Humanity ~ Jillian Cormier

Tonight is my last night working with an organization that I have fondly come to know as NOLA. When it all began, at the end of my sophomore year, I felt like a balloon that was floating comfortably in God's patient hands, and I knew that he was waiting for me to find the place that he wanted to tie me to. These past two years, I have witnessed the devastation that has torn through a community to create a new one, and I realized that if anything, I have tied myself to the idea of humanity, a place where God's creation comes alive in an infinite number of ways. This week, I planted things in this earth to feed a growing community, I tore out nails to help rebuild another's livelihood, I weighed boxes to send to the hungry, I painted over someone's past to give them a clean slate; and all for the sake of humanity. It is this constant work in process which has changed my life and contributed to a multitude of tears, drops of sweat, and blood stains. And due to this monumental change, I felt, for a few blessed moments, God's ultimate love shine down upon me, and realized that there is nothing greater in this world, than contributing to the work which helps to make humanity better. Thank you, God, for tying my balloon to this idea.