Coming Together As One

UPDATE:

Coming Together as ONE

In our adult forum Sunday school class, we've been experiencing a series called Servant Leadership. Each week, members and friends of Christ Church Episcopal share how they express their spirituality in everyday life.

This past Sunday, a cool and brilliant man named Ted presented. He said that he'd been feeling a tad old and irrelevant and needed to find more meaning and purpose for his life. Ted signed up to help the relocated refugees who recently arrived here in Savannah from Aleppo.

Ted shared some of their stories. They were tragic, but they were also very, very hopeful.

Ted told us that he'd be going to Ecuador in a few weeks to teach those who teach English. He was sad to leave and wanted to make sure someone else picked up where he left off.

He told us about a refugee family whose father was traveling two and a half hours each way for his job at a car wash. Still, he was very grateful for the work and even more grateful to be here with his wife and two young daughters.

Then Ted shared the father's real work, his passion and calling. Before this beautiful man came to the U.S he was a clothing designer. He made amazing wedding gowns with custom embroidery. He tailored immaculate men's suits and also did upholstery.

Ted said if we knew anyone who could hire him in his line of work, it would be great. He also asked if we knew anyone who had a TV.

I started calling folks right then and there. I contacted my friend Linda, of Linda Porter Designs who makes amazing clothing and interiors. Linda told me that she would love to hire him but business had been a little slow.

Then she said, "Wait, someone helped me." She said that if she couldn't make clothes, she didn't know what she'd do. Linda said that she would step out in faith and I told her that I would walk with her. I contacted friends who said they would take business to her and that they would also spread the word.

Then it happened, we all met up and the amazing tailor brought his wife and a friend along.

This story is already long so let me get right to the good---a few doors down from Linda's shop is my favorite upholsterer, Hai of Savannah Quality Upholstery. He desperately needed help and said he would hire the father while Linda hired the mom. (Yes, I know they have names, I'm leaving their names out deliberately folks.)

Anyway, Hai and his team also offered transportation since he knew how difficult our bus system can be.

"Someone helped me too," Hai, who is from Vietnam said.

We chatted through Google translate and thanked God/Allah and we thanked each other.

I remembered the TV that was in the back of my car and then we thanked our ancestors.

Here's the thing, we all need somebody to lean on. We can wallow in the madness of the day, or we can do as Ted did and seek our place and purpose in it.

Here in Savannah there were 30 more families scheduled to come. They have been blocked but I will continue to pray for them and for refugees everywhere.

And I will work until there is no more work to be done.

Be You, Be well, Be Doing Something

When Purpose Collides with Destiny

WHEN YOU TAKE CARE OF THE GREATER GOOD...

Okay boys and girls I am often moved by life and God's love; yesterday, I was blown away.

In our adult forum at Christ Church Episcopal, one of our members shared how he applies spirituality in his everyday life.

The series is on Servant Leadership and Ted Eldridge surely fits the bill.

Ted started by saying that he was getting older and had begun to feel irrelevant. So he began to seek Purpose.

There is a beautiful Arabic proverb that says, “When a person seeks their purpose, the Universe conspires to answer.”

Ted called and got an answer. He volunteers with refugee families here in Savannah but will soon be leaving for Ecuador to teach those who teach English through a program with Harvard University.

Ted wanted to share his work, with the hopes that others would join in.

He had me at Servant Leadership.

He shared stories of several families; their challenges and joys. Then he told us about a recent refugee family whose father travels for two and a half hours every day to work at a car wash. Ted said this father is very grateful for the work and so happy to be here.

Then Ted shared pictures of his real work and my heart ached.

This man who washes cars is a master tailor and embroidery genius.

Before his life and country were ripped apart, he created beautiful wedding gowns and made exquisite men’s suits.

Still, he is very grateful to be here.

 So right there in the class, I contacted my friend Linda Porter of Linda Porter Designs and Interiors. When I told her the story, Linda asked what she could do. She said that if she couldn't make clothes she wouldn't be able to breathe.

Long story short, Linda said that even though business was a little slow, she would act in faith and love and hire him.

I cried then and am crying now.

Lately, for some reason, folks are falling into two camps; there are those who will do, and then there are others who wait until the doing is done so they have something to critique.

Which are you?

I’ve reached out to other friends here in Savannah and asked if they would take their design and tailoring needs to Linda and they have responded beautifully.

One friend even offered to create a much needed web site.

Here’s the thing, we are all connected. We need each other.

Ted needed these families and this work and I needed Ted. The beautiful family needed Linda and Linda needed all of those new customers.

Faith does not wait until the way is seen, it creates the way.

Be you, be love, be Faith.

Bertice Berry, PhD.

The People You Meet

The People We Meet

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Bertice. I'm a sociologist, author, lecturer, mother and grandmother. I am a woman of science and faith. I believe that we are all a product of everyone and everything we come in contact with. The more folks we come in contact with, the more we evolve.

Okay, now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I’d like to share what I’ll be calling, The People We Meet.

Throughout this journey called life, I have met some rather amazing folks. I may have just seen them once, but their words and ways have touched me deeply and have helped to remind me of who I am and who I want to be.

Yesterday, I met one of them. Her name was Ellen. I’d gone to the local Westin to celebrate my sister/friend Brynn’s birthday.

Ellen was assigned to give me the world’s best manipedi, but I believe that she was really there to be a light on my pathway.

We talked about the waste of water and how as a girl in China, she and her sister had to haul buckets of water uphill. She told me that even now, she can’t stand to see water run without a purpose. I laughed because my children refer to water that’s been running over 3 seconds as “Mom’s precious water.”

She and her family have done very well and I learned that she is also a rather brilliant and self-taught artist.

She made me feel welcomed and beautiful and strong and I felt connected to her.

Here’s the thing, Purpose connects you at the soul level, so much so that you can feel like you’ve known a stranger, your entire life.

Take note of the folks you meet.

What can you learn?

What can you remember?

How do you connect?

Be you, be well, be connected.

Bertice Berry, PhD.

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