Below is an essay from Angie Hall about her experience as a Mobile Meals, Inc. Meal Delivery Volunteer:
If I could use one word to describe my Mobile Meals experience, it would be love. But what is love? In today’s society we use the word ‘love’ to convey many things, such as “I love you” or “I love this dress”. The Greeks used different words for the different types of love. They used éros to describe romantic love, philia for friendship, storge to describe an affection for someone, and agápe which is a self-giving, unconditional love. Mobile Meals strives to serve the most vulnerable in our society, and at the core of service is agápe love. As human beings, we all yearn for someone to show that they love us, to know that someone cares about us, and to be known and understood. I have seen Mobile Meals fulfill this basic human need through its meal delivery service.
As an intern this summer, I had the opportunity to show this agape love through delivering meals. Most of the clients are homebound, and they depended on me to make sure they had something to eat for the day. For some clients, I was the only person they saw during the day, so I tried to make the most of my visit. We usually talked about the weather — and whether it is nice enough outside to go for a walk. Other times I inquired about which TV shows they watch. Talking to a client is a simple act of love. It is about making a person feel like someone genuinely cares about his or her wellbeing. For me it about treating others the way I want to be treated when I get older. When I received words of thanks, it let me know that I made a difference. As I return to school this fall, I will no longer be available to deliver meals, but some clients still want to keep in touch with me and continue our friendship.
Even though I don’t really expect to be given anything in return when I volunteer, I believe in the old saying, “You receive more than you give.” Volunteering always makes me feel loved. In one case, it was the simple kindness of a couple who took me on their deliveries so I could learn how to become a driver. Another time, it was a teenager at the food distribution center who helped load my car, or a worker at a food center who put a cart away for me.
One of the clients likes to play the Price is Right play at home, and he often shared with me the correct answer in hopes that I would win a grand prize. For all these many reasons, Mobile Meals to me is about an exchange of love. It’s about caring for the people in the community, and making the choice to love others through our actions. It’s about making service a way of life.
Are you interested in volunteering? If so, please click on this link for more information on how you too can make a difference in your commmunity by becoming a Mobile Meals volunteer: http://bit.ly/pJGlFz
