People want to tell their story! I am humbled by how many times complete strangers told me their stories as they gave a donation. Some of the stories were pretty intimate too.
Whilst I am happy to be available to hear the stories, and thrilled that people still esteem the Sallies enough to know they can trust us, it also means that there are a lot of lonely people out there who just need someone to listen. They didn't want much, just a few minutes of our time, and a non-judgemental listener.
Once it was family, community, church that cared and listened, today, more often than not we pay professionals (psychologists, counsellors, life coaches) to do the same thing. Whilst I have nothing against these professionals, I think that if we need to reclaimed the importance of family (and friends).
One Story:
As I stood in my flouro yellow high viz Red Shield vest, my bucket silent but pleasantly weighty, I pretended not to watch and listen as a man, pointing in my direction knelt down to his two young boys. As he dug in his pocket for his wallet, and fished out two notes, he spoke to them about their grandpa.
"That guy is from the Salvation Army", he said. "Do you remember I told you your grandpa was in the war? Well he was hurt real bad, and it was a Sallie man that picked him up and carried him to a hospital where he was saved. The Sallies did amazing things for people in the war".
With big eyes and timid smiles the boys came to me, placed their donation in my bucket and taking a little Red Shield "thank you" sticker from me they walked away proudly wearing their stickers on their shirts.
I don't really like making those first moves to set up the collection point (especially when it’s wet and cold). But people like that, and the opportunity to listen make it worth while.
