Mt. Dew & Community

If you were to come to my office, you'd find all sorts of nick-nacks.  Some cool.  Some you'd think are dumb and childish (...and you might be on to something).  But every single one of them has a story (I'm not a hoarder!).

One such item is a very special Mt. Dew can (seen in this picture).  If you look closely you'll see that it doesn't actually say "Mt. Dew"...at least not in English.

I was on a trip to Russia back in 2007, and feeling pretty low - going through culture shock, missing my wife, missing "normal" food...and missing Mt. Dew.  I shared that sentiment with one of the Russian guys that I had become friends with - Artyom.  He could tell I wasn't doing well, and that afternoon he called a friend who was on his way out to the camp we were at to bring me the can of Mt. Dew.  Just a simple act.  A $.50 can of soda.

There's a principle that I've learned from a few different people (Andy Stanley, Reggie Joinner).  Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.  What Artyom did for me was something that he didn't - and couldn't - do for everyone of us Americans at the camp.  But he did for me.

Honestly, Artyom probably doesn't remember buying me this can of soda.  But I do.  I still have the can to show for it.  It's important to me.  (In fact I just about cried one time I thought a middle schooler had opened it in my office when I wasn't looking.)

Community is often simply the small, seamingly meaningless acts of generously giving to someone.  People we care about.  People who need a boost.  People who need an encouragement.  People who need a Mt. Dew.