The Secret of Stone Soup

“Wow! Look at all these gifts!”

Indeed, the sight was impressive. Hundreds of Christmas toys were in the wrapping room as we prepared for the recent Christmas for All event, where hundreds of children were coming to receive what, for many of them, were their appointed “fun” Christmas gifts (like toys and crayons and other stuff I wanted as I helped my wife at her wrapping station).

I couldn’t help but think back to November, when the Mission had just three dozen or so turkeys on hand for food boxes and other distribution. We put out the word, and in two weeks we had around 2,000 turkeys to share.

The toys came from a large number of different people. Some stopped by the warehouse at the Mission to drop off toys. Others contributed at collection points that were spread throughout El Paso County: businesses, churches, retail locations, schools. There were several donors that brought many toys to the table, but most came from families and individuals who gave one or two at a time.

The same goes for the turkeys. I was on the turkey drop-off detail for one really busy morning in November. I can tell you that during my shift at least a couple hundred frozen turkeys came in one or two at a time, from a lot of different people. Again, there were several donors that brought dozens of turkeys but most came from families and individuals who gave one or two at a time.

Very, very often—like with Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas toys—the Mission’s work succeeds because people give what they can (for example: a toy, a coat, a turkey, a monthly pledge), not what they wish they could (a check large enough to eradicate poverty in the Pikes Peak Region forever). If you think one toy or one turkey doesn’t matter because it doesn’t solve “the big problem,” you need to be reminded of the Secret of Stone Soup. (At least that’s the reminder my lovely bride brought up as we wrapped Christmas for All gifts.)

“Stone Soup” retells an old French (maybe Dutch, maybe Chinese?) folk tale. Three hungry travelers stay in a village where the people are hiding their food. The travelers tell the villagers they can make a hearty soup out of stones, and will show them how. All it requires is that each family bring something simple for the stone soup – a few carrots, a couple of potatoes, a bit of beef, an onion or two.

You can guess what happens. The travelers prepare a large cauldron of boiling water and throw in a stone each. The villagers come with the vegetables and meat, just a little from each family, and watch with fascination as the cauldron of Stone Soup transforms into a delicious meal that feeds everyone well.

What made Stone Soup such a success? A lot of people did what they could given their circumstances. No one gave beyond their means. When their contributions came together, the result became much more than anyone (except maybe the travelers) expected.

If more of us contribute what we really can, not what we wish we could, the combined results for our neighbors in need are usually far greater than expected.

That’s the Secret of Stone Soup. That’s how we all contribute to an outreach that becomes bigger than the sum of its parts.