Global Citizen, Volunteer, Journalist part II

Meg: grad student, idealist, theology nerd, friend and fellow blogger =)

Meg is one of our favorite guest bloggers. We love her because  in addition to being she’s a very thoughtful, eloquent and inspiring writer, she’s also in the middle of a year of service abroad. Last time we checked in with Meg, she was in Haiti working with Haitian Health Foundation (click here for Global Citizen, Volunteer, Journalist part I). Since then, she’s moved on to volunteer in Honduras. 

Throughout the year Meg has been recording her thoughts and relfections on her personal blog, “Logos Became Flesh – Experiences of a Theology Student” (check it out, it’s worth a read). In fact, just recently one of her posts was picked up by Relevant Magazine! In it, she discusses the dignity of the poor in Haiti and how, despite good intentions, the Americans that want to do “great things” for them can unknowingly degrade that inherent worth and humanity.

An excerpt from “No Great Things” by Meg Topp

…Mother Teresa famously said, ¨There are no great things; there are only small things, done with great love.¨

These are the strangers in my life that have impacted me the most profoundly: my first-grade lunch lady.  My elementary school nurse.  My middle school bus driver. The woman at UVA who swiped people´s meal cards for lunch.

Why?  

Because the lunch lady gave me free pizza every Friday while my mom was dying, so I wouldn´t be the only kid in the lunchroom who couldn´t have pizza because we were paying for her operations. She sat with me during lunch hour because I was too preoccupied and sad to have conversations with the other kids. 

Because my elementary school nurse figured out that my constant stomach aches just meant that I needed someone to talk to. She made sure to be there whenever I needed her. 

Because my middle school bus driver didn´t put up with bullies, made everyone feel specially loved. She treated us all to pizza just because she liked us. 

Because Cathy the Cardswiper knew each face behind the cards that she swiped, and always had words of encouragement for everyone. She let me go in early on frigid mornings after I´d had to stand in formation for ROTC for 2 hours and couldn´t feel my toes so I could have a cup of coffee and a hot breakfast. 

Isn´t that funny?

Small things. Great love. Don´t get distracted. It´s the only way we can really do anything worthwhile.

That´s it.

Thanks again for letting us share your words on our blog, Meg! Keep up the great work and writing. We’ll continue to follow your journey from afar. =)

Meg in the DR (picture swipped from Facebook – forgive us for stalking!)