Hello! This
is Natalie here! It’s only been our very first day here and I can honestly say
I have learned so much already. The word homeless means something completely
different to me than it had just 24 hours ago. Getting to talk and actually interact
with the people at the Father McKenna center has been incredible. All of the
guys have been so open to us in sharing their story and it’s been nothing short
of ordinary. As we are all here serving them, they are actually serving us. I
have already taken so much from them especially when I had the chance to talk
to a few men one on one. I met such an inspiring man today. At the very end of
the day, I went right up to a man sitting by himself and started talking to
him. We talked for almost 45 minutes and it was just an awesome conversation. Even
though I did not know how old he was (he had to be above age 50), I was utterly
surprised to learn that he was a student at local college to become a nurse. It
warmed my heart in knowing that he had a plan for his life and was on the right
track. Throughout our talk he mentioned how had hit rock bottom and had been
homeless for 7 years but found the strength to get back on track and eventually
got a place of his own. What’s neat is to find that each and every face we encounter
this week has a story and I can’t wait to hear more throughout the rest of this
week. I can already tell I will leave this place as different but most importantly
a better person!
Today, we continued our mission in deepening our understanding of ourselves, each other, and the problems that poverty and inequality bring. Our day began as usual; sleepy-eyed and ready to help the Father McKenna center in any way possible. Our duties included cooking the meal and serving it, cleaning the center, organizing the pantries, and generally trying to make ourselves useful and helpful. While very important, these tasks were not the catalyst in the change that we experienced today; through talking to the many guests at the McKenna center, to those who live on the street, and to those who were willing to share their life with us, we have begun to break down the divide between “us and them.” And we have realized that we are not so different after all. While the magnitude of our problems might be different, it is what we share that makes us one family of brothers and sisters. From the infections laughter, to the stories of our homes, to our losses of our loved ones, or to the si...
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