Chicken Beard

It’s in God’s love that I can share this with you. Another experience of such evidence of the love of God in my heart while down serving the less fortunate at the local Mission.

I didn’t catch his name while he waited in the line up for his plate of dinner. But strikingly his beard was bushy, with a slight greyish-blond ting to it. His eyes were a bit glossy and maybe even a little red. When it was his turn to come up to the counter to receive his dinner plate, he very politely but excitedly asked me for "two pieces of chicken, please".  So I dug into the vast pan of roasted chicken legs and pulled out two smaller sized drumsticks. This way, I wouldn’t be taking too much away from someone else, and still able to fulfill his request. Off he went with a very grateful heart, even if it was just for a moment.

The night continued on as usual, the heat, the hungry, the cleaning of countless dishes. I had forgotten how much I truly loved it there. Usually after we have served all of those sitting at the tables, I escape from that position. I tend to like to go out to the floor where everyone eats and I begin taking empty trays, and wiping tables. They're all so thankful again, and many of them will often encourage conversations with me. I like that. They're human beings just like everyone else, and I think more loving than most. And so that's my escape. I want to be with them, I want to share God's love with them, I want them to feel that from me.

Once my chores of cleaning are complete, I headed back to the kitchen to help out in there. And just as I took a moment of rest, the gentleman I had served the two pieces of chicken to, had come up to the front where I was standing. With stretched out arms, greasy chicken fingers (still filled with food) he pointed to me and said; "Thank you so much for dinner". I looked up at him, only to notice his bushy, greyish-blond beard was just filled with chicken pieces. His face was red from the heat of the room, and as he spoke to me, I felt so much dear love in my heart, I almost wanted to reach out to him. I smiled from ear to ear, and said "you are very very welcome".

We served 153 hungry mouths that night, all with a smile and God’s love shining through our hearts. We received many compliments and thank you’s throughout the night as we often do. We are there to bring God to those who need Him. We are there to show them there is hope in His love. We are there to be obedient to His command to help those who are less fortunate than we. And we lovingly pour out our hearts in everything we do, as unglorifying as some of the tasks are, that need to be done.

We love them all the most, even if they have chicken stuck in their beards, or rice spitting out of their mouths. I think that makes us love them even more. Well, it does for me.

God Bless them all.

(hugs)