You know that often I like to start my posts with a scripture. Today, I just don’t have a fitting scripture for what is on my heart, yet, I feel compelled to share this with you…
I work at a nearby college and one aspect of my job is event planning. Many times I do everything from design the promotional flier and making travel arrangements to organizing dinners, meals, etc. Sometimes, the event is just arranging lunch for a group. (How fun that I get to plan parties and spend someone else’s money!) Yesterday, I had a lunch meeting, but didn’t know if I was planning for 25 or 75 and the meeting involved students, faculty and staff…um, what to feed them? How much to buy? It was decided we would have a local pizzeria deliver pizza and soda but I still had no idea how much. I planned for 75, if 50 showed up, I would have plenty of pizza…75 show up, I had 1.75 slices per person. 🙂 The meeting was a success but only 30 people showed up. Professors were taking whole pies to their classes. I still ended up bringing two whole pizzas back to my office. At the end of the day I was trying to give them away and was still left with 6 slices of pepperoni. I decided to leave it in the lobby of my building, because occasionally students will study there and food left on the table is fair game for anyone, if it was still there when I went to work this morning, then I would throw it out.
I went to the lobby and there was one student sitting on the sofa and I said, “would you like some pizza?” His eyes lit up and he said, “yes, please.” I lifted the lid, sat it down on the table and said…”enjoy and help yourself.”
“all of it?” he said.
“if it isn’t eaten, it has to be thrown out.” I said. “let me get you some napkins.”
I quickly went back to my office, gathered napkins, a cold bottle of water and two pieces of chocolate candy out the bowl on my desk and went back out to the student.
“here you go. Napkins, dinner, dessert and a cold bottle of water. How’s that?!” I said.
The student looked at me, with the softest, dark eyes and said, “thank you. it’s my birthday today.”
My heart just broke.
“what’s your name?” I said.
He told me. I walked around the table, sat down on the couch beside him, gave him a hug (he hugged back) and said, “Happy Birthday ____! Where are you from?”
He named a city VERY far away, on the other side of the country.
“Wow! That’s a long way. I guess that means Mom & Dad or someone from home isn’t coming to take you to dinner tonight or this weekend.”
He shook his head.
I asked if he was doing anything special. He said he thought the guys on his floor might do something. There was a box from LLBean on the table and he pointed and said, I think my Mom sent me something.
We discussed his major, which turned out to be technical and scientific….I said, “so your a brainiac!” and he smiled.
“Are you a sophomore, junior…what?” I said.
“I am a freshman.” he said.
“Um…that makes you what 18, maybe 19?” I said.
“That is what most people think. I am 17.” he said.
“You are a REAL brainiac!” I said.
Again, he smiled. I told him I hoped he had a nice evening. In the course of the conversation, he asked what I taught…I told him that I wasn’t a faculty member, told him what I did and where my office was located. I sat with him just a few more minutes and went back to my office to wrap up and go home.
I don’t know if I will ever see this young man around campus again or not…but for one brief moment, I got to brighten a young man’s day and all I did was offer cold pizza and a hug.
The lesson I learned? Never underestimate…a kind deed, a hug, a smile or sharing a moment of your time. The last 30 minutes of my workday yesterday was the BEST 30 minutes of my day!
THAT is my Wednesday Wonder….what is yours?
Even a cup of water offered in love is a powerful thing. That is an awesome story, Mary, and I just know God orchestrated the whole thing so that young guy would feel His love reaching out to him through another person on his birthday.
Loving you,
Dianne
How wonder-full, Mary! I love how you brought out water, candy and napkins, too 🙂 Thank you for sharing.
I work at a university too and it is definitely my mission field!
You're my Wednesday wonder!
Thank you, Mary, for sharing this wonderful story. This young man must have been missing his family and I'm glad you were there and reached out to him. It can't be easy to be so young and so far from home.
Mary, pass the box of Kleenex! I think a very appropriate scripture here would be:
On the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand, "Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me." Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink, I was sick and you did not visit me." These will ask Him, "When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?" And Jesus will answer them, "Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!" Matthew 25
Great story Mary!
Mary, I could not help but think of you being HIS "hands & feet" to the young man. Then you closed your post by saying, the last 30 min. of your day was the best ~ "what delights us directs us"~
Thank you Mary for being an encourager and letting the Holy Spirit guide you through this act of kindness. Blessings to you this Thanksgiving, I pray it is special for you.