Burning Down the Stuff.
4.28.2010 | 2 Comments
First thing yesterday morning I received an email from Ali. In effect, it said:
You know that warehouse that stores all the excess Whitecaps soccer gear that you and I are taking to that Rwandan orphanage to donate? Yah, well… that warehouse burned down last night. We lost everything.
Gone. All of it is gone. There were shirts, cleats, socks, shorts, soccer balls… everything that we were hoping would bring a little more joy into the lives of some kids on the other side of the world. Gone. How completely surreal and totally unexpected.
Why did this happen? I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. So… what’s the reason for this loss?
Even though Ali and I were both saddened by the loss of all the stuff, we quickly realized that the stuff wasn’t the important thing. We don’t need stuff to give. We have our time to give instead. Why not go to that Rwandan orphanage anyway, and spend a couple of days playing soccer with the kids? Maybe I’m totally wrong here, but something tells me that they’ve been getting by just fine with what soccer stuff they currently have…
And in my head I just can’t help thinking that maybe just going over there and spending time with the kids would make more of an impact than coming laden with stuff. It’s just STUFF.
And that impact I’m talking about? I have a funny feeling that I’m talking about myself there. I think I’ll be learning more from those children than I could ever teach them. That makes me anticipate the trip even more.
Strange that it took a burned down warehouse for me to understand that.