inquiring about their day. During the course of the activity, I realized that our interaction as volunteers with the seniors might be the only communication they have in the entire day with the outside world.
Although it is difficult for me to rise early on weekends, I truly look forward to each Saturday in hopes of receiving the joy of working with other volunteers to make a small difference in someone else’s life. Service, now I understand, benefits everyone. Thus, it is time for not only me, but for everyone to recommit to serving others.