Recently, I had the blessing of leading a small group on a tour through our lovely home, The Magdalene House. Although it was a crazy-busy day and I had about 412 things on my to-do list, the break of showing the house to a mother and her five children was exactly what I needed. They were making a few stops that day—the mom told me they had been handing out water bottles to homeless people in the park before they stopped at our house. She wanted to show her children how important it was to take action–to do something, not to just talk the talk and sit out of the fight. It was inspiring to see such a young family participating so actively in their community and giving their time and energy to others.
They were a great group, but not only that–there is just something about giving a tour that really opens my eyes to the blessings of our home. When I attempt to explain Maggie’s Place to a stranger, share our mission and our routines, I remember exactly why I made the commitment to Maggie’s Place in the first place.
All our groups and donors are a blessing, but the best part about this particular bunch was the energy and wonder they brought to the house. The children were all age 12 and under and were intensely interested in the mothers and babies. “Where are all the babies? Can we hold them? Can we give them our toys?” Only one mom and baby were in the house at the time, and the youngest girl shyly offered the baby boy a stuffed frog she had been clutching throughout the tour. At the end of the tour, they toted several large garbage bags from the back of their SUV–each one crammed full of stuffed animals and toys. One of the girls excitedly pointed out all the toys she was giving, making sure I knew which bag it was and that it needed to be shared with the moms and babies.
The kids were in awe of our donations storage, the moms’ rooms, and especially the baby footprints that line the edge of the sidewalk that runs through our backyard. They were attentive and curious, and getting to see the house through their eyes was the best gift I could have received that day – truly a “Simple September” moment. It helped me refocus on our greater goals in serving the moms, and really reinforced the fact that we would not exist without our donors and volunteers. Sharing the experience of The Magdalene House, in the small way I was able, reminded me of why we do what we do and how our work can touch the lives of others, not only the women and babies we serve.
-Morgan, Director of Donations at The Magdalene House
Interested in visiting one of our homes? Call to schedule a tour, or simply drop by! Our homes always welcome new visitors.
