It is a gift having Tubman shelter as our neighbor, but we don’t often have the chance to meet. National Night Out has become one of the few occasions when the Sisters and Monastery staff can step away from their daily responsibilities and spend time connecting with the adults and children who call Tubman home. This year marked our second year participating with our own Monastery table. We arrived prepared with Monastery merchandise, Benedictine medals, tea towels embroidered by Sister Susan Bourauel, bubbles, toys, donated foil balloons, and our popular prize wheel. More important than the items we brought, however, was the opportunity to create moments that build community.
The prize wheel we have at our table was a way to add some structure and an element of fun to our offerings. It has been a central point of focus for those who visit us. For some it has been a point of pride. Children run up to the table to alert us how many times they have spun the wheel and how many items they have collected. For others (namely adults or parents) it has been a point of negotiation, wanting to trade in the toy they won for a coffee tumbler, tote bag, or Sister Susan’s hand-embroidered tea towels. These towels are always a big hit, and Sister Susan works all year to accumulate a good number for our needs. This year we brought and gave away 40. Our Prioress, Sister Catherine, made it a point to invite Tubman staff over to pick one that was to their liking. The surprise is that the children who were all about the toys, bubbles, and balloons were also all about these towels.
The highlight of the evening for me was one child who was practicing her hospitality. The left front corner of our table held a rather large box full of tiny bubble containers with wands, just the right size for little hands. One hand kept reaching up to these. It belonged to a little girl, who was shorter than the height of the table and could barely see them. She kept coming back, reaching to grab a handful, about four or five at a time. Of course, my initial reaction was to try and counsel her on the art of sharing. Turns out, she was doing just that. She went around, handing the bubbles to all the children she could find and then would come back for more and do the same again. She had elected herself our distributor.
Our second year was a success, having given out a majority of the items we brought and using the prize wheel to do so, but we will keep tweaking. My wish is for this event to help us all to grow as a community and to get to know one another better. Most importantly, for those who encounter us, to know that we are more than fun prizes, but a location where they can find respite and participate in prayer. It will take time for the Monastery and surrounding community to learn from each other, but I’m grateful we have a fun, annual event that affords us the ability.
