My friend and I volunteered to make a breakfast for Ronald McDonald House of Aurora yesterday. It was truly a life-changing morning. Ronald McDonald House offers a place for families to stay while their children are undergoing treatment at the hospital.
It was a family affair
Children over the age of 13 are welcome to help with the meal as well. Her husband and two older boys, my husband and oldest son and the two of us cooked a breakfast yesterday morning. I was so nervous about the whole thing. I have the weakest heart when it comes to children with illnesses. I just can't take it. I hate to hear of any child suffering in any way.
Regardless, I woke up at 5 am to get myself organized to get to the house by 6 am so that we can be ready to serve by 9 am. As soon as I walked through the double doors and saw a wheelchair, I was thinking to myself I shouldn't have signed up for this. I just can't deal.
Thankfully my friend showed up just a few minutes after I did and talked me off the ledge. My instruction was to think of it as a breakfast party. I love parties so that was a good solution. I made gluten free muffins, waffle batter and home-made whipped cream while she cut up fruit and started on the egg casseroles. Her husband and two boys showed up a little later along with my husband and son. We were all busy getting ready for game time.
My 13 year old and her 14 year old were in charge of the waffles. They served them up like champs. Her 17 year old was amazing! He helped make sausage and bacon, helped serve bagels and donuts and is if that wasn't enough started socializing with the families when they came in.
The stories
I told my friend that she was better at socializing in this scenario than I was and that she should take her food and go sit with the woman who was holding a baby. I stayed tucked into the kitchen frying bacon so that I wouldn't have to hear of children with cancer.
Sure enough the woman with a baby has an eight year old girl with brain cancer. I wanted to cry at that moment. I just really didn't want that child or parent or sibling to be struggling with that. The daughter is expected to be fine thank God but still I didn't want to hear it.
Story after story came, the five year old with leukemia, the baby in utero who needs a heart transplant, the grandma talking about the twins who are in treatment. Yet these people had smiles on their faces and were beyond grateful for the simple meal we provided for them. They were gracious and kind and appreciative for all that was there. They all were trying to make the best out of the situation they were in.
Grateful for our health and all that is
I started to think about my life and how blessed I am for all that is. I had to leave Ronald McDonald house by 11 am so that we could get our son to his soccer game at 12:30. I thought about all the kids on the soccer field and how lucky they all were to be free of burden and to just have the opportunity to play. I thought about all the trivial stuff we stress about and how trivial it really is when we talk to a parent who has a child undergoing chemotherapy.
My prayers were to Archangel Raphael last night for a complete recovery for every child with any illness that we encountered yesterday. The five year old boy with leukemia was the cutest kid we've ever seen. Happy and bubbly yet going through so much. He's such a brave little guy with such a big dharma. I am positive he will overcome his illness and proceed to change the world with his precious smile.
Please help if you can
Our book club is going to cook dinner for Ronald McDonald House instead of meeting to discuss a book this month. I'm excited to go back again and do the little bit I can to ease the burden of what these families are going through. I can't say that I'm going to be any better at hearing the stories. I'll send my friend to do that while I try my best to keep it together.
If you and your friends have an opportunity to make a meal or donate to this charity in any way, it'll really be life-changing for you and a huge help to them! Donating something as simple as paper towels would be very much appreciated. Find your local Ronald McDonald House by following this link: http://www.rmhc.org
I'd love to hear from you! You may leave a comment below, or on my Facebook page marysalfi.com or email me to mary@marysalfi.com
It was a family affair
Children over the age of 13 are welcome to help with the meal as well. Her husband and two older boys, my husband and oldest son and the two of us cooked a breakfast yesterday morning. I was so nervous about the whole thing. I have the weakest heart when it comes to children with illnesses. I just can't take it. I hate to hear of any child suffering in any way.
Regardless, I woke up at 5 am to get myself organized to get to the house by 6 am so that we can be ready to serve by 9 am. As soon as I walked through the double doors and saw a wheelchair, I was thinking to myself I shouldn't have signed up for this. I just can't deal.
Thankfully my friend showed up just a few minutes after I did and talked me off the ledge. My instruction was to think of it as a breakfast party. I love parties so that was a good solution. I made gluten free muffins, waffle batter and home-made whipped cream while she cut up fruit and started on the egg casseroles. Her husband and two boys showed up a little later along with my husband and son. We were all busy getting ready for game time.
My 13 year old and her 14 year old were in charge of the waffles. They served them up like champs. Her 17 year old was amazing! He helped make sausage and bacon, helped serve bagels and donuts and is if that wasn't enough started socializing with the families when they came in.
The stories
I told my friend that she was better at socializing in this scenario than I was and that she should take her food and go sit with the woman who was holding a baby. I stayed tucked into the kitchen frying bacon so that I wouldn't have to hear of children with cancer.
Sure enough the woman with a baby has an eight year old girl with brain cancer. I wanted to cry at that moment. I just really didn't want that child or parent or sibling to be struggling with that. The daughter is expected to be fine thank God but still I didn't want to hear it.
Story after story came, the five year old with leukemia, the baby in utero who needs a heart transplant, the grandma talking about the twins who are in treatment. Yet these people had smiles on their faces and were beyond grateful for the simple meal we provided for them. They were gracious and kind and appreciative for all that was there. They all were trying to make the best out of the situation they were in.
Grateful for our health and all that is
I started to think about my life and how blessed I am for all that is. I had to leave Ronald McDonald house by 11 am so that we could get our son to his soccer game at 12:30. I thought about all the kids on the soccer field and how lucky they all were to be free of burden and to just have the opportunity to play. I thought about all the trivial stuff we stress about and how trivial it really is when we talk to a parent who has a child undergoing chemotherapy.
My prayers were to Archangel Raphael last night for a complete recovery for every child with any illness that we encountered yesterday. The five year old boy with leukemia was the cutest kid we've ever seen. Happy and bubbly yet going through so much. He's such a brave little guy with such a big dharma. I am positive he will overcome his illness and proceed to change the world with his precious smile.
Please help if you can
Our book club is going to cook dinner for Ronald McDonald House instead of meeting to discuss a book this month. I'm excited to go back again and do the little bit I can to ease the burden of what these families are going through. I can't say that I'm going to be any better at hearing the stories. I'll send my friend to do that while I try my best to keep it together.
If you and your friends have an opportunity to make a meal or donate to this charity in any way, it'll really be life-changing for you and a huge help to them! Donating something as simple as paper towels would be very much appreciated. Find your local Ronald McDonald House by following this link: http://www.rmhc.org
I'd love to hear from you! You may leave a comment below, or on my Facebook page marysalfi.com or email me to mary@marysalfi.com
No comments:
Post a Comment