Sadly, today was our last day working with the Salvation Army Community Learning Center. We were able to go to a cookout at the Jubilee House. We played with the group of kids we have been spending time with through the week and enjoyed some burgers and hot dogs grilled by the master Daryl. We continued the vacation bible school program we helped to organize, which included a skit for the kids and a monologue performed by Micah as Mary Magdalene. After the skit, we prepared the slip and slide for the kids, which proved to be loads of fun for them. We were able to hang out with the kids until about 2:30, when we had to say goodbye to the group we had made friends with.
After we left the Jubilee House, we headed downtown for a CSM activity called “immersion”. We were split into two groups and were only given $2.00 to pay for our food for the remainder of the night in order to simulate the life of a homeless person. We also were instructed to find where we could buy supplies (such as a sleeping bag), some indoor place to sleep, as well as pay for someone else’s meal. This proved harder than expected, but each group did end up pooling their money and buying a pizza half off at a shop we found yesterday. Some people became bored during our two hour slot to complete these tasks. We realized that what we experienced was only a tiny sliver of what a real homeless person lives through. The time frame of homelessness was vastly shorter (with an end in sight), and we could opt out in an emergency. We also came to realize that we were treated with so much more respect than those who are homeless.
After we arrived back at the church, we reflected on what we have experienced this week and how it will impact our life back home. We have been able to interact with so many people this week and we hope that the range of backgrounds and the great compassion that we have seen this week will cause us to grow in our faith and as members of a community.
Andrew and Kendra
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