WHAT ABOUT ME?
POURING OUT TO THE POOR
It is seldom that an opportunity crosses one’s path, disguised as an avenue for a greater purpose. There looms in waiting, a spark to propel the thought process to take action. An idea, that floats to the surface, intensifies with its presence, then pours out to those around us. This happened to me several years ago, and I share this with you, to amplify, that there are ways to contribute to others, which are thought to be beyond one's means.
In 1983, at the company where I was working, there was a fellow worker who was making coffee for the employees. He had a large size coffee pot, but with so many workers it seemed when you went there, the coffee was gone. I decided I would help alleviate this problem, and brought in my own coffee pot, and set it up in the department I worked in. Like the other coffee station, it was 25 cents a cup, leaving money on the honor system, in a jar on the table. Using the money received, I bought the coffee, sugar and milk. I made the coffee in a 30-cup pot and soon the word had gotten around, the coffee I was making had a great flavor, and created a following which I had not expected. Each day I would make three, sometimes four pots of coffee. This mushroomed into a substantial financial reward, so I opened a special bank account to accommodate the funds. As the funds accumulated and grew, I began to think about what I would do with this money. As a thoughtful gesture, I considered having a party for all those who had contributed. I just, didn’t know.
I was attending a spiritual lecture series, given by my spiritual director Reverend Edward McLean, called, “From the Head to the Heart.” In one particular presentation about the poor and homeless, I was deeply touched, and realized where the money was destined to go. In my heart, I felt a deep awareness of compassion; I would give the money to the poor—an outpouring from the coffee fund, to those in need. I now had a mission, a purpose: to feed the poor, the lambs and sheep of Our Lord's flock.
This was an opportunity to fulfill a task, before this, I was financially unable to do. My income was limited; my paycheck was given to my wife to take care of all our expenses. In return, I was given an $8.00 a week allowance for my own personal use. To say the least, I was not in a position to accomplish very much, or make serious offerings to the poor, or to those less fortunate, than I. For what could I do, or how would I do it, or by what means? These thoughts from the past, are a reminder of what can be done, when opportunity speaks to your heart.
Selling coffee at work? What, and how much can that accomplish? For the short time I did this, until the company brought in their own outside coffee service, I had accumulated $1,600 to the coffee fund. When the outside coffee service was installed, I was instructed by the company to remove my coffee pot and to take it home. I then drew the money from the bank and wrote a check for $1,600 for “The Fund for the Poor” and gave it to Reverend Edward McLean to distribute.
I never told my fellow workers what I did with this money, nor boast about it. I fed those who needed to be fed, when I was able to feed them. In essence, I made the perfect cup of coffee, and gave it to the Lord to drink. This outpouring of heart—an idea that flourished, an opportunity in disguise—was a gift, I just poured out to others.
I do not boast to you about the amount of money I gave away; simply, I mention it here, as to what can be done with a cup of coffee. For this is a sample, of the simple things around us, that open avenues for intercession. What simple thing can you do to help those in need?
Open your heart: do less for yourself, and do more for others. When you eat your next meal, or pour your next drink, think of those who are in need, who do not share your abundance at your table, and think of those, who do not have coins, for a simple cup of coffee. You will begin to realize, who you are, what you are, and the task set before you, to pour out, to the poor.
It is the simple things we take for granted, the little nudges of our conscience we shut out. There are many people who are without basic items of life: food, clothing, shelter; no money, hospitalization or medication. Those unable to obtain a dentist or eye care. Those without a job or transportation. Those who cannot read, or write.
We continue to obtain, retain, and accumulate more than we need. We cannot detach ourselves from the desire, for the “new, big and better.” The next item we buy, always leads, to the next item we buy. We have poured out so much for ourselves, we have forgotten, “the least of our brothers.”
Television and advertising pour out their daily bombardment of creative deception, to consume our hearts, minds and pocketbooks, on luxuries, and useless items of junk we do not need. This deceptive evil output nourishes the rich to become more infatuated with itself, in this captive technique of pouring paradise riches out of an electronic window, into building a falsification of happiness. This teaching tool of television, most of its programming is filled with violence, murders, sex, abuse, foul language, anti-family values, and moral disintegration, and yet portrays itself as entertainment. It glorifies the worst as reality, and this is what we are becoming, a people lost in a sewer, with no regard for our fellow man. Television does not conduct itself, in a realm of goodness, beneficial to our hearts for the betterment of people. It does not pour out its advertisements to help the poor nor emphasize their need. We are driven by a force, to eat more, buy more, and to waste more. We live in this earthly paradise, unattainable to the poor, which separates further apart the rich, from the poor. We are a people, who go on vacations from this paradise which we live in, to some paradise in the sun, simply, because we need to get away. The poor and needy, need a vacation, a reprieve, to get away from their misery and hopelessness. Anything you would give to them WOULD BE paradise. Whatever you give, give it in thanksgiving. Do not be resentful or hesitant, but give it with grace and gratitude; for this outpouring from your heart to the poor, is an extension from your heart, to the cross. Open your eyes and heart: fill those that reach out to be fed. Mend the hearts of the brokenhearted, that long to be uplifted from their darkness and hunger.
“I take thee, the least of my brothers, to embrace your poverty, and need, your desolation and abandonment, from now, unto death, do we part.” The outpouring of these words are drink to my soul. They are tears, of coffee stains, of love, of obedience—to hear the unheard voices, of the poor.
Robert J. Varrick
rjvarrick@gmail.com