Its funny and ironic how a seemingly “small” and rather insignificant action or gesture can leave an indelible mark on numerous people. The following is a true story about my Grandmother, who unfortunately is no longer with us. May she rest in peace, and may this story also influence others in a similar way that the “bottle return” escapades influenced me.
My grandmother was a good woman, born in the “Old Country”, and spoke with a very obvious ethnic accent up until her death. She lived well within her means, donated to her local church regularly, but also wanted to do something to help her old church and her old village where she was raised. That small church ended up caring for all of the poor and destitute people in the area, including the orphans that were left to wander. Naturally, the church was always scraping by and needed any money they could get their hands on.
So, she decided to involve various persons in our family (her family) to help in making a regular contribution to this old church in a foreign land that many of us would never visit. I was one of those persons- a 20-something bachelor who generally was up to no-good and really had not spent a lot of time in church or thinking about caring for others, or doing God’s will.
Two of my relatives owned their own restaurants and they would save all of their cans and bottles for her. All of these would have the 5 cent deposit if you redeemed them. Well, every week or so these relatives would pack their cars up and bring these cans and bottles and boxes over to my grandmothers house. About once a month she would request/coerce someone else (oftentimes myself) to go over to her house and load up a car with all the bottles, and her, to go down to the local store/ redemption center. It was quite a lengthy affair, I have to say. Placing all the cans or bottles in like boxes and such. Making sure they were clean, etc. After all was said and done, for 1 visit we might have received about $70 back. Every 3-4 months, then, she would send along the money in a card to the old church, for them to use in whatever manner they most needed to.
It made her feel good, which is often the case with acts of charity. Naturally it is a good thing to do, and a righteous act, but it is more than that. It can change a heart, and change a soul’s direction. It helped do that with me. It was during that year or so of my “assistance” that I truly found and accepted a personal relationship with Jesus. Who would have known?
Of course there are many similar stories out there of the same nature and outcome. There is nothing special about my grandmother or of redeeming cans to help out a church or charity. But it made a difference- not just to an orphan in a land 5,000 miles away, but to me. “Redemption” can take place in many ways, on many levels.
God Bless,
Ken L.
www.toptenchristians.wordpress.com
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