Nick’s Mite

Nick knocked on the office door. “What can I do for you, Nick?” I asked. He quizzed me 
for ten minutes on the funding for the Center. At the Center I like to answer questions
simply and directly. Unless privacy issues are involved, I just answer the question.
Hearing my answers, Nick said, “OK, I like that.” He pulled two crumpled dollar bills out
of his pocket and placed them on the desk.  “Use that for whatever you want. You folks
have helped me a lot, and if I have something to spare, I’ll give it to you.” I thanked him
and assured him it would help people here.  He waved and walked away. Almost
everyone at the Center has some kind of income, perhaps from Medicaid or SSI or
SSDI. The amount received is rarely enough to provide for housing and living expenses,
but they do keep some money in their pockets. Yes, the donation was almost too small
to move through the accounting process, but it says a lot that a guest wants to
contribute, communicating trust, pride and ownership. Remember the old story of the
poor widow’s mite, how her donated penny was proportionately worth more than a ten
thousand dollar gift from a very wealthy person. Nick’s mite is the same.