As a teenager, I volunteered at Loaves and Fishes, a program my mother started. We1meals to anyone who showed up, most of them were people in Minneapolis. When I spoke to them, they didn't look me in the eye, and they were rarely2. I wanted to shout, "Hey, we`re doing a (n)3thing here. You could at least thank us!"
After I stopped volunteering at Loaves and Fishes, I took control of my own destiny (命运). Over the next ten years, I had a (n)4life: a college degree, teaching career, wonderful husband and then our first child, Derian.
5soon, we were told that Derian had a serious illness and needed to be6hospital. I soon discovered I was not in control.
Thirteen months after Derian was born, Connor, our second son, was born, thankfully with a healthy body. With two sons to7, I had to leave from teaching. Even though Robb, my husband,8his best, we were short of money soon. In the spring of 2015, we decided to ask9help.
I had heard about a program that10money to mothers and children, and I put my pride aside and made an appointment (预约).
On the morning of my appointment, I took my two sons to the program. When I was standing in the waiting area, suddenly, I realized life was full of the11. I felt sorry for looking down on the poor. Now it was my12to be poor. I wanted to leave with my children13. But looking into their bright eyes, I knew14I had to stay.
For the first time in my life, I15why the people I once served at Loaves and Fishes were not thankful. Who wants to be poor? I'll never forget those lessons: we should respect and understand the poor instead of giving them money and food only.