The Store

The 500 lbs. of supplies we brought down were sold at a makeshift store in the Harmony House. Won-by-One keeps a list of all the families in Harmons and rotates through them. I had the opportunity to work at the store one of the days. I would greet women at the door after their names had been called and walked around the store with them. They only had two plastic grocery bags to fill with clothes. Once the bags are full, they are done shopping. This experience definitely gave me a new perspective on all of my materialistic wants. Most of the time, the women were shopping for many children, their husbands, parents, and themselves. They were very selfless women, filling the bags 90% for the children and 10% for themselves and husbands. It was heartbreaking to have to tell them that we did not have any backpacks left for their kids to take to school or that there are no more shoes left in their children's size. I asked one of the women who I was shopping with how long it will be before she has the chance to come back to the store. She told me that it will be over a year until it is her family's turn again. The thought of only shopping once a year for a family of 5 is unbelievable to me. This was a very eye-opening experience that I am grateful for.