Seva at Ronald McDonald House
On the morning of Sunday, 30 September 2018, Houston youth gathered to share their love by serving breakfast to seriously ill children and their families staying at Ronald McDonald House. This is a new Seva the Houston Youth have taken on in their continuing effort to serve the Lord through serving those who are suffering. The youth not only serve a healthy breakfast but also talk with the families, for as sometimes even just a few words of concern and compassion can light up a person’s day.
Ronald McDonald House (RMH) is a “home away from home,” providing a place to stay for families while their children undergo surgeries and treatments at the Texas Medical Center institutions. Though snacks are provided by the facility, families- – many of whom have traveled from far to Houston for medical treatment –- still need to go outside of the facility and pay for their meals. The Houston Youth felt that, on a Sunday, providing breakfast infused with their love and prayers to these families going through such a difficult time will give them a much needed respite from their daily toils. And they hoped also that talking to them and sharing their positivity with them would give them that little- yet much needed- push encouragement to march on with hope and a knowing that they’re not alone in their struggles.
The youth served wholesome and hot breakfast tacos along with a variety of cut fruit, such as including pineapples, strawberries, grapes, and oranges, to all the families. A total of about 50 people were served. The system RMH has in place is that they announce on an intercom for residents to hear all over throughout the large, multi- floor facility that the “Sai Group is now providing breakfast, so please come down.” The youth did not know what to expect, but slowly they saw several little souls along with their parents and siblings coming with a smile to partake of a meal which many said was delicious and was a treat indeed. The youth greeted them with love and chatted with them briefly. One mother whose child may or may not survive but who was so thankful for all the love she was receiving said, “This is a place where miracles happen.” The youth felt blessed to have found such a place to serve, where l Love and Hope were already in the air.
It humbled the youth to see five- or six -year old suffering from life threatening diseases, and the pain of the parents was not only visible but could be felt, showing the youth the Oneness between us all. What surprised the youth was that many of these little children had smiles on their faces and were just being kids who were living in the moment. This truly inspired the youth, for it is so easy to get down and out about trivial things in life, but when one sees children facing such situations with a smile, it certainly puts thing into perspective. Upon cleaning up and leaving RMH that day, the youth realised that service indeed benefits the server more than those who are served. They were grateful for this opportunity and look forward to their next opportunity to serve.