Stories from the Malaysian Treehouse: Nothing But Them

This past weekend has been unlike any other for us. About a week ago, we were talking back and forth about what we were wanting to do over Labor Day weekend, whether we were wanting to leave town or to just stay around and chill. We ended up deciding to stay, and to see how the weekend unfolded.

Needless to say, this weekend wasn't completely about us and certainly didn't turn out how we thought it would. On Saturday afternoon, we had the privilege to go into the Reunion Arena at downtown Dallas and to be involved with KIDS CORP., a program set up for the children of the evacuees currently being sheltered there. We worked with kids ranging between the ages of 1 and 12, and just basically spent time playing with them and watching over them in designated play areas that were set up in the arena. It was so much fun interacting with them, and most of them were very happy and contented to be able to just play without having to worry about anything else. However, there were also a number of kids who proved to be more than a handful. Eventually a group of child therapists showed up to work with them in small groups, because these kids obviously had much more on their plate than what we could all see on the surface. Very sad to see, but this was just a small glimpse of the reality of it all.

Then yesterday afternoon, 2 friends from church, Josue and I went to the Christmas Warehouse of the Salvation Army. While there, the guys moved boxes and other items to be taken to the Texas Stadium and other distribution centers as part of the relief effort. In the meantime, Bethany and I sorted out men's, women's and children's socks, t-shirts and underwear. Later, we also joined another group of women putting together toiletry bags that were to be distributed to the evacuees. The warehouse was extremely hot and stuffy with no A/C, but the spirits of the volunteers remained high all throughout. It seemed like a non-stop effort and the donations and volunteer help kept pouring in throughout the afternoon. I also had the chance to meet and work with some really cool people. And we were all there together for the same purpose and with the same hearts.

Yeah, we hadn't imagine the weekend to turn out this way. But we sure wouldn't have it any other.

Posted by Malaysian Debster on Monday, September 05, 2005 at 9:38 AM | Permalink