Monday, April 19, 2010

April 19, 2010

Women who volunteer their time to help others are incredible. Okay, I realized that men who volunteer are special too and one day they will have a blog dedicated to them. However, this one is for the ladies.

Women want to empower and be supportive to other women. They desire to share God’s love with those they serve. They find joy in rocking a baby to sleep, playing Hide and Seek with toddlers or helping school-age children with their homework. They often view the use of their time spent volunteering at church, for their favorite charity or in an academic setting as an investment in the lives of those with whom they interact. In reality that is exactly what they are doing.

It’s an investment that the return on isn’t always seen immediately, but there are moments of encouragement. It’s the smile on a child’s face as she views her first birthday cake, which was baked by a volunteer. It is the agitated infant who stops crying and falls asleep in the arms of a volunteer who takes the time to sing him a lullaby. Just last week Sharon Morris, one of our very special volunteers who assists in our Lydia’s Purse sewing and mentoring class, shared about a participant in that class becoming discouraged with her crooked stitching. After hearing words of encouragement from Sharon and others, she realized that everyone sews a crooked stitch at one time or another. Through the patience shown her she begins to believe her sewing will continue to improve. Thank you, ladies, for your willingness to give of your time to others. 

Yvette McMillan
Director of Women’s Division

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Restoring Hope

Probably most people view February as a very special month because of Valentine’s Day. Not us! February is the anniversary month of Harvest Home, the women’s division of Haven of Rest Ministries. This month we are observing 31 years of ministry to homeless women and women with children. For that reason I want to share something with you.

A young woman staying at our shelter loves to write poetry. She has written several poems with various themes and would like to have them published some day. We are not able to publish them for her but we wanted to do something that will encourage her in cultivating her gift. So we are looking into having them typed and placed in a binder with “Poems by …..,” engraved on the cover of the book.

I thought you might want to read two or three excerpts from her poem entitled “Harvest Home.” I have her permission to share this:

A place that’s full of joy,
and so much more.
A place that’s not just about rules.
A place that even I think is cool.

A place with a Godly touch,
Wish I could meet Mrs. Marjorie
I would tell her “Love you much”

A place that I would
like to call my own.
But it’s just a temporary home.
So I say to each and everyone
I’m glad I found this place,
a place called
Harvest Home !!!

Yvette McMillan
Director of Women’s Division