“…the least of these…”
I think that doing community volunteer work as a member of a church can be tricky. The religious agenda can often become entangled with the actual work. I grew up in a church culture where the success of charitable work could only be measured by how many souls would be “saved.” I don’t believe that is what Jesus calls us to do. To paraphrase Matthew’s gospel, we are called to welcome, feed, clothe, house, and visit those in need with no expectation of evangelical reciprocity.
Last year, a group of parishioners and I attended an orientation to volunteer at the Malden Warming Center (MWC). MWC is not intended to be alternative housing for the homeless. It is a place where from December to March, those in need can spend the night in a warm facility, receive a hot meal or two, find clothing and toiletries, and at least for that night, feel safe. I worked as an evening room monitor where my job was to greet the guests, register them, help secure their belongings, help them find a “cubicle”, provide blankets, and make sure they made their way to the kitchen for dinner. Other roles for volunteers include working in the kitchen, organizing and distributing clothing and toiletries from “Amy’s Closet”, monitoring the bathrooms, or showing up early to help with the morning routine. Help is also needed to pick up food in Arlington and deliver it to the kitchen or drive the morning shuttle to the T.
I am a physician in my day job, but at MWC I don’t have to be a doctor. I don’t have to be a therapist, a substance abuse counselor, a social worker, or an evangelist. I am there to welcome my fellow human being and do whatever I can to provide for their basic needs and treat them with the dignity they deserve. I learned early on that some guests are happy to chat about their lives while others just need quiet after a long harsh day. Yes, there are rules, conflicts, and difficulties because, after all, we are human. But at the risk of sounding corny or pretentious, this work feels as close to fulfilling Christ’s call to celebrate our collective humanness as anything I have ever done.
In the 2023-2024 season, MWC served 160 guests, provided almost 6000 meals, and distributed over 2000 items of clothing and personal effects. Fifteen guests found help in recovery programs and twelve found permanent housing. I invite you to consider volunteering or think about other ways to contribute (as you recall, we had our first annual Lenten Underwear Drive last year). Volunteer orientation sessions are scheduled for November 10 from 4:00-6:00 pm and November 21 from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Malden Warming Center (housed within a Nazarene church), 529 Eastern Avenue, Malden. Please contact Rev. Janelle for information.
Reid Boswell
