Galya is her name. She joined us for Shabbat meal the second week I was here. She is originally from the Ukraine. Natalie told her our story of visiting and adopting from there as Jonathan translated to her. Then we saw her sitting on benches nearby regularly. We greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She speaks Hebrew. I don't. Well except for "Shalom"-hello or "To da"-thank you. One day she saw Natalie and I and put her finger up as to say "wait" then she began digging through her bags. She pulled out a package of Strawberry/Banana Marshmallows...a gift of thanks for sharing Shabbat with her we decided. We brought them home to share with everyone. Seemed each day we would see her. Then she was at our Shabbat table again. Two weeks in a row. I learned our director and another volunteer had been inviting her for weeks to join our community for this special Friday evening meal. She sits quiet and seemingly content with us. Much of the chatter around the table is in English, but from time to time someone will translate a message to her. Yesterday evening she was in our living room as she waited to speak with our director. When she saw me, up went the finger again..."wait"...she dug through her bags and pulled out 2 individual servings of pudding...dark chocolate...hmm...my favorite. I thanked her with a hug and a kiss and left the room awkwardly. Her old, tired face and posture has been heavy on my mind since. Was I not looking at Jesus? She has given me gifts. Why? What can I offer her? I asked that of a friend here. He suggested kindness. Acknowledging a homeless woman in this culture restores a small sense of dignity. Kindness, I will try. I know I am really seeing Jesus.
"And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'" Matthew 25:40
For the whole story...Matthew 25:31-46
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