Dorothy

Things are not always as they seem.

Photo by Dave Webb on Unsplash

“When Dorothy was in a few months ago, making her final arrangements, she asked us to contact you about speaking at her Graveside Service,” relayed the Funeral Home representative.

Dorothy was 96.

We met Dorothy almost twenty years ago. I say we for it was we at Snow Hill that met her. Not just me. For most of those twenty years, Dorothy came to our weekly Food Pantry and Clothes Closet. When we began taking Wish Lists for children of the families that came to our weekly ministry, she asked if we could help provide gifts for her grand children or great grandchildren for which she cared.

We did.

We did not see Dorothy much these last couple of years. She lived in a neighboring town. Her health was not great. She lost a daughter who had been her transportation.

I was a bit surprised when the call came to officiate her graveside.

Dorothy’s large family gathered to remember her. Reading over her obituary reminded me of my grandparents family. She and her late husband had a large family. In fact, they listed the number of grands and great grands for there were more than 50. The final note was that she also had great, great grandchildren.

When we met Dorothy we were offering a hot meal before sharing food boxes. Since we met over a hot meal and our food pantry, I took the occasion to describe the role food plays in the Scriptures from Genesis and the Garden full of edible plants and fruit to the Tree of Life that bears fruit every month in twelve varieties. Add that Ancient Israel was fed manna in the wilderness, a callback we find in Jesus feeding the multitude and his I Am the Bread of Life identification. Jesus gives Himself to save us and sustain us.

I gave the goods of the Gospel of Grace.

I finished my part and prayed.

The Funeral Director then signaled one of Dorothy’s grandsons with a nod. Her grandson reached in his pocket and pulled out a sheet upon which he had typed and written notes. He shared memories of his grandmother.

Though we had shared meals and conversations over the years, we could not possibly know everything about Dorothy. Her grandson relayed his fond memories with his grandmother. His recollections were both humorous and heartfelt. He noted that Dorothy did many things to help provide for her large family. And this is where I was reminded that things are not always as they seem.

Dorothy did custodial work as noted in the obituary I had in hand. Her grandson offered a litany of other ways she helped her family. He then said,

She went to all the church food pantries, like at your church. She then shared the food with her family.

That is, she gathered up the food and shared it with her different family members as they had need.

We learned in those early years of our food pantry, when most of those who came to our food pantry were senior adults, that they often came for the hot meal. It is not that they could not cook at home. They came for the fellowship. In the summer time they would come early and sit on our back steps for several hours knowing we did not open until 5 p.m. They would come in temps nearing 100 degrees in the summer and near freezing in the winter. Their goal was to see one another and fellowship. Then, they would take food they qualified for and share it. What they really wanted was to sit around a table and fellowship sharing a meal.

It is easy to fall into the trap of stereotypes. We draw conclusions without conversations. And when we do not have enough information, we supply it with our imaginations. Often we are wrong.

The Spirit of God creates occasions where the invisible becomes visible. On that day I was reminded that the God who we think of as hidden becomes seen in the incognito illustration of a Grandmother and Great Grandmother gathering up food for those in need.

And here, we think we are the ones making the invisible visible.

Grace upon grace.