Dr. Tom Osborne came to speak at forum this week. He was a professor of European history at UNA for 34 years, and he gets involved in the community because of his faith. He told us that he was "reluctantly forced by inner and outer pressures" to become involved with the community. He used to be very reluctant to do community work and would have to force himself to do it (because he knew it was the right thing to do, I assume). It's human nature to be reluctant to do volunteer work. But he also said that he always found a blessing out of volunteering while he was doing it. Him saying that really hit me because that's exactly how I feel about volunteer work. I am always reluctant to get started and dread having to go do it, but as soon as I'm there and I get started doing work, I always end up enjoying it so much more than I thought I would. For example, I've spent a few hours at the Salvation Army these past couple weeks. Everyday, before I get to the store, I don't want to go. I would much rather go home and not worry about having to do volunteer hours. But as soon as I get started doing my work (I've been dusting and organizing shelves so far), I really enjoy it. I enjoy it because I know that I'm helping the employees of the store so they don't have to spend their time doing necessary but time-consuming work. By me doing this work, the employees have more time to spend sorting and pricing clothing and goods, which is the reason they are really there. Dr. Osborne said that practice is how to overcome the reluctance of volunteering, so hopefully my reluctance will disappear over time.
Anyway, Dr. Osborne serves as a deacon in the Episcopal Church. His job is to "serve the poor and the needy," and he helps the church to engage needs in the community. He has been involved with a prison ministry called Kairos for fifteen years. Kairos is an organized, international, and interdenominational program that organizes a team and then spends all day with a group of prisoners for 3 1/2 days. Kairos is the Greek word for "time" or, more specifically, "special time." Dr. Osborne described this time in prison as God's special time. The team does not leave the prison alone after the weekend; they make monthly visits back to the prison to see the prisoners. They spend their time pouring love on these hard time inmates, something most of the people in these prisons have never had, and he said that he has seen some of the hardest, meanest prisoner's lives transformed through this program.
Dr. Osborne said the reason he got involved with this ministry is because in Matthew 25, Jesus tells us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in strangers, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit those in prison. He had done all of the things on that list but visit those in prison. He admitted that he did not want to get involved at first and that his resistance last two years, but he finally gave way to his resistance and found his joy. He is now a Kairos junkie and has to go get his fix now and again.
He is also involved with the Help Center, which was founded 28 years ago by the churches in Lauderdale county and provides direct assistance to Lauderdale county residents. They provide food, clothing, heat, and help pay medical and utility bills for those who can't afford it. The Help Center is run entirely by volunteers. Dr. Osborne became president of the board five years ago. He said that one reason he really enjoys working with the Help Center is because 80% of the people he talks to as a Chaplin at the Help Center talk about the devastation of drugs on families...and 80% of people in prison are there because of drugs. He finds that these two ministries are not so different after all. I actually thought about volunteering here, but seeing as how they are only open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8-12, it was sort of impossible.
Dr. Osborne left us with a piercing question: where is your joy? Not happiness, not pleasure, but joy. I had to think about it for a second, but one place where I find joy is in my family. I really love it when I get to spend time with them. I also find my joy in Christ, my Savior who I always know has me in His arms when things are seemingly going wrong.
Dr. Osborne was definitely one of my favorite speakers this semester. It was refreshing to hear from someone whose job is to reach out to those in need.
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