I got up earlier than usual this Saturday morning. My husband and I spent the day volunteering for Compton Unified School District’s Toy Drive/Luncheon for families in need.

My mom works for a very special department in the Compton Unified School District. The department has an official name but I call it the HELP Department. Why do I call my mom’s department HELP? Well what they do every day is exactly what the dictionary says the word HELP means:

They go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others every day.  I know some people are quick to say but that’s their job… that’s true. I honestly can’t speak for everyone in my mom’s department because I don’t know them all personally. However, I can tell you firsthand that it’s more than just my mom’s job.  Before my mom worked there she was the HELP Department. All of my life she has always helped people whenever and however she could. For her its a lifestyle. It’s in my blood

So when she told us about the annual toy drive and luncheon we and many others were happy to volunteer.

There were many people that were unable to make it but made contributions to help make the day a wonderful experience. My other mom was one of them, she too believes strongly in helping!

Being there was an experience that is difficult to put into words…put it this way, throughout the day I found myself choked up and having to fight back tears.

Watching children’s faces light up as they got to pick toys was awesome. There were some moments that just tugged my heart.

There was a little girl that told us she did not want anything for herself. She said it was her grandmother’s birthday and all she wanted was a teddy bear for her grandmother…

The room was filled with toys as well as other items such as blankets, shoes, coats, caps, underwear, socks, etc…. The children were allowed to pick whatever they wanted without any urging or assistance from their parents.

One would expect that all of the children would pick toys right?

Well it was surprising and heart tugging to see very very small children deliberately and on their own pick COATS and BLANKETS instead of toys!  What does that tell you?

There were plenty of smiling faces and full tummies It was a great day.

For me, it was also a time for some serious reflection, introspection, and PERSPECTIVE.

I left thankful, prayerful, and hopeful. BUT  even now there is something that bothers me. I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t speak on it.

Now let me be clear, I’m not sharing my experience for props. I simply hope to inspire and motivate people in a position to HELP to step up and help. I’m really surprised that some of those in the entertainment industry that have made their bread and butter dragging Compton’s name through the mud didn’t help out.

THEY CLAIM TO LOVE THE HOOD…ALWAYS HOLLA IT…BUT WHEN ITS TIME TO REPRESENT THEY DON’T PUT THEY DOLLARS IN…—Tommy Lockhart

But I suppose the lack of support from those entertainers always screaming Compton doesn’t really matter because others in the entertainment industry did, my other mom and her family did what others in the entertainment industry didn’t and with late notice!

What did not come as a surprise was that there was no media coverage. Had their been a shooting or a mistress outing Tiger Woods the news vans would have been every where. But I guess that doesn’t matter either because I was there an eyewitness blogging it how I saw it Good Things Do Happen In Compton yall. Believe me when I tell you!  “Coming Straight Outta Compton”

I’m just sharing my observations. You can like it, lump it, take it or shake it. If it steps on your toes GOOD. If it makes you mad great. Do something about it! I dare you.

I know we live in a world where there are givers, takers, movers, shakers, and plenty of fakers. Yall know. All I’m saying is lets stop talking about it and actually BE ABOUT IT. This is not intended for those that are already givers by nature or live a lifestyle of helping. This is specifically for the talkers…

I always hear folks talk about giving back. As I looked in those kids eyes today that saying “talk is cheap” came to mind. Its easy to talk about giving back. I know, I know,….it’s a recession, right? Well giving back does not always have to be about giving money. If you don’t have money to give, how about some of your time?

We are all a community and within our communities (especially during this recession) there are so many families that have fallen on hard times by no fault of their own.  We hear on the news every day about the job losses, foreclosures, etc… what we do not hear about is what happens to families (children) when disaster strikes. There is no “bail out” for those hardest hit in these difficult times. We all have to step up and be our brother’s keeper. You might be sitting pretty today…you might still have a job and a roof over your head but in these uncertain times you never know if and when the tables could turn. If you suddenly found yourself in a position of need wouldn’t you want some help? How do you think it makes a parent feel to know their child needs a coat and not be able to provide? What if it were you? It’s easy to not even think about these things when you are ‘have’ instead of a ‘have not.’

