Yesterday I got an email from a volunteer with The Mustard Seed. Just
emailing me to say “thank you” for the opportunity to volunteer over
the last week. She was one of the 100’s of people I met when my place of
work, The Mustard Seed, underwent an amazing makeover this Spring. I
had invited her back to help out this past week in our foodbank and she
found it so rewarding she was thanking me.
I work at The Mustard Seed, a member of the Canadian Baptists of
Western Canada. Centering on its faith there is a Sunday Church Service,
chapel 3 times a week, Bible study, women’s fellowship and the kinds of
activities one might expect in an average church. The Mustard Seed is
perhaps better known for its ministries than for its church. There is a
foodbank, family centre, recovery farm, drop-in, clothing bank,
advocates, hair care, meals, coffee and our daily bread table, strong
volunteer program and the list goes on.
This spring The Mustard Seed was gifted with a community makeover by a
program called Hero Work. The founder of Hero Work, Paul built a team
of community members and businesses that descended upon The Mustard Seed
for eight days and truly transformed our main floor. From new floors,
furniture, lights and even toilets the space was transformed to be more
welcoming and calm and functional for all who enter.
During this renovation I also saw people transformed. Those that
stepped forward to volunteer and give their time found themselves on the
receiving end with their involvement in this project. One person
involved said to me he was a firm atheist before the project, and for
the first time in his life he felt the presence of some greater power,
warmth and connectedness to others. Yes, a glimpse of God.
Others
shared how they had never been on a construction site before with such
harmony before. The politeness: thank you, excuse me, how can I help,
what’s next, do you need a hand? sounds rarely heard on a typical
building job. The painters staying on the job until 2 in the morning so
the flooring could start at 6 am. The plumber carrying the ladder for
the electrician and the organizer jumping in sanding, no one concerned
about themselves but instead about the whole.
I heard stories of people first coming to The Mustard Seed for school
supplies, of people growing up with the help of foodbanks, of someone
putting a job search on hold as they knew they had to volunteer, and
another who felt the God compelling them to take a major role, of others
who past and present rely on the Mustard Seed and wanted a chance to
contribute. I overheard someone say that before this project they never
prayed but that was the only way this amount of work could get done was
with prayer. Other people taking me aside to ask questions about faith,
ask about my faith and/or to tell me about their walk with God.
Sometimes people came to me and asked for prayer and I also turned to
others outside this project to hold The Mustard Seed and those
participating in this project (myself included) in prayer. Thank you
for your prayers.
This renovation took 8 days, transformed a space with a renovation
valued at $500,000. and was made into a touching TV show. The space is
more welcoming and functional and a pride has developed for many of our
community that come for help, and are now volunteering. The people who
were transformed the most were those who thought they were coming to
give and instead found they were on the receiving end of love, kindness,
friendship and the presence of God on Queens Avenue.
Amen.
