Giving From the Heart

In June, we held our Outpace Poverty walk, fun run, and family festival at Frank A. Theis Park in Kansas City. The support we received from so many sponsors, volunteers and participants was wonderful and the weather was perfect. I am grateful for those who want to join in our mission to help serve and lift the poor and vulnerable.

In saying that, I want to share two particularly touching stories that recently impacted me.

• While at the Outpace Poverty event, an eight-year old boy approached Rhonda Gonzalez, a member of our Veteran Services team, with a $100 bill in hand. He shared with Rhonda how he had raised the $100 all by himself and wanted to give it to help the poor. When I think about this young man’s heroic virtue (he must have great parents), I think about his giving from the heart and his purposeful intent to help others.
• About a month later, a young man in 8th grade, working on his Eagle Scout, contacted our volunteer coordinator, Linda Hopkins. He worked tirelessly to produce 150 rosaries and sought to place them in the Our Lady Undoer of Knots Chapel located in our Kansas City office. This young man assembled a group of buddies who systematically placed every bead on the rosary, tying knots behind each decade, each crucifix, and each medallion. If I’m doing my math correctly, he placed 8,850 beads, 150 crucifixes, 150 medallions and hand-tied 2,100 knots! He then placed all 150 rosaries in separate bags for distribution.

These young men left a lasting impression on me, and the Catholic Charities staff. In scripture, we are asked to give back to God. God gives us everything we have – our life, our breath, our home, our food, our health, our kids, and still we can be hesitant to give from the heart such as these two young men did. Perhaps, this is why Jesus says we must “turn and become like children” to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 18:3). Giving of our time, talent and treasure unreservedly allows God to be seen through us.

  God bless!

Chris