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” —JFK

To find places in your local area in need of volunteers contact your local schools, city hall, or non profits.

You can also visit: www.serve.gov

According To the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

The volunteer rates of men, 23.2 percent, and women, 29.4 percent,
were about the same in the year ending September 2008 as in the prior
year.  Women volunteered at a higher rate than did men across all age
groups, educational levels, and other major demographic characteristics,
as in previous years.  

   Persons age 35 to 44 continued to be the most likely to volunteer
(31.3 percent), while persons in their early twenties were the least
likely (18.6 percent).  The only age group with a significant change
over the year was 16- to 19-year-olds.  The volunteer rate of this
group rose 1.4 percentage points in the year ending September 2008,
essentially offsetting the 1.9 percentage point decrease that occurred
in the prior year.

   In the year that ended in September 2008, whites continued to volun-
teer at a higher rate (27.9 percent) than did blacks (19.1 percent) and
Asians (18.7 percent).  The rate for each of these groups was either
unchanged or essentially unchanged from the prior year.  Among Hispanics
or Latinos, 14.4 percent volunteered in 2008, up from 13.5 percent in
the year ending September 2007.

   Married persons volunteered at a higher rate (31.6 percent) than
those who had never married (20.4 percent) and those with other mari-
tal statuses (20.9 percent).  Parents with children under age 18 were
substantially more likely to volunteer than were persons without chil-
dren, 33.8 percent compared with 23.5 percent.

   Individuals with higher levels of educational attainment volunteer-
ed at higher rates than did those with less education.  Among persons
age 25 and over, 42.2 percent of college graduates volunteered, compar-
ed with 18.1 percent of high school graduates and 9.4 percent of those
with less than a high school diploma.

   Among employed persons, 28.9 percent volunteered during the year
ending in September 2008.  By comparison, 22.3 percent of unemployed
persons and 22.2 percent of those not in the labor force volunteered.
Among the employed, part-time workers were more likely than full-time
workers to have participated in volunteer activities--34.2 versus 27.8
percent.

I found these stats interesting.

I hear people talk about being Christians. Americans are always talking about being a Christian nation (and helping others). Again, talk is cheap. I received a very interesting email forward this week. It’s fittingly appropriate so I’ll share it:

Ruth went to her mail box and there was only one letter.

She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again.

There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.

She read the letter:

Dear Ruth:

I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I’d like to stop by for a visit.

Love Always,

Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table.. ‘Why would the Lord want to visit me?

I’m nobody special. I don’t have anything to offer.’

With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets.

‘Oh my goodness, I really don’t have anything to offer. I’ll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner.’

She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents.

Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least.’

She threw on her coat and hurried out the door.

A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk…leaving Ruth with grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday..

Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

‘Hey lady, can you help us,lady?’

Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn’t even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway.

A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.

‘Look lady, I ain’t got a job, you know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it’s getting cold and we’re getting kinda Hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we’d really appreciate it.’

Ruth looked at them both.

They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to.

‘Sir, I’d like to help you, but I’m a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I’m having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him.’

‘Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway.’

The man put his arm around the woman’s shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.

‘Sir, wait!’

The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.

‘Look, why don’t you take this food. I’ll figure out something else to serve my guest.’

She handed the man her grocery bag.

‘Thank you lady. Thank you very much!’

‘Yes, thank you!’ It was the man’s wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering

‘You know, I’ve got another coat at home.

Here, why don’t you take this one.’

Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman’s shoulders.

Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street…without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest.

‘Thank you lady!

Thank you very much!’

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front Door, and worried too.

The Lord Was coming to visit and she didn’t have anything to offer Him.

She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox.

‘That’s odd. The mailman doesn’t usually come twice in one day.’

Dear Ruth:

It was so good to see you again.

Thank you for the lovely meal.

And thank you, too, for the beautiful coat.

Love Always,

Jesus

The air was still cold, but even without her coat, Ruth no longer noticed.

I’ll bet dollars to donuts some smarty pants will leave a comment saying something about the Bible saying there will always be poor among you…for any smarty pants thinking about leaving such a comment be reminded the Bible also says:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.

All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,

I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’    Matthew 25:31-35