From Holly, a staff member of Portland Rescue Mission:
Recently, Portland Adventist Academy students and faculty spread throughout the city doing good works for various charities.
We were blessed to have a group of 20 come to the Burnside Men’s Shelter, and 10 to Shepherd’s Door, our recovery ministry for women and children.
The Shepherd’s Door group overhauled the pantry and it turned out great. At Burnside, they jumped in and painted several rooms including sleeping rooms and an office. They were fun, enthusiastic and very heartfelt in their service. The work was great, but the heart was the greatest, and really blessed me and made a lasting impact on me.
The thing that touched my heart happened just before they left. I walked with them to their bus a couple of blocks away. After they were on the bus, one girl (I believe her name was Chantel) jumped up and came back to the door of the bus. She pulled off her shoes, which looked like they were her very favorites, and said, “Will you give these to someone who needs them?“
Chantel went back to school with no shoes on, and a heart full of joy. It was such a spontaneous, genuine outpouring of generosity and kindness that it brought tears to my eyes.
Many times people think their humble gift won’t make a difference. They put off giving until they have something perfect or big to give. But it is best to give from the heart, the second the urge hits you. If everyone does their little part, it will be enough.