8.25.2009

The Shelter

Instead of my usual grimace and impatience in the midst of honking horns and stand still 5 o'clock traffic, I sang joyfully like a boy in glee club and smiled at other fellow travelers parked on 575. I was going to the shelter for the first time.

As I drove into the shelter's parking lot, men and women were all standing outside of a small, faded brick building with a paper sign stuck above the door that had "shelter" printed on it. Not sure where to go, I pulled into a spot directly in front of the building. The people standing outside noticed. They stared suspiciously at me. My confidence and excitement wavered--no, not wavered--completely packed up and vamoosed. My now damp palms gripped the steering wheel harder and my throat tightened. The men looked away, not caring who I was, but a few of the women continued to stare. Oh, no. Why am I here? After the three second panic, I put on a brave face and got out of the comfort of my car. Nervously walking up to the building, I looked around to see a friendly, welcoming face. There wasn't one.

I stood awkwardly in the parking lot, not knowing what to do. Then I saw a man and a woman get out of their car with lots of stuff. They walked confidently up to the building and talked to the man with a clipboard (I had not seen him before when I was Awkward McAwkwardness). I followed. The man, Bob, and the woman, Marianne, his wife were all smiles and super nice. George was the man with the clipboard. Introductions were made. Hands were shook. I was in. My confidence began to creep its way back and I smiled more confidently, and the boy in glee club began to hum loudly in my head.

I followed my new acquaintances into the building. The door squeaked open and my nostrils were assailed by a musty odor. I ignored it and smiled at the staff standing behind the counter. Bob clasped me on the back and announced, "Rosie, we've got another one." Then Roselyn, a woman with spiky hair and large, dangling earrings, handed me a clip board and said, "Oh wow! Another volunteer? It's our lucky night! Sign in and put 'Host' in the position column." Obediently, I did as I was told, having no clue what I had just enlisted myself for. Roselyn immediately started explaining the role of the host and the process of how each person must sign into their assigned bed, sign up for specific chores, and say if they will be eating breakfast in the morning. I listened attentively, thinking this wasn't the "tour" I had been anticipating. This was training! But I was attentive, as I wanted to be prepared for my job. I looked to Bob, crinkling my nose, with a bewildered look, saying, "I've never been to this campus before. Am I supposed to be doing this?" After a short conversation, I was following Bob and Marianne to the Jackie's, the volunteer coordinator's, office and knocked. Jackie opened the door with a big smile. I was finally where I was supposed to be.

I was again shaking hands with Jackie and the two other women who were there. We were ushered into a bigger room where a whole family (mom, dad, and three kids), a younger man, and another woman joined us. Jackie took us around campus showing us the kitchen, the clothes room, the classrooms, the clinic, and then the actual shelter. She talked us through the whole program. This was not a normal shelter. It was actual help.--a program to break the cycle of poverty and homeless--not a crutch and not an enabler. There were rules to be followed, but all were voluntary. If you wanted help and you wanted to get out, this could definitely be your chance.

After an hour and half of walking and talking, we were finished. I gave Jackie my information, what days I could work and what I wanted to do, and that was that. My first day at the shelter was over, and I was already in love.

8.20.2009

The Beginning

Here's the deal.

I was tired of my selfish life.
I wanted to get involved with some sort of community outreach.

And that's when I remembered MUST. About four months ago, I had toured this non profit organization on a class field trip. We were there to see the in's and out's of how a non profit organization is conducted. Specifically, I remembered a story that Mary, the woman who gave us the guided tour, told our group. A student had asked what had spurred her to become a regular volunteer and eventually as full-time staff. She then told us the story of Maddie.

MUST has a Summer Lunch Program, where volunteers and staff make hundreds of sack lunches to deliver to children who would normally get a free lunch from school. Since school is out during the summer months, many of those kids don't get a lunch at all. One day when Mary was out delivering sandwiches, she saw a little girl (about 7 or 8 years old) eat half of her sandwich and stow the other half of the sandwich away in her bag. Mary asked the little girl her name.

"Maddie," she said.
"Why didn't you eat your whole sandwich, Maddie?"
"I'm saving the other half for dinner."

As Mary finished retelling the story, she had tears in her eyes. I did, too. That's when I knew I wanted to be involved in this ministry.

Five months later, I applied to Must Ministires.
Now I'm a regular volunteer.

That's how this crazy journey started. I'll share with you some of my experiences and some of the lessons I've learned along the way.