Servant of the Month: August 2015
Author: Alyccea Nymaessene
The Servant of the Month program is designed to recognise and encourage our members’ acts of service and philanthropy within their local communities and beyond. Each month, the Outreach Team randomly selects a member from among those who have posted within the Servant of All forum to be TarValon.Net’s Servant of the Month.
Lyara Tieran, Aes Sedai of the White Ajah, was selected as August’s Servant of the Month, and I was privileged to have the opportunity to interview her for the Tar Valon Times. Lyara Sedai is a Registered Nurse, and also volunteers with her local State emergency health core. She also has a husband, three grown-up children, and a grandchild.
This month, Lyara Sedai gave some cash, along with sunscreen and bug spray, to a local homeless veteran. She described her hometown of Bend, Oregon as having a large homeless population, and stated that it is known for the generosity of the local community.
“Bend has fairly mild weather for the area,” Lyara Sedai explained. “Lows sometimes get to 25F and highs rarely get to 90-100F. Perfect for if you don't have a house and have to sleep in a tent or your car... This draws a lot of homeless. Word of mouth is the best advertisement, so when the homeless talk amongst themselves about where they get the best shelters and which towns have the most generous givers and least aggressive law enforcement, Bend comes up a lot.”
It’s true that homelessness is a serious global issue. In 2005, the United Nations estimated that there were approximately 100 million homeless people worldwide, and over 1 billion lacked adequate housing. Public housing schemes can help, however there are still those who, for various reasons, are left without a safe and secure dwelling in which to live.
“It's always challenging providing healthcare, shelter, decent food,” Lyara Sedai explained. “Keeping them safe isn't an issue like in some communities. Our [law enforcement] officers treat them with respect and make sure they aren't harassed by anyone.”
So what prompted Lyara Sedai’s generosity in giving to the local homeless? Part of it comes from her own personal background. “I had a family that wasn't exactly well off but my dad was good at money management so we weren't in any danger of ever being homeless or destitute. After moving out, though, there were times I had to stay with family or friends to be sure we could all meet our bills.” She explained further, “The base of my giving is I have it, they don’t, and I can live without it. They may not be able to. That coffee may be what keeps their hands from freezing at that second. That 5 dollars could be the only cash that buys them food that day. And honestly, it could be the difference in whether or not they get some alcohol that day, and I've seen people in the hospital in withdrawal. It's ugly, and you can die from it.”
I then asked Lyara Sedai what prompted her to give to this particular gentleman on this occasion. She responded, “This particular gentleman is kind, old, lonely, and has no family. I've spoken to him on many occasions. I just felt the need to give more to him than I would normally give that day. He must have needed something.”
What a thoughtful act of service. Lyara Sedai also provided some advice for each of us to consider. “I suppose my advice for any one/community is that we are all only as good as our worst member. That homeless person in need wasn't [homeless] once. Think about what got them there, what could get you there, and then be the BEST person in your community. Help those less fortunate than you so they have the opportunity to better themselves. Even if that just means eating that day.”
This is such a great sentiment. It truly doesn’t take much for a person’s situation to suddenly change dramatically, and we each could someday find ourselves in a situation in which we are forced to rely on the generosity of others.
As a final thought, I asked Lyara Sedai what the most rewarding aspect of helping people in this way is. She replied, “They smile. Some of them have no other reason to smile. You just made them happy. What could be more rewarding than that? Being a person's only reason to smile…”
We all need a reason to smile sometimes! Thank you, Lyara Sedai, for being that reason for somebody, and for sharing your experience with the readers of the Tar Valon Times. I hope that this article has put a smile on the faces of our readers, and inspired them to help others to smile too!
If you are interested in donating to a charity that provides food support and access to welfare services for those in need, a great place to start is Depaul International, at http://www.depaulinternational.org/. Depaul International works with nearly 13,000 homeless and marginalised people around the world each year. Alternatively, check your local area for organisations that support your local homeless community.
