I was really encouraged and inspired by one of our volunteers last week. Carol came out to help with yard work at the Kepler Project about 2 weeks ago, spending most of the day with almost 40 other volunteers doing various tasks in the weekend heat wave – It was 97-degrees that day.
That evening, she went to an artisan’s fair at McMenamin’s Edgefield in Troutdale. She shared her story of the project, the people, and the work of Catalyst, with an artist named Tom. He was so inspired by her story that he gave her this beautiful “helping hands” piece he created, donating it to Catalyst for the ways we reach out our hands to help others in need. She delivered the gift to me last week, and we talked about how important and powerful it is to share God’s love with others through our HANDS.
With our hands we create, we work, we put food & drink into our mouths, we clean, we give comfort, we brush our teeth, we drive…the list goes on & on. Our hands also bear the marks & wrinkles of their wear & tear, as well as scars from times we have suffered. I was pondering this, and remembered how essential it was to Doubting Thomas to see the nail-holes in Christ’s hands so that he could believe. It’s an interesting correlation that, when we suffer on behalf of others, and bear their burdens with our hands, we demonstrate the living presence of Jesus in the world…often in ways that remove barriers and inspire people to believe.
