Where's the Neighborly Love?

As much as this is a post intended to avoid doing homework, it also involves something that has been on my mind a lot lately.
Almost a year ago I got involved with the Sharing Shed, a group dedicated to helping families in need. They go there for furniture, blankets, and even some basic medical supplies. If they need food, the Shed can direct them to my church's food pantry. In a nutshell, this place is incredible, and in this place I met some of the most hardworking women who are completely dedicated to Jesus. They really begin the healing process for many broken families.
When I heard about them, I immediately got involved, and a lot of my friends got involved with me. We'd go help move furniture and provide assistance to the "shoppers" after our Saturday morning Starbucks Bible studies.
However, I was quite bothered by the fact that if I couldn't make it one Saturday, everything fell apart. There would be no volunteers at the Sharing Shed if I didn't pull a group together. I tried encouraging my friends to set it up when I couldn't make it, but it still fell apart. Even when I was there, people would goof off when there was a lot of work to be done, and the women of the Shed asked us to come only if we were going to put our full effort into helping. This upset me terribly. I felt like I was the only one who really loved helping these people. Christians talk about going to other countries on mission trips, but here's a mission field that is practically in our back yard that we don't even seem to care about!
I left for my trips right after I graduated, and by the time I got back home from Italy and Taiwan it was almost time to leave for college. I received an e-mail from Vicki, the lady who runs the Shed, and she voiced a need for volunteers during the summer. Since I was leaving, I was of no help to them.
It distresses me that we would go to our Bible study and have great discussions about living out our faith, and then no one really wanted to go to the Sharing Shed. I know it's old news, but sometimes it just hits me how hypocritical Christians can be. If our youth group goes on a mission trip to Africa or Greece or even Illinois, everyone is in on it. We'll even spend hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars to get there. Isn't that a little ridiculous?! The minute we see our neighbors in need, we're not so keen to dedicate our time and love. What kind of faith is this? It's not faith, and it's definitely not love. It's selfishness. I'm going to turn the spotlight onto me and admit that I struggle with this, but I'd rather be struggling than totally passive.
I love working where I can see the result of my labor immediately, and that's exactly how the Sharing Shed works. It puts smiles on the faces of distressed people, and gives them hope. The coolest thing is that they pray with the families after they've gotten their necessities. It's such a tangible love, such a rewarding experience. Why can't we take advantage of that? People in our neighborhood need to be loved just as much as the people in Greece, Mexico, Illinois, you name it. We need to be on the lookout for people around us who are in need, because they're everywhere.

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen." -1 Peter 4:8-11