:
Watch Live
Reston Bible Church

New to RBC? myRBC Give

  • Home
  • About
    • History of RBC
    • What We Believe
    • Sunday Services
    • Weekly Activities
    • Staff
    • Pastors
    • Elders
    • Contact Us
    • Weather Policy
  • Teaching
    • Live Stream
    • Sermons
    • Sr. High Audio
    • Jr. High Audio
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Marriage
    • Iglesia Hispana
    • Special Events
  • Events
    • Men
    • Women
    • Children
    • Jr. High
    • Sr. High
    • Community
    • Family Life
    • Classes
  • Ministries
    • Worship
    • ETS Courses
    • Shepherd Groups
    • Children’s Ministry
    • Jr. High Ministry
    • Sr. High Ministry
    • Young Adults
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Family Life
    • Iglesia Hispana
    • ESL Classes
    • Missions
    • Prayer
  • Care
    • Deacons
    • RBC Cares
    • Living On Mission
    • Counseling
    • Food Pantry
    • Community Garden
    • Guilford Elementary
    • Legal Clinic
    • GriefShare
    • Addicted Loved Ones
  • Resources
    • 2022 Annual Report
    • Jobs at RBC
    • Volunteer
    • myRBC
    • RightNow Media
    • Starting Point
    • Financial Peace
    • Believer’s Baptism
    • Parent-Child Dedications
    • Memorial Services
    • Weddings
    • Giving
  • Blog
  • Home
  • About
    • History of RBC
    • What We Believe
    • Sunday Services
    • Weekly Activities
    • Staff
    • Pastors
    • Elders
    • Contact Us
    • Weather Policy
  • Teaching
    • Live Stream
    • Sermons
    • Sr. High Audio
    • Jr. High Audio
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Marriage
    • Iglesia Hispana
    • Special Events
  • Events
    • Men
    • Women
    • Children
    • Jr. High
    • Sr. High
    • Community
    • Family Life
    • Classes
  • Ministries
    • Worship
    • ETS Courses
    • Shepherd Groups
    • Children’s Ministry
    • Jr. High Ministry
    • Sr. High Ministry
    • Young Adults
    • Men’s Ministry
    • Women’s Ministry
    • Family Life
    • Iglesia Hispana
    • ESL Classes
    • Missions
    • Prayer
  • Care
    • Deacons
    • RBC Cares
    • Living On Mission
    • Counseling
    • Food Pantry
    • Community Garden
    • Guilford Elementary
    • Legal Clinic
    • GriefShare
    • Addicted Loved Ones
  • Resources
    • 2022 Annual Report
    • Jobs at RBC
    • Volunteer
    • myRBC
    • RightNow Media
    • Starting Point
    • Financial Peace
    • Believer’s Baptism
    • Parent-Child Dedications
    • Memorial Services
    • Weddings
    • Giving
  • Blog

Blog

Don’t Volunteer at Guilford

Barb RuffnerLocal Outreach, Service/VolunteerOctober 4, 2011 Leave a comment0

That’s right: I said “Don’t volunteer at Guilford.” At least, don’t volunteer if you just want to do a little something nice for the underprivileged or if you are checking off the “help the community” box on your weekly to-do list.

You see, should you volunteer at Guilford, something will happen to you when you meet these kids. No longer will you be able to keep your heart’s door closed to the reality of the poor. Everything that you have carefully compartmentalized into statistics and bar charts and percentages of those-who-qualify-for-free-lunches suddenly become …people. Beautiful, unique, gifted individuals who face challenges that most of us cannot fully grasp – challenges that are out of their control.

I spent the afternoon at Guilford Elementary last Friday. I was the special guest of one of the third grade classes, and now I know what it feels like to be a rock star or Santa Claus. I was treated like royalty, given lots of hugs, and kids fought for the privilege of sitting next to me in the classroom (a first for me!)

