“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by “I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.” ― Mother Teresa
Right when I got to Mother Teresa’s Home (or as we called it Mama T’s) I was soon captivated by the volunteer community; by the warmth and friendliness of the people and sisters. We began our day there packing up lunches to give to the homeless on the streets of Kingston. Sometimes it’s easy to become immune to the poverty & the homeless around you – However, volunteering in Kingston was a very humbling experience. Mama T’s is a very special place. It is a peaceful place; where the tears of the dying and the tears of the searching join together; where boundaries are broken and you are led away from you comfort zone. I was continually humbled; at the man who thanked me for sitting with him and talking, at the lady curled up in the corner of her bed sobbing who let me sit with her, or at the woman with excruciating wounds who endured daily agony, who let me help feed her & comfort her. It’s crazy to think that’s in 2014 there are still people dying without anything or anyone. There I had a purpose, to remind those who felt abandoned that they too were not forgotten by the world; they were not rejected; unwanted; but they too were loved. These experiences are so important. It’s in these moments that one realizes sharing love & try to heal someone’s brokenness…this is where we find God.
On our lunch break I had a conversation with this very nice gentleman. He is a commercial diver/fisherman for Jamaica. He told me he can hold his breathe under water for 15 MINUTES!! holy moly! So in other words he’s part mermaid. He was so kind & even let me take this rad portrait of him with a doobie in his mouth! haha
