Finding God in Laundry
This is the first blog post of many about Laundry Love Project of Canton, Ohio. It’s been going on for over a year now, yet, each project feels fresh and new. Consistently new people coming to get their laundry done, new volunteers, new interactions, new stories, new things brought to the table (grilling hot dogs, corn hole, Sweetest Day flowers, donuts, Thanksgiving Dinner, etc.) As someone who’s been volunteering for awhile, it’s so exciting to see how the project as grown. Friendships have been formed within the community, people are being helped, and Christ’s love is exuding in such a unique way.
The thing that strikes me most is God’s undeniable presence. We find ourselves searching for God all the time, and we look for Him in places like church, worship services, retreats, Bible studies, etc. Who’d have thought we could find God in a little laundromat in downtown Canton?
Today was mad cold. Maybe because we Ohioans have been getting spoiled with 50 degree, rainy weather until now, as opposed to the 10 degree blizzards we normally get come December. Time to get re-accustomed to the blistering cold that is Ohio’s winter.
Yet, despite the chill, people made their way to Professional Coin on the corner of Dueber and 9th this morning to do their laundry. And the volunteers of Laundry Love were there, ready to serve and build relationships and show a Christ-like love to the community. It wasn’t quite as busy as some of the past projects perhaps, but nonetheless, there was still a steady stream of people coming to the laundromat. And Laundry Love willingly served them.
For me, I didn’t do as much bonding with the people there as usual. Except for a select group of people. There were a number of children at the laundromat today and they took a liking to me. So, my LLP experience this month was different than those in the past, as I basically just gave other volunteers quarters and hung out with some little kids. The kids were great, too. The ones that I spent time with were Tanisha, Dejonae (sp?), and Antwon, who were cousins, and Jaelyn. They became fast friends with each other and with me, and I loved every second of the time I could spend with them.
There were also some new faces in attendance volunteer-wise today, too. Some people brought a dinner to serve to whoever wanted it, which was a great addition. And there were a few other volunteers that hadn’t experienced LLP before, but enjoyed it as much as any of the returning volunteers. There were also some new and old faces among those doing their laundry too. The old faces brought me joy because I love the bonds the project has given me. And the new faces brought a different kind of joy, because it means Laundry Love’s impact is extending, and there’s the chance for new friendships to be made (like the ones I formed with those children).
The other exciting thing that happened today was that some folks from The Canton Repository came to interview some of the people at the project and take pictures. Laundry Love will be in the Sunday paper, December 11th. This is just one more stride forward Laundry Love project has made in the short time it’s been in existence in Canton, Ohio. I, for one, am proud of what Corey and his friends have been able to do in the Canton community. And I’m excited for what the future holds for Laundry Love Project of Canton, Ohio.
Praise God for His presence in Canton.
The Bible talks often about reaching out to the poor and oppressed, and that what we do for the least of these, we do for Jesus himself. God is out in the world, among the struggling. He sees those who have fallen on hard times as his children, just the same as he sees the well-to-do suburban folk across town. He continually makes himself known, and Laundry Love has shown me that Jesus likes to hang out in unconventional places, just waiting for his followers to actually go out and join Him. Places like inner city laundromats.
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