When my children and I first met Eunice, her big warm smile made us feel at home, almost immediately. Our meet and greet was at The Barn which is a volunteer-run thrift store that sells pre-loved clothing, bags and other household items. Eunice oversees the operations at store and all the volunteers report to her. Judah, Sairah and I got the privilege to serve as volunteers there in that past couple of months, and Eunice has been hands on when it comes to taking us through everything. It was the first time that she had children as volunteers but Eunice did not seem shaken by it even by a bit. She always radiated love and kindness; she made sure to pour in some extra compassion on Judah and Sairah while training and engaging them with work.
More than offering a hand, we have gained so much from the experience. From teamwork to doing even the tiniest thing with a spirit of excellency, the journey has been insightful, to say the least.
Eunice started working at the shop from 2017. She started out as a volunteer, then a part-time employee and transitioned to full-time. Although the organization was not her first choice for work but when she prayed about it, she was at peace.
When asked if she has seen God work at The Barn, she recalls a medical miracle that she witnessed some time back. “A lady had a particular medical condition which was not obvious externally. A volunteer felt like this person might have an issue and asked her about it. The lady shared with the volunteer her issue and accepted a prayer for healing,” Eunice says. “Sometime later, this lady also shared with me that she was advised to go for surgery. She had been coming back to the Barn because she felt a ‘positive energy’ (she is a Buddhist). The lady also went on to say that she did not go back to the doctor for surgery.”
A positive-atmosphere, which some tag divine and godly—this is what The Barn has. Yes, it is about giving to the community, but also going above and beyond to truly display non-judgmental and unconditional love. Customers include low-income group, domestic workers, labourers, and students. As volunteers, we select clothes and pre-loved goods that are in good condition.
Eunice struggled with aligning to The Barn’s vision initially. “I felt that people don’t really need materialistic goods like clothes or bags,” she says. “I did not catch the true vision of this set-up right away. It took some time and a lot of God to help me see that this not your typical thrift store where we just sell stuff but a place where people could come, taste and feel God, and encounter His presence. This brought about a shift to my perspective and, before I knew it, I began enjoying mundane yet tedious chores like cleaning and sweeping the place.”
Everything made sense to her when she began doing it for God. She has trained about 25 volunteers in the last five years. “No job is small or insignificant,” Eunice advises young people who are looking to volunteer. “God will help you through things and He will tell you when to do it. With obedience comes His divine strength and favour.”
Like Eunice, let us strive to be obedient to His calling and create an atmosphere where people get to experience God, even if it is in pocket-size measures.