Earlier in the year during a brainstorming session, I was discussing with my boss how I would love to give youth in our city an opportunity to experience homelessness. I adamantly believe that until something becomes 'real' to someone, we naturally disregard the topic and distance ourselves from the issue. This doesn't make us a bad person or insensitive, just human. We do this all the time, think about any topic that is near and dear to your heart (breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, animal cruelty, drug addiction, drunk driving, homelessness, eating disorders, abuse, veterans issues & the list can go on and on). What is it about the topic that you are passionate about and why or how did this passion come about? More than likely, it is because somehow that topic has been made real and personal in your life, one way or another.
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I grew up with an incredible youth group that had counselors who invested in us, and exposed us in controlled environment(s) to real world issues. One of the things that we would do as a group is go into downtown Dallas and serve the homeless dinner at a soup kitchen. I watched my Dad and other counselors give the socks and shoes off their own feet to make sure someone wouldn't leave the building without any. These actions were always done without a second thought. The message was clear: you see a need and you can help, meet it. At Christmas, we also would spend time shopping for a family that was less fortunate. We would get to meet the family we had bought and wrapped presents for, and spend time with them while we decorated their house for Christmas. I believe this is how the topic of homelessness became 'real' in my life. I am and always will be passionate to help others, especially the less fortunate that are youth or children. Again, the message was clear: you see a need and you can help, meet it.
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Last night, the thought I had earlier in the year, became a reality. With the help of so many, the Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission held its first one night simulated homelessness event, Street University, in downtown Shreveport at Festival Plaza. We had 30 juniors/seniors from Bossier and Caddo public and private high schools come and experience what it is like to live on the street and be homeless.
The youth were challenged in ways that they had never been before. To complete check in, all cell phones, watches, jewelry, and anything else on their body (besides clothes) had to go into a zip lock bag. Any purses, bags or luggage that they brought were confiscated. They had their sleeping bag, a cot, a walmart sack, and a fork/knife/salt/pepper/napkin set and that was it. Surprisingly, no one complained or even questioned the directions. These kids came with an open heart, open mind and open spirit to really try and understand these issues.
Below are some pictures from the beginning of the night.
2012 STREET U check in point
The 2012 Street U fearless leaders!
Excited to be a part of this experience! Senior, Keneisha, has all she will need for the evening.
Festival Plaza
The youth were split into 4 groups. Homelessness often isn't the only issue people have when they find themselves on the streets. We wanted to help the youth understand that. The groups were: homelessness, hunger, abuse & addicted. Each group started out in a small group taking a 'test of knowledge' to see how much the youth knew about these areas. So many of the youth were blown away by the statistics! It really is insane some of the statistics for theses topics, not only in Louisiana but also the United States, too.
The next activity was meal time. Each one of these students had to complete some kind of community service obligation in order to attend the event. Several of the youth held drives. One way to make homelessness real to someone is to eat what they eat. The SBRM relies heavily on community drives to bring in product in order to feed the guests that reside there.
Who hasn't been asked to help give to can food drive or some kind of product drive? Do you give the best stuff when you give to those kind of things? I sure didn't. Until last night. The activity was simple. Each youth picked two cans, used their fork/salt/pepper/knife/napkin set to eat it. The challenge was to eat 1/2 of each can or 1 whole can of something. Let me just tell you, it was GROSS. We had cream corn, beans of all kinds, beets, spinach, hominy, whole corn, and carrots for them to pick from. Seriously, I don't think any of these youth will ever give something other than what they would want to eat to a drive again! It was pretty amazing to watch within the first hour of the night, youth were having 'aw-ah' moments. :)
Cans from mystery dinner.
Junior, Hallie, had cream corn and beans. She couldn't even do the cream corn, but found the beans 'bearable and sustaining'.
The next adventure for them was a homeless scavenger hunt. We had assorted trash, aluminum cans, water bottles, plastic, card board, etc scattered all throughout Festival Plaza. There goal was to collect as much as they could, so they could sell the stuff they collected for money. With the money, they could buy things for just themselves, or they could put there money together as a group and get something for everyone. It was completely up to them.
Senior, Paul, digging through trash and even found some gloves to put on while doing it!
Collection of a groups cans.
The next part of the evening was spent creating presentations. Each group needed to present an awareness of what their topic was, and then what kind of solutions they proposed for it. This was very challenging because these topics are SO complex. It is not simply give someone a house if they are without a home.
The group presentations were unbelievable. The desire to create and be the change they want to see was so evident and inspiring! This was a competition between the groups, and naturally, whoever won (based on peer judgement), got HOT PIZZA. Everyone else, got nothing. :)
After the presentations were done, we had four real live people come and give their testimonies about the very topics we had each group discussing. The testimonies absolutely made the night. It was incredible the impact they had on the youth, because every single person that gave their testimony did not look like someone who would have ever suffered from anything, much less homelessness, abuse, hunger and addiction. Again, the youth were challenged, because their world tells them that homeless are no good, begging drunks that smell bad and have a mangie beard. In reality, it could be the 18 year that just had a birthday, and his mom is no longer receiving a check for him so she drops him off at the local shelter. REALITY. I think one of the hardest things about being passionate for a topic, any topic, is the reality of seeing faces instead of statistics. These youth saw 4 faces, not numbers, last night that will forever change them.
*at this point it is about 2am in the morning*
To kind of let the youth be youth for a while, we had shopping cart races. This doesn't have anything to do with anything (necessarily), but for the fact that is was fun and let's be honest; when would you ever have an opportunity to do this again? :)
Needless to say, THEY HAD A BLAST. :0)
By 3am we had fires going in barrels to help keep everyone warm. The youth had the opportunity to sleep from 3 to 4:30am.
The event ended with a walk to the Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission at 5am. Once there, they got a hygiene kit, t-shirt, and HOT breakfast. We had a graduation ceremony for them and the parents were able to come and participate in watching them receive their certificate.
I can not tell you (as someone who watches and interacts with homeless, hungry, abused and addicted people on a daily basis), how much this event meant to me. Of course, the perfectionist that I am, I have a laundry list of things I want to change or do different for next year, but overall, this experience was unlike any other. I feel like I have a stirring in my soul for things to come. I am excited and honored that God has picked me to be part of this incredible journey! I know I am being called to great and mighty things, however, I am still not sure of what exactly that is. I know that the Holy Spirit will lead me one step at a time. With His guidance, I will forever and always be in His plan.
In the mean time, I get to continue working with some incredible youth that have a passion just like I do. My heart is so full of love for each one of these youth. Words can not express how proud I am to be able to walk beside these kids that already have a greater awareness than dare I say most! I know God has incredible things for each one of their lives and I can't wait for all of them to walk it out.
Tonight, I find myself overwhelmingly grateful for so many things I tend to overlook in day to day living. I am just in awe of how blessed I truly am.
