I am enjoying this mission trip so far, and the city of Washington, DC. Today, Tuesday, the second official day of mission work on our trip, about a third of the group went to a men's shelter, and the rest of the group went to help out in a community garden. I was in the group that went to to shelter, and I must say that I had a great time. At this shelter, homeless or poor men are given counseling (for many of them are recovering drug addicts and alcoholics, etc.) and a lunch. First coming into the shelter, I didn't feel very welcome for some reason, but this feeling soon went away as I got to know the stories behind some of these guys. Many of them had gone through some pretty rough experiences in their past. One man named Gary told us his incredible story of his drug addiction and finding a way out. That really opened up my eyes to what had happened to some of them. I got to talk one-on-one with a man named George Letmore, a 58-year old man originally from Trinidad & Tobago. His reassuring sense of humor and unforgettable smile widened my eyes even more to this shelter and its purpose. Even after what this man had gone through with alcohol problems, he was able to stay happy and positive, and that just kind of gives me hope. I wouldn't mind going back to that shelter. It let me see the true side of homelessness and poverty not only in DC, but all over the US.
JACK
No comments:
Post a Comment