¡Hola!

Today I helped deliver meals to individuals’ residences (not homes, as most people only have an 8′ x 10′ room to call their own).  The organization serves clients who have symptomatic HIV, are on treatment for breast cancer, or are home-bound seniors.  By help, I do not mean actually deliver the meals.  I was guiding five volunteers from Colorado.  My job(s)?  I made sure clients got the right meal, the volunteers did not get lost, and no one took meals (i.e. I sat downstairs as the volunteers delivered the meals).

Those lobbies see a lot of traffic—people in and out, in and out.  As I sat there, part of the traffic, I prayed that God would use my time in those lobbies.  He did.  A surprise?  It shouldn’t be.  God hears our prayers, and I have proof that he heard mine today.  I was sitting at a round, plastic table by myself.  Two women sat at the table next to me, likely both residents at the “hotel”—and by hotel I do not mean the Hilton.  I tried to eavesdrop respectively, an art I am interested in perfecting.  One woman mentioned working at the Salvation Army.  I joined in the conversation by asking what she did there.  She proudly explained that she was promoted after a little while because she could speak two languages.  After a few minutes, I learned that she was born in Nicaragua.  I proudly told her that I eat at the Nicaraguan restaurant at 26th and Mission nearly every week.  Her eyes lit up.

As I waited in the next lobby, a latino man walked in, also part of the traffic.  As our eyes met, he said “Hola.”  I returned his greeting.  His eyes lit up and stayed lit for the next two minutes as we conversed in Spanish.

Today, Jesus showed me the joy he can bring others when I am simply in-tune to his spirit.  His challenge to me: he wants to use me daily to bring joy to his children, if I am obedient.

-Briana, CSM San Francisco Bay Area Summer 2010 City Host