Someone To Ask Me My Name

Maria Thanh is on mission in Brooklyn, NY.

A simple story that I want to share with you has to do with the volunteer work I have been doing at CHIPS. CHIPS is a place where food donations are packed and given to people who are homeless, and now also the many unemployed because of the Coronavirus. I go there to help every Monday.

One day, a man named David came. He seemed very tired. He had a black eye and I saw that he hadn’t slept very much. When he arrived I gave him a meal – the same as I had done with every other person who had come that day. He received the food but didn’t leave. He looked at me and didn’t say anything for a while. Then asked, “Could I have some socks?”

I said, “Yes of course! Let me go ask to see if we have any.” I came back with some socks in my hand and gave them to him.

He said, “Thank you.” After an hour, he came back. I was still there. He stopped me and said, “Actually, I really don’t need the socks. I lost everything, so nothing is important to me anymore. There is only one thing I need.”

I asked him, “What?”

He said, “I really need someone to ask me ‘What is your name? How do you feel?’ Someone to pay attention to me.” I was surprised because I go to visit people everyday, but sometimes it starts to feel like a routine. But David taught me that each encounter is a gift from God.