Day Of Service 2010

(Pictured: a Team of volunteers in Boynton Beach, Florida, painting a home for Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches, as part of National Rebuild Day.)

People Have the Power to Make Miracles Happen

Personal Reflections About the Pompano Beach Florida Stake Projects

By: Eliza Jane Farley Gomez, Director of Public Affairs, Pompano Beach Florida Stake, April 27, 2010

What does it mean to be a Zion People….

Ever think about that?

I do, a lot,

and maybe

I'm strange

for doing so….

OK, I love to read,

(I have already previously established that I'm a bookworm),

so I read my scriptures a lot….

But, when you read the scripture that says, "And the Lord called his people

ZION, for they were of one heart, and one mind, and dwelt in

righteousness, and there were no poor among them;"

It makes you wonder....

just how a "people" go about doing all that….seriously….

I mean, we live in the days that kids have their very own handheld video games and mp3 players,so they don't even have to SHARE IN THE SAME CAR, let alone a neighborhood, or a town or city—and, we live in the times of wars, unrest, extreme poverty and disasters—both natural and manmade—

and you wonder….

HOW do a people become of "one heart and one mind,"

let alone the part about "dwelling in righteousness" or anything…..

Then you look around you;(well, at least I do;) at your co-workers,

neighbors, friends, and even family—and notice that in these

oh-so-modern times, something's missing, something's lost….

some call it being neighborly, others call it being friendly;

but it's a sense of unity and togetherness, of watching out for those around you,

For helping others, strangers :::gasp::: in need, without any sense of repayment of any kind….

Growing up, everyone in my neighborhood knew everyone else, kids played together, parents were seen in the streets, at home, watching kids (often including others that weren't their own but wandered along with the rest of the group)….

Today's quite different, especially in South Florida-- more dangerous, less friendly, more sterile, less inviting…..

Maybe those are simply days gone by….That’s kind of scary, because I'm not exactly that old (I turn 37 tomorrow)….

So, when you see large groups of people, whether it be musicians united to end world hunger, or celebrities conducting fundraisers for earthquake-devastated countries, for "charity," or a group of people getting together to perform service projects for their community—you stop (or at least pause) for a moment, and you take notice….

It fills you up with that something that was missing but no longer is—the warmth of connection, of uniting to help and serve others in a selfless act-- resonates and radiates within your own soul.

For charity, we are taught, "Is the pure love of Christ;"

and THAT, my friends, is what fills you up inside with that beautiful feeling

whenever you do something for someone for no selfish purpose, just because

it feels like the right thing to do….

You can connect with others, unite with others—others of different political or religious backgrounds, who speak, dress, look and believe differently than you do—and you unite in purpose, to do something beautiful, something meaningful, something positive, something selfless—that unity glows and blends and creates one of the very most positive and powerful feelings a person can experience in life.

I personally feel there is nothing more powerful than the power of people united to do good works and serve others—helping others, reaching out to touch people's lives for good.

This past Saturday, on April 24th, all across the Southeast United States,

thousands of folks who belong to my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints),hand-in-hand with partners and friends in their local communities, came together,

giving back to their communities via hundreds of service projects for the (2nd Annual) Day of Service. Projects ranged from beach clean-ups, to painting parks, shelters, community centers, food, clothing, blood drives, etc. Kids, adults, parents, grandparents, rich, poor, homeless, and total strangers came together from all walks of life-- for a few hours, setting aside differences and their own personal lives-- and simply reaching out to make their own communities a better place.

To quote directly from the Day of Service's website (www.dayofservice.org ):

"The mission of the Day of Service is for churches, civic organizations, and government agencies to link arms to strengthen local communities with meaningful service projects that will help those in need, beautify communities, build friendships, and bolster the spirits of all."

For the second year in a row I've had the humble honor to be closely involved in the planning and execution of projects in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, as I work in a leadership capacity in Public Affairs. More importantly, however, I have also had the incredible privilege of witnessing lives touched and changed, along with hundreds of miracles that happen when people unite across social, cultural, economic, and religious lines, coming together to serve and bless lives of people in our community who need it most. Having grown up here in South Florida, and since I work in the realm of non-profit human/social services professionally, this has a very profound meaning and special place in my heart….

In Broward and Palm Beach Counties the sun shone brightly on a beautiful Spring day, no rain clouds in sight; but faces of volunteers glowed brighter, radiating the happiness and joy they experienced by participating in service projects. Groups planned their respective projects for months, meeting with planning committees and community members, getting the word out on the street and throughout the media. When the big day came, hundreds showed up, eager, excited, ready to roll up their sleeves, get a little dirty, a little sweaty, and give a lot—groups cleaned up litter and trash along neighborhoods in Fort Lauderdale and along the beach as part of the Great American Clean-Up. Others met to paint and clean and spruce up facilities at Cooperative Feeding Program, a non-profit food bank that networks with several homeless shelters and other non-profit agencies to stave off hunger in Broward County. Other groups met to fix up shelter facilities and provide goody "Love" bags for homeless residents in Fort Lauderdale for The Shepherd's Way, a non-profit agency that specializes in homeless services. Others still cleaned and repaired parks throughout Broward and Palm Beach. In Palm Beach County, from Boca Raton up to Jupiter, six teams of youth and adults partnered to paint and repair low-income homes of the elderly, frail, and disabled with Rebuilding Together of the Palm Beaches as part of "National Rebuild Day."

For a few hours on a perfect "Spring Break beach weather" day in South Florida, people forgot about sleeping in on a Saturday, skipped the beach; and instead they served, had fun, made a difference—and I caught a beautifully precious glimpse of a people united in purpose, giving loving and meaningful service….

I watched a "ZION" People at work for awhile…

with camera in my hand, tears in my eyes, and joy in my heart….

And I wonder…

When can we do this again? We don't have to wait until next year....

What can you do, what little part, to feel that glow inside, to connect with,

And give back to, your community?

Think about it….