These three young men attracted my attention when they were engaged in painting the premises I was to join for work. All the three wanted to hear from me every day something about the place and its use. I was glad that they were interested to know of what it was to become after the painting was over.
Two weeks later, the place was ready to welcome children for short stay for different neuro-developmental activities to improve their skills and abilities.
A week later these three painters came to visit, on an afternoon to have a look at the place and watch the activities in the place. They stayed for over an hour observing, listening to parents, playing with children and getting to know more about the purpose of such a facility for children with neuro-developmental challenges.
As we sat down over a cup of coffee, I enquired of them the purpose of their visit. Each of them shared their experiences of preparing the place to welcome children. It was the first time, they said, that they realized that painters are 'designers' and 'decorators'. They noticed that children used the place to play, interact and made themselves at home. They were glad that they contributed to create such a facility which children found interesting explore. They were painters, who valued their work and delighted in their work for the sake of serving others.
I met them one more time recently by chance. They talked about their experiences since then and showed me some pictures in their mobile of places they completed painting. They offered to come and help if I was planning any facility for children.
Every job is for a mission. When the St. Paul's cathedral in London was rebuilt after the second world war, there were labourers those who saw it as a manual job where as some others visualized it as a calling to make a 'house of God for worshippers'.
It is now six months since Anna and I have been at this place. We ask ourselves, 'What is our mission'?
A visitor helped us to be even more focussed on this question. He said, 'by being here, show the way'. That has intensified the mystery of the purpose our presence even more. With more younger people dropping in to have conversations, we get a sense of how we can stay in touch with others.
I wish, Anna and I could say, 'to be present fully is our mission'!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
Two weeks later, the place was ready to welcome children for short stay for different neuro-developmental activities to improve their skills and abilities.
A week later these three painters came to visit, on an afternoon to have a look at the place and watch the activities in the place. They stayed for over an hour observing, listening to parents, playing with children and getting to know more about the purpose of such a facility for children with neuro-developmental challenges.
As we sat down over a cup of coffee, I enquired of them the purpose of their visit. Each of them shared their experiences of preparing the place to welcome children. It was the first time, they said, that they realized that painters are 'designers' and 'decorators'. They noticed that children used the place to play, interact and made themselves at home. They were glad that they contributed to create such a facility which children found interesting explore. They were painters, who valued their work and delighted in their work for the sake of serving others.
I met them one more time recently by chance. They talked about their experiences since then and showed me some pictures in their mobile of places they completed painting. They offered to come and help if I was planning any facility for children.
Every job is for a mission. When the St. Paul's cathedral in London was rebuilt after the second world war, there were labourers those who saw it as a manual job where as some others visualized it as a calling to make a 'house of God for worshippers'.
It is now six months since Anna and I have been at this place. We ask ourselves, 'What is our mission'?
A visitor helped us to be even more focussed on this question. He said, 'by being here, show the way'. That has intensified the mystery of the purpose our presence even more. With more younger people dropping in to have conversations, we get a sense of how we can stay in touch with others.
I wish, Anna and I could say, 'to be present fully is our mission'!
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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