The children had written thank-you letters for the things that RBC is doing for them. Many of the kids stood up and read me their letters, and some read to me from their writing journals. I was touched to the point of tears. One boy told me that he has wanted to go to a museum his WHOLE LIFE, and this year he will be able to go on the field trip because of the people from our church who paid for it for him. He also told me now he can think better in school because he’s not thinking about his tummy being hungry. One child said I was “such a nice teacher.” When I asked why he thought I was a teacher, he said it was because teachers are the ones who love you and take care of you, so I must be a teacher since I was getting people to give the children snacks. Kind of makes you think.

Don’t get me wrong, these aren’t perfect little Stepford children with large puppy dog eyes. These are real kids. Charming, silly, serious, thoughtful, impish, studious, sometimes disobedient, always enthusiastic and energetic, children. What overwhelmed me was that all of them were respectful and grateful. Both the haves and the have-nots were appreciative of all that RBC has done for their school. There was no sense of entitlement. Just thankfulness. It was humbling to realize how infrequently I am just thankful for what I have been given.

So there you have it. Don’t volunteer at Guilford, because once you meet the kids, suddenly it becomes about people, not programs. It becomes about justice and mercy and grace and love and sharing it with what Jesus called the “least of these”. So don’t do it, because try as hard as you can, I don’t think you can close your heart door to the “least of these” once the Lord has opened it.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

 

 (Click on the images to the right to read a few of the letters from Guilford students.)

 

 

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

VIDEO: Ordination of Aaron Osborne

VIDEO: First Fruits

Blog Categories

  • Announcements
  • Bible
  • Celebrating Generosity
  • Children's Ministry
  • Community
  • Culture
  • Current Events
  • Devotional
  • Doxologies
  • Event Updates
  • Events
  • Family Life
  • Family Quest
  • From the Field
  • Gospel
  • Green Room Sessions
  • International Connection
  • Local Outreach
  • Media
  • Men's Ministry
  • Missions
  • Moms Connection
  • News
  • Next Generation Project
  • Pastor Mike
  • Preparing for Sunday
  • Quest Trail Guide
  • Resources
  • Service/Volunteer
  • Stay the Course
  • Take 2
  • Take 5
  • Teaching Series
  • Theology
  • Uncategorized
  • Women's Ministry
  • Worship
  • Young Adults Ministry
  • Youth Ministry

About Us

RBC exists to know Jesus Christ and to make Him known. We seek to accomplish that through biblical preaching, teaching, and authentic Christian community here in Northern Virginia and around the world.

Sunday Services:
9:00 and 10:45 a.m.
Phone: 703-404-5010

Learn more Connect with us

On the Blog

  • Preparing for Sunday | March 26
    Preparing for Sunday | March 26
    March 22, 2023
  • QUEST: Preschool Lesson for March 19
    QUEST: Preschool Lesson for March 19
    March 18, 2023
  • Preparing for Sunday | March 19
    Preparing for Sunday | March 19
    March 15, 2023
  • Celebrating Generosity: Youth Winter Retreat
    Celebrating Generosity: Youth Winter Retreat
    March 13, 2023
See the Blog

Upcoming Events

  1. Women’s Weekend with Christine Hoover

    March 24 - March 25
  2. Sr. High Bike Trip

    March 31 - April 8
  3. Palm Sunday Service

    April 2
  4. Seder Dinner at CFC

    April 5 | 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
  5. Good Friday Service

    April 7 | 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

View All Events

Twitter Updates

  • RT @MrsG_LovesMath: It’s book fair week! So thankful to @restonbible who so generously donated funds for every student to purchase a book!… - 2 days ago
  • RT @millerIFT: Thanks to the 19 @GuilfordEle staff members, four @restonbible volunteers, and three @ChildSci volunteers @GuilfordEle was… - 15 days ago
  • Preparing for Sunday, February 26 | Songs + Scripture at https://t.co/eCuSCSdJQc https://t.co/6jMYs5UWPe - 27 days ago
Follow Us
Copyright 2020 Reston Bible Church | 45650 Oakbrook Court, Dulles, Virginia 20166