Arriving early to work last Thursday, I decided to go ahead and load the cargo van rented for the purpose of delivering the mountain of shirts, personal hygiene items, food, diapers and baby wipes accumulated during our fourth annual Long-Sleeve Relief Drive at the Florida Catholic. It was another one of my typical “ridiculous” decisions not to wait and get help from my most-willing coworkers but the mantra, “make every minute count” has over-ruled common sense many times in my life.
As I pulled out the final LARGE boxes on to the loading dock, I noticed a homeless man walking toward me. He looked hungry and mad and had a pair of black pants draped over his shoulders. The sweater he wore was quite obviously a woman’s as it had large camellia-like flowers on the neckline. He glanced up at me and then immediately his eyes took aim at the ground. Common sense told me to go about my work but my mouth opened and the words “good morning” rolled out before I could contain them. At that moment before my eyes, the transformation occurred. A crooked-tooth smile overtook the gentleman’s face and a hearty “good morning” echoed back my way.
My judgmental side determined what was coming next as the routine of the homeless people in downtown Orlando is to say hello and then ask for money. I was right, but God had a lesson for me to learn via this homeless man, so a new twist surrounded the scenario that unfolded.
“Um, listen — do you think you could give me just two or three dollars to catch a bus,” said the homeless man. “I just came from the church over there and I have papers to prove it and they want me to go to this other place now where I might be able to get work.”
Large boxes on the dock, cargo van half loaded and unorganized, I was in need and so was the homeless man.
“What’s your name,” I asked.
“Berlin, my name’s Berlin,” he said.
“I’ll tell you what — if you help me load these boxes and then get in the van and organize it for me so the boxes don’t fly around if I have to stop quick, I’ll give you a couple bucks,” I said.
Berlin assured me he was not at all afraid of work and very strong. We worked together loading the boxes in the van and then Berlin climbed in and organized everything. When the work was done, I asked Berlin if he wanted one of the suits he had loaded in the van and one of the warm jackets. The transformation continued, as Berlin turned into a child on his birthday, accepting the very first suit in the pile and a warm corduroy jacket. I told him what all the donations were for and he told me our work was good work.
With our teamwork mission accomplished, I went in the open door of the office building where my purse sat on top of a box. I opened my wallet, which rarely contains money due to using my ATM card but on this Thursday morning I had a $5 and $20 dollar bill. Do I give him the $5? Do I give him the $20? My human side said, give him the $5. God was screaming, “For heaven sake, give him the $20.” I walked outside, thanked Berlin for his help and handed him a million dollars in that $20 bill.
Instead of grabbing the $20 and heading out, Berlin’s eyes watered up and looked square in mine. He then threw his arms around me and hugged me tightly. It startled the heck out of me but then I began to transform. With a smile on my face, I threw my arms around him as well. He called me an angel from God and I told him how he too had been an angel for me and teased him about being over paid. He laughed and shook my hand with both of his and then, Berlin said something I never, ever anticipated — Happy Easter Mary, Happy Easter. Now I was tearing up at this God-given moment in time and I returned the greeting with an “Alleluia” in my voice three days earlier than the liturgical calendar allows.
After our accolades, Berlin turned and walked to the bus stop and I went to park the loaded cargo van. When I walked in the back door to retrieve my purse, it was gone. How did he manage to steal my purse I thought? How could he dare trick me like that? Why am I so stupid to think this guy was for real? I then gathered my wits and walked back to the cargo van. No purse. I went back again to the door and Linda, my friend from our mail room walked by. I asked if she had seen anyone else in the back hall and she told me a co-worker had just walked by. I ran down stairs hoping and praying she had picked up my purse and there on my desk it sat. I was humbled and angry with myself that my human side overpowered my close encounter with God through Berlin. I asked forgiveness for my rash judgment.
On my way to Daytona Beach later that morning to pick up more donations at Catholic Charities, I thought about Berlin and prayed for him to be well and graced with the gift of a job, a home, and a smiling face to greet him each day. When I arrived to load the van with more goods, I was awakened by the presence of God once again. There, on top of the pile of donated clothes, folded neatly were the black pants Berlin had draped over his shoulders. Good work Berlin. Your work was good work — was God work — was my early Happy Easter.
My dear God — may the Alleluia memory of my morning with Berlin, keep me focused in the light of our Risen Christ in all I do and may my judgmental side fade away until it disappears forever. God be with you Berlin and Happy Easter — the Lord has risen — Alleluia, alleluia, allelulia!
Donations of food, diapers, baby wipes, and personal hygiene items are being accepted year round. For a list of locations, please click on Florida Catholic Collection Locations. Thank you for being the hands and feet of our Risen Christ throughout the year.
