Overwhelmed by the World’s Suffering? Here’s How to Help
By: Joni Boyd
“We can’t save them but love them where they are at.” Jeremiah Project’s Jacky Turano reminds us that small acts of kindness can mean a lot.
The temptation is to do nothing.
Whether you see someone sleeping rough, illness raking someone’s body or a family trying to escape domestic violence, as humans, we often want to help. But we can easily be overwhelmed and end up doing nothing. We ask ourselves, what difference can my small contribution make?
Maybe you’ve heard the story about the starfish and the little boy who stood on the beach amidst thousands of washed-up starfish, throwing them back into the ocean.
“You’ll never be able to throw them all back into the ocean in time,” a passerby said. “It’s probably not worth your effort; it won’t make any difference.”
“I know,” the little boy replied. “But I’m making a difference for every starfish I can throw back in!”
I don’t know the origins of this story but the moral stands strong – every small act of kindness makes a difference.
This is something that Jacky Turano lives by. Heartbroken by the hundreds of people who are homeless in her region, rather than being overwhelmed, she started doing whatever she could to help. It hasn’t been easy, but helping others Jacky says is something we all can – and need to – do. Irrespective of how scary it may be.
Here are Jacky’s top tips on getting started today:
1. Start taking small steps today
When we see someone in need, the thought of stepping out to help them can be terrifying. What if I offend them? Or what if I say the wrong thing? What if I get hurt? So many questions and concerns run through our mind and often, before we realise it, the opportunity has passed. There’s power in just doing something – anything – no matter how unsure or afraid we are.
“Courage isn’t the absence of fear,” Jacky said. “Courage is stepping out in fear… it takes courage to talk to that stranger, to buy them that meal, to give them that word, to give them your ear, to pray for them…
“Step out of your comfort zone or fear will hold you back.
2. Understand what you can – and can’t – do
Sometimes our desire to fix everything can hold us back. If I can’t do it perfectly, why bother?
Jacky disagrees and says it’s important to have a firm understanding of what you can – and can’t – accomplish.
“We can’t save them but love them where they are at,” she said and reminds us that small acts of kindness can mean a lot.
3. Never underestimate the power of small, random acts of kindness
“Christ’s love is as simple as a cup of coffee,” Jacky said. “$10 can feed one homeless person. It’s as easy as asking them what they want to eat.”
4. Listening is a precious gift
“It’s not what you know that matters, sometimes it’s just listening that matters the most,” Jacky said and explained that taking the time to stop and have a chat, listening to someone’s answers can make a huge difference to someone’s day.
When we meet someone who is struggling, simply building a friendship, walking beside them and helping them get back on their feet. Invite them to your home for a meal.
“It’s important that we don’t turn our backs on the lost and lonely in the community,” Jacky said. “By doing our best to connect them with people outside their daily life, such as offering them a ride to church on Sunday morning, we can have a huge impact.”
“Walking beside them allows them to believe in themselves.”
In the end, the choice is ours. Will we do something to help? Or will we keep walking?
“Which one are you going to choose, courage or fear?” Jacky challenges.
Jacky’s organisation The Jeremiah Project now feeds an average of 440 people a month throughout Western Sydney, proving the power of starting with small steps and small acts of kindness.
Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.
Feature image: Supplied by Jeremiah Project
About the Author: Joni Boyd is a writer, based in the Hawkesbury Region of NSW. She is passionate about the power of stories shared, to transform lives.
