Teen Reflection ~ Isabella
JUDY by Isabella Fiermonte
I was given the great honor of travelling to Williamsburg, KY this past summer to participate in a mission trip at our Lady of Perpetual Help parish. Throughout the week I met many wonderful and dedicated people who will remain in my memories for the rest of my life. One woman in particular stands out among the rest. My small group visited The Friendship Center on our second day of work. The Friendship center is a small resale shop in quiet downtown Williamsburg. They use the money to help members of the community pay bills and sell their goods to customers at very affordable prices. We walked up to the front door and were greeted by Judy. She seemed rather disappointed to see four girls as opposed to the strong young men that had visited the day before.
She led us around the back of the Friendship center to the basement. I almost turned around and ran right out. The front room was packed with cardboard boxes filled with donations that were stacked high above my head and grazed the ceilings. Already Judy had piled about 30 boxes in the first room of the basement. I wondered how such a small woman had accomplished such a feat. She showed me to a back room that was filled from floor to ceiling with hundreds of boxes packed with donations of clothes from across the country. My job was to bring down the boxes and help her sort them then stack them in the next room. Judy and I started to talk and I learned that she and her husband have an organic blueberry field and they sell the fruit at the store. She asked me about my future plans and where I saw myself in college. The small talk evolved into an enchanting conversation that had us laughing and joking like two old friends.
The impossible work faded to the background and as the conversation grew more sincere, we worked faster and more efficiently. We worked for hours and it seemed we had only made a small dent in the piles that needed to be moved. There was still so much to be done even after all our hard work. I was glad I was able to prove to Judy that I could work just as hard as the guys. As the day drew to a close, I told Judy that I would have to leave soon and that I would try my best to return later that week. I saw her get a little teary-eyed as she realized our laughing would soon come to an end.
“This room will be so empty without your voice to keep me company. “ She said.
Even I shed a few tears. I had no idea that my small contribution had meant so much to her. I felt that I needed to thank her for opening my eyes to her world. She is such a strong and caring woman. I wonder if I would have the strength to contribute that much to my community and expect nothing in return. Her faith made me reevaluate my own. I find it much easier to give my time and resources to others even when there is no reward at the end. I find great joy in service and my time with Judy stands out as the most fulfilling.
