“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear…” – 1 John 4:18
Face masks are the norm now. When I walk in public, more often than not, I see them – some are handmade scraps of children’s fabric, bright and cheerful, others are clinical and sterile. There are bandanas, the sleeves off an old t-shirt, even pillow cases. People are taking precautions to protect others, and themselves, from the virus. Gone are the smiles I could once plainly see. Now, people move quickly and quietly through grocery stores, the aisles eerily silent. Signs alerting customers to stay six feet away from other people are posted on cashier lanes. The toilet paper aisle has posted warnings that only “one package per household” is now allowed. If you are under 60, you can no longer shop in the first hour of business so that seniors can safely get what they need before returning to isolation.
Fear is literally and figuratively written on the wall right now; it is covering up our expressions and threatens to hide our joy.
I believe the opposite of fear is love.
For the past several weeks, I have had the privilege of working with teams of people helping to operate the St. Luke’s Mobile Market truck. Five days a week, volunteers and St. Luke’s staff members come together (separately) to lift boxes, bag produce, and deliver meals prepared by local restaurants to individuals and families in need. This massive operation is fueled by love and a commitment to be a “helper” in what often feels like a time of despair. Together, we serve our neighbors through the handoff of a pan of lasagna or a bag of fresh produce.
The days can be long and warm beneath our masks, our muscles aching from lifting and bending. For me, the physical labor is a release, giving my fear to God while we work on a solution. After each shift on the truck, we will have given away over 1,200 meals and 8,000 servings of fruits and vegetables. We’ll have heard heartbreaking stories from single parents who are now searching for work or grandparents caring for their grandchildren, barely keeping a roof over their head and food on the table. Behind their masks, worry grows.
Word has gotten out about the great food that will feed an entire family. Lines of people are now forming long before the Mobile Market truck pulls into the parking lot. People wait patiently, many wearing a mask of some sort, hoping to receive a meal and fresh food for their family. When we arrive, we put on our gloves and masks, open up the large awning and place the signs near the street. You may not see our smiles behind the fabric, but trust me, we are grinning from ear to ear.
Love creates action and action fuels solutions. I am grateful for the chance to help quiet the fear for my neighbors right now. I am grateful that God is using us to show love to one another.
– Candice Hillenbrand, Director of Mission Engagement
