Connection

Tim was in year 10 at high school, beginning his Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award. He was volunteering with us in our cafe. Being a shy lad, the customer-facing part of café life was going to stretch him. I guess at 15, not many of us have developed the art of conversing with adults who are strangers! The cafe had him confronting this pretty quickly, and he slowly rose to the challenge.

Tim was with us for two hours a week every Thursday. Initially, he was happy washing up and keeping out of the way. He began clearing tables a few weeks in, then taking drinks to customers. He would manage the required chat and began to enjoy the customer contact. We’d chat and laugh with him on his shift too, and he grew in confidence with us.

After a few weeks, Tim’s mum came into the café and asked to speak with us. Had we expected too much? Or be a bit bossy? Maybe Tim was finding it too much and we’d not realised.

We sat down with her, ready to work out a way forward together. She began by asking what we did with Tim when he was with us because she couldn’t figure it out. Every day of the week, Tim would get in from school and head up to his room, only to be seen briefly for food. She missed the interaction with him. Except on a Thursday. On this day each week, he would come home like a different lad. He would sit in the lounge, chatting about the café, and spend time talking with them. He would eat an evening meal with the family and be so energised and relaxed, that he seemed like his old self.

His mum was emotional and thanked us for everything we were doing with Tim. In reality, we were just giving him time. Time and space to grow, listening ears, and encouragement along the way. Meaningful connections with people are a great act of generosity. Our time is so valuable, and the value we show someone by giving them time can make all the difference.

Prayer:

Pray that you may experience love in action, not just in emotion. Seek compassion that grows others through your time, interest,t and encouragement.

Take a 40acts challenge today:

1. Send a message or card to someone as you feel led. Has someone got things going on in life that you could check in on?
2. Call someone you haven’t spoken with in a while. Remember the details of their conversation, maybe step out and offer to pray, either with them or for them later.
3. Give time to someone you don’t know! Take a step of faith to connect. Lean on God’s nudging too. We often gravitate to people like ourselves because ‘things in common’ create easier connections. What about someone different from you?