The Giving Heart | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: The Giving Heart | Previous Challenge Entry
By Karen Frantz
11/30/06
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The Giving Heart

Twice a month Millie Edeston volunteers to help cook and serve meals at the newly renovated, downtown mission. Millie has been a volunteer there ever since her husband, Jim passed away, about five years ago. She loves being a volunteer, meeting and talking to different people. Some would share with her their life story. Oh, could those stories tug on her heart strings. Today would be somewhat of a challenge for her.

“Hey Millie, what’s on the menu? A tall thin gentleman, slightly balding and very shabbily dressed, with a big toothy grin, asks as he tipped his finger to his forehead.

“How about beef stew, piping hot, corn muffins and Jello salad?” Millie smiled back. Mr. Johns had been coming to the mission for about two years. He used to work for a big investment company but lost his job due to his drinking problems. He was a nice, polite man, who always had a smile. “What a shame,” Millie thought as she handed him his tray of food.

Millie was startled as she looked into the eyes of a young woman who couldn’t have been a day over twenty two years old and was holding the tiny hand of a blond, curly haired boy with big, blue eyes.

“Excuse me, miss, what do I need to do to get some food for me and my boy?” She asked in a low, quivery voice.

Millie smiled, “just walk through that door to your right, you’ll see a man sitting at a desk, he’ll sign you in. Then come on back and I will see you get your food.”

Millie watched as the young lady and the small boy walked to the door. It really touched Millie’s heart. “I wonder what their situation is.” She asked herself.

Soon the young lady and her son returned and walked up to the counter. Millie handed the young lady one tray and she carried the other one to a nearby table.

“Thank you, mam, the young lady said as she slipped the little boy’s jacket off of his arms.

“You must be new around here, I’m Millie Edeston.” Millie said as she reached for the young lady’s hand.

At first she was hesitant, and then she offered her hand to Millie. “Yes mam, were just passing through.” She said looking at Millie with big sad eyes.

Millie was good at starting conversations. Within the hour she had learned that the young lady’s husband had left her and the young boy without a penny to their name and they were trying to get to the young lady’s parents, who lived at least three hours away.
Millie asked the girl to stay right where she was. Then Millie went and found Dan Whitson, who was head of the mission.

After a short conversation with the young lady Dan came over to Millie. “Millie, I think we can help her out but not before tomorrow. She’ll have to stay here tonight.”

Millie’s heart sank, very rarely did they have women and children come to the mission. It wasn’t a good place for them to be.

The young lady and her son were about to leave when Millie spoke up; “Mam, just a minute please.” Millie said a silent prayer. Then she approached the young lady.

“How would you like to spend the night at my house? You could get a hot shower and a good night’s sleep. I’ll bring you back here tomorrow morning. I’m a volunteer here and I’ll be working so it won’t be a problem at all.” Millie smiled a big smile.

The young lady looked really relieved, “Thank you, mam that would be real nice. I appreciate your kindness. She said.

Millie smiled, she felt so good inside. To her being a volunteer at the mission was her ministry. A ministry she looked forward to every time she served.

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