maura

Behind Every Queue, There Is a Story. 💔 Tonight at the GPO, the weather was unusually warm for this time of year, but what really stood out was the enormous number of people waiting for our support. The crowds this week were overwhelming, and although we were a little short of male volunteers, our incredible team pulled together, worked tirelessly and did everything possible to ensure people were looked after. But tonight, I want to share something that people don't always see. Everybody standing in that queue has a story. "I'm taking convulsions. I can't stand in the queue." "I have children at home. I can't wait that long." "I'm not feeling well. Please help me." "My girlfriend has just had a baby. I need to get back to her." "I'm homeless. I'm freezing. I can't stand here any longer." "I'm hungry. Please don't make me wait two hours." And the stories go on and on and on. 💔 Imagine being the person who has to decide who gets to go ahead and who must continue waiting. How do you choose? Do you let the mother with young children through first? The elderly person struggling to stand? The person visibly exhausted, worn down by life on the streets? Or the person quietly telling you they are unwell and cannot wait another minute? Every single person has a reason why they need to be seen first. And every single story matters. Understandably, people can become frustrated and agitated. And we understand that frustration. Many begin queuing at 4.30pm, knowing we don't begin distributing until 6.30pm. Two hours. Standing on a street in Dublin. Waiting for two bags of shopping. Just think about that for a moment. Two hours of your life, standing in a queue because you need food. It is absolutely heartbreaking. And while it can be difficult when frustrations are directed towards our volunteers, we must never lose sight of the circumstances that bring people to our doors in the first place. Despite the challenges, we will continue to show up. We will continue to serve. And we will continue to do what needs to be done. Behind the scenes, we are constantly welcoming and training new volunteers, ensuring everyone understands the responsibilities and standards required of our HSE-registered soup run. And speaking of volunteers, we are truly blessed. Tonight, while chatting to one of our newer volunteers, we discovered that he is studying law and, please God, will qualify as a barrister next year. It was such a lovely moment. Here is someone working towards a demanding professional career, yet still finding time to stand on the streets of Dublin and serve people less fortunate than himself. And he is just one of so many. Among our volunteers are doctors, nurses, students, mothers, professionals, and people from every walk of life. Different backgrounds. Different journeys. Different stories. But all united by one thing: compassion. ❤️ There is something incredibly humbling about standing alongside people who give so freely of their time, who ask for nothing in return, and who understand that kindness and dignity should never depend on someone's circumstances. We are so fortunate to have them. And to every person who continues to support Muslim Sisters of Éire, please know that we could not do this without you. Your donations, your generosity and your belief in what we do allow us to keep showing up, week after week, for people who have so little. The queues are getting longer. The stories are getting harder. And the need is not going away. But neither are we. Because nobody should have to stand in a queue for two hours wondering whether they will have enough food to get through another day. If you would like to support our soup run and help us continue this vital work, please consider donating below - msoe.ie/donate/ Every contribution, no matter how small, makes a difference. #MuslimSistersOfEire #MSOE #HomelessnessIreland #DublinHomeless #SoupRun #CommunitySupport #CompassionInAction #Volunteers #Humanity #DignityForAll