Grateful Smiles

It was my first day on the job. Arriving in LA only two days before, I was anxious to say the least. A friend and I had heard about the Dream Center six months ago and knew that we had to be apart of the heart that beats here. With the collaboration of its’ volunteers, that heart beats with a pure love for God and for serving the people He created. And that heartbeat was seen in my visit to the streets of South Central yesterday.

The truck packed with food, we drove to the corner of 20th and Oak Street. Immediately, we saw the faces of these people in need. And instantly, I could feel the grateful spirit each one of them had. Living from paycheck to paycheck, (if income was even in the picture) these people counted on the food truck for the health of themselves and their families. And they knew exactly when it came, because they were all waiting and ready.

I’m not usually apart of the food truck crew but was asked to come along to take pictures and experience what it is the Dream Center actually does in its community. I was also able to pass out bags of food to the people in line, in need. Thinking to myself, what about the somewhat sense of embarrassment that they must feel? Aren’t they at all ashamed to admit they need our help? And would this feeling make them not as openly grateful? No. They smiled, thanked and blessed us for our generosity again, again and again. Their incredibly great need for help had blocked any feelings of embarrassment that maybe you or I may have had. This very thing, I think goes to show how blessed we are and how great their need is. Today we are going to Skid Row to do the very same thing. I’m excited to see the grateful smiles again, for it is the direct effect of the outpouring of God’s love, and I am so thankful to be apart of that.

-Courtnay