Much More Than a Glass of Water

by Karyn Ross

It has been a busy first few days filled with many different emotions but none compare to the indescribable joy I feel to be back with my Avodah friends! The welcome I received and their gracious hospitality has warmed my heart once again. 

At each meal I am asked to join them (a different table with different members each time) and my place is set with a glass plate, a glass and utensils wrapped in a purple napkin. This is significant because they eat on plastic plates and use disposable plastic plates that are washed and reused. They serve me first and offer me my choice of coffee, tea or water. I am a guest and they make me feel special. 

Another leader and I have also had the opportunity to visit several members in their homes as well. Many of these homes are metal shacks with canvas tarps for waterproofing. It is very hot in South Arica right now with temperatures occasionally reaching 100 degrees and the homes get extremely hot inside with little to no air movement. Many have no running water or indoor plumbing. Despite this, I was humbled each time as I was greeted with open arms and love. 

On one particular visit one of our members went to the back part of his house that serves as the kitchen and returned with a glass of cold water for each of us. As in some other countries as well, it is not advisable to drink the tap water here as our immune systems are not used to it. The huge smile, the joy and the excitement on his face as we accepted the offering melted my heart.  

This young man along with a couple of others around his age, although they have been extremely polite and welcoming, have been keeping their distance from me during our programming and not engaging as much as the other members, until now. The next morning when he arrived at Avodah he presented us with a bread bag filled with grapes as a thank you for visiting him in his home. It was a very beautiful moment but it didn’t end there. Throughout the day he continued to engage more and more, at one point coming over and working side by side with me on a project. I do not speak Afrikaans and he does not understand English but that didn’t matter, we were connected by love. As the day went on the other two older boys gradually began spending more time with me as well. The smiles got bigger, their excitement grew and at the end of that day I received 3 of the most impactful heartfelt hugs I’ve received here yet. I hadn’t realized until that moment, that although I loved them all unconditionally, felt so welcomed and  that I belonged, they were not there yet. There were still barriers between us. 

Trust is difficult for them as people come and go in their lives and change is a constant. They wonder about motives, why people are here, will they return and is the love genuine. Without even realizing, a bond of mutual respect and trust was formed when I accepted that glass of water that was offered to me a mere 24 hours before. Suddenly those walls came down, and were replaced by pride and self respect.  It opened the door for a deeper relationship both between us and his friends as well. They trusted him and therefore they now trusted me. 

I spent a beautiful afternoon with the other three leaders the following day and shared with them how much it touches my heart and inspires me that despite the lack of resources and their difficult circumstances, this group is full of love and they seem to have a limitless supply that they are more than willing to share. I feel nothing but positive energy and joy when I am with them. 

I was given a small card by a friend and later that day and as I read it I was once again reminded of God’s hand in our lives…

“Is your glass half empty or half full? “ asked the mole. 

“ I think I’m grateful to have a glass.” said the boy.

One small gesture of kindness given in love and accepted in love, and lives were changed.

It was much more than a glass of water.