So, the boys asked me to write an entry.  The boys or men, whatever you want to call those Hungate fellows.  I want to keep it simple because I tend to ramble because girls have minds like spaghetti, everything connects in some way (guys are waffles, their thoughts stay in a square).  Anyway, after your psychology lesson, I realized that a big problem with serving people is the fact that it’s hard to start.  How can I help?  I can’t do anything big enough to make a major difference.  The main issue for some is not knowing where to start or not knowing what you can actually do.

I picked up a ten year old girl named Bethany one afternoon to take her to see a movie.  I met Bethany at Crossover, a service organization on the Lee University campus.  Before the movie, we stopped at a gas station to get candy and a Yoo-Hoo for the movie.  This girl had never tried a Yoo-Hoo before.  We walk in, grab it and leave.  Well, grab it, pay for it, then leave.

When we got in the car, she asked, “Do you need gas?”

“No, how come?” I asked.

“Well, do you want candy or anything to drink?”

“No, how come?”

Then she sort of cocked her head and looked at me like I did something wrong and said, “Wait, you went to the gas station just for me?”

“Umm….yes….?”

Then she told me that no one had ever gone somewhere just for her, not even a gas station.

In 2009, (the most updated, trustworthy statistic I could find) In Cleveland, Tennessee 43.2% of children were below poverty level.  53% of children did not graduate high school.  I imagine that those statistics have only raised.  A lot of these kids do not have positive influences.  I’m not just saying that to say it, they have admitted it.

One morning when I was tired and didn’t want to wake up early to see these kids and families that I have grown close to, Bethany’s reaction popped into my head.  No one had ever gone to the gas station for her.  That’s how simple it was to make a difference.  All I had to do was be there.  A lot of people don’t show up or don’t approach someone because they immediately become self-conscious and the idea that they can’t make a difference becomes more important than trying.

If you make the effort to be there for people, you’ve already made a difference.

WE ARE THE ORIGINAL REBELS

Amanda Downey