Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Reflections from "Got Soup"
From my six week experience of volutnteering at the "Got Soup" meal progam I have witnessed the value of apathy, kindness, and generosity, I also realize that in the past I have been caught up in my own life and I have turned a blind eye towards the needs of others. Some special memories I will take away with me is one that I have of a 12 year old girl who was starved for attention, she would stand by me each week and talk to me almost the entire time I served food, her innocent sweet face will allways be with me. Another memory I will take with me is of the disabled and elderly volunteers that I worked along side of,they so inspired me by putting aside there own difficult circumstances and coming and meeting the needs of the homeless.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
I've got joy, joy,joy,joy down in my heart!
Journal reflection #2
Helping the volunteers at the "got soup" ministry at the Babtist church for the second time was just as wonderful as the first. From the minute I walked in I was warmly welcomed! And the smell of chicken pot pie was everywhere! The preparation for the meal allready done and the volunteers sitting at tables in the large dining room or finishing last minute chores. I can't begin to describe what I see. How do I describe kindness and goodwill? The volunteers work together like a well oiled machine. Nothing is left out or forgotten, everyone knows their duties and is ready to serve. But that's not all, the joy that is in their hearts and bubbling out, is what I am attempting to describe. And the needy who come in for the meal they feel that joy and they respond. The atmosphere is electric!
My job is to help Eve serve food, she serves sandwiches, I serve fruit. And we both greet everyone. I am overwhelmed by the number of young people and men that go through the line.
My heart goes out to them. They're all smiling and very polite. A volunteer named Lori comes up to our tray line, she is a young asian lady whose job is to serve meals to the tables of the elderly and handicapped. She herself is mentally challenged, but witty, oh is she ever. After everyone had been served a meal, a speaker is introduced. Unfortunatly I can't remember his name but I sure do remember his smile, for it never left him. He's introduced as the pastor of the gospell mission. And while everyone enjoyed their meal he spoke to them about love, Gods love. Eve and I then returned to the kitchen to find a volunteer named Sandra and a fellow co-worker she has brought with her, washing up pots and pans. Not far from them is several large sheet pans holding sliced homemade cake for dessert. After everyone has had seconds on the meal if wanted and a slice of cake, a volunteer opens up a room that is filled with tioletries such as papertowls, toilet paper, and clothes washing soap. Everyone is welcome to get some. I help finish cleaning up as people leave, I say goodbye to all my new friends, I'll be back next week.
Helping the volunteers at the "got soup" ministry at the Babtist church for the second time was just as wonderful as the first. From the minute I walked in I was warmly welcomed! And the smell of chicken pot pie was everywhere! The preparation for the meal allready done and the volunteers sitting at tables in the large dining room or finishing last minute chores. I can't begin to describe what I see. How do I describe kindness and goodwill? The volunteers work together like a well oiled machine. Nothing is left out or forgotten, everyone knows their duties and is ready to serve. But that's not all, the joy that is in their hearts and bubbling out, is what I am attempting to describe. And the needy who come in for the meal they feel that joy and they respond. The atmosphere is electric!
My job is to help Eve serve food, she serves sandwiches, I serve fruit. And we both greet everyone. I am overwhelmed by the number of young people and men that go through the line.
My heart goes out to them. They're all smiling and very polite. A volunteer named Lori comes up to our tray line, she is a young asian lady whose job is to serve meals to the tables of the elderly and handicapped. She herself is mentally challenged, but witty, oh is she ever. After everyone had been served a meal, a speaker is introduced. Unfortunatly I can't remember his name but I sure do remember his smile, for it never left him. He's introduced as the pastor of the gospell mission. And while everyone enjoyed their meal he spoke to them about love, Gods love. Eve and I then returned to the kitchen to find a volunteer named Sandra and a fellow co-worker she has brought with her, washing up pots and pans. Not far from them is several large sheet pans holding sliced homemade cake for dessert. After everyone has had seconds on the meal if wanted and a slice of cake, a volunteer opens up a room that is filled with tioletries such as papertowls, toilet paper, and clothes washing soap. Everyone is welcome to get some. I help finish cleaning up as people leave, I say goodbye to all my new friends, I'll be back next week.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
"HUNGER"
This blog site has been set up as a journal for the service learning project I am participating in. The service learning site that I have chosen is called the "Everett Community Meal Program." I am assisting other volunteers prepare and serve dinner to families with young children, the homeless and the disabled, we do this at the First Babtist Church in downtown Everett. The population I am serving is diverse with all ethnic races being present as the common theme of a very low socio-economic status is shared by all. The age group is also very diverse since hunger has no age limit. The one noticable exception I have observed is gender, men out number the women 3 to 1, why this is I am not certain?
So far I have volunteered once and was very taken by the experience. I arrived around 4:30 p.m. to help in the preparation of the dinner. I was greeted by the coordinator "Chris", a very down to earth, highly organized, sweet lady in her 40's. She introduced me to the other volunteers. Like the population we served they too were incredibly diverse. For instance their was "Mark"" whose job was to greet people as they came in, he himself is disabled and calls himself a miracle, he then goes on to tell you how he was in a terrible car accident, then a coma, then had to re-learn everything from walking to talking. The heart warming smile on his face as he tells his ordeal and how he's not giving up on himself or anyone else makes him absolutly perfect for the greeter job. Then there is "Eve' whose job is to pass out sandwiches and fruit on the food trayline. She is a beautiful grandmotherly type black woman who is 78 years old. You would never know she is 78, her mind is quick, her body is holding steady, as she passes out each sandwich she says "God bless you". Then there is the two volunteers in the dishroom, unfortunatly I can't remember their names. I was sure impressed by them, they scrubbed up every pot and pan, and kept the kitchen as neat as a pin all with a smile on their faces that never left.
The things that bothered me the most are the large number of children and teenagers I served, and also that the majority of older adults I served had rotten or no teeth, and you cannot help but to smell the foul odor of homelessness, poverty truly is cruel. What I hope to learn from this experience is how I can contribute in meeting the needs of others less fortunate.
So far I have volunteered once and was very taken by the experience. I arrived around 4:30 p.m. to help in the preparation of the dinner. I was greeted by the coordinator "Chris", a very down to earth, highly organized, sweet lady in her 40's. She introduced me to the other volunteers. Like the population we served they too were incredibly diverse. For instance their was "Mark"" whose job was to greet people as they came in, he himself is disabled and calls himself a miracle, he then goes on to tell you how he was in a terrible car accident, then a coma, then had to re-learn everything from walking to talking. The heart warming smile on his face as he tells his ordeal and how he's not giving up on himself or anyone else makes him absolutly perfect for the greeter job. Then there is "Eve' whose job is to pass out sandwiches and fruit on the food trayline. She is a beautiful grandmotherly type black woman who is 78 years old. You would never know she is 78, her mind is quick, her body is holding steady, as she passes out each sandwich she says "God bless you". Then there is the two volunteers in the dishroom, unfortunatly I can't remember their names. I was sure impressed by them, they scrubbed up every pot and pan, and kept the kitchen as neat as a pin all with a smile on their faces that never left.
The things that bothered me the most are the large number of children and teenagers I served, and also that the majority of older adults I served had rotten or no teeth, and you cannot help but to smell the foul odor of homelessness, poverty truly is cruel. What I hope to learn from this experience is how I can contribute in meeting the needs of others less fortunate.
Friday, April 17, 2009
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