"We have to find an inner wholeness, no longer to deny or ignore our wounds but to welcome them and to discover the presence of God in these very places of our own weakness." (pg 65)
"But I tell you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly." (Lk 6:27-28)
"To forgive is to rediscover the bonds that bind us together. We are no longer seperate from each other, we are one in God." (pg 79)
Today we had class. After we all walked to Centennial and met Roy who does Saturday on the Streets. We had lunch and then went to Retreat from the Street to help organize things. Once all that was done we went back to the Lot and talked to everyone again. This time I talked to Brandy, Josh, and a few others. I met Hunt who asked me why I was here and I told him "because I like hanging out with y'all." He was COMPLETELY shocked and even called some of his friends over so I could repeat it again. So I did. He told me that he hasn't heard that yet and it just made me realize how even those who live on the streets know that they're treated like objects. But being with them gave them a break to be themselves, goof around, and everyone just be normal. Josh wanted to draw again so he asked me what he should draw. I told him to draw a penguin and he began to. Throughout the entire time we talked about his life. I asked him what he thought of jail and he said "it was fun." I asked why and he said he met cool people.
"Would you go back to jail?"
"No. If I had the chance to go back into the past and do it all over again, I would never want to go back to jail. I don't want to be out on the streets anymore. I don't want to be homeless."
When he said that, it touched my heart. That's when it hit me. No one wants to be homeless. No one has a dream that when they grow up they want to live out on the streets. But it happens. What we have to realize is that it's because of broken relationships that people become homeless. Those who live on the streets usually don't have good relationships with their parents or siblings, or friends, or land lord. They have nowhere to turn to and no one to confide in. That's what we're here for. Like Retreat from the Street where people can walk in and escape the troubles of their everyday life, us interns are here to try and restore these broken relationships. But how? By treating them like normal people. By talking to them instead of turning around and pretending they're not there. By interacting with them instead of randomly giving them sandwiches or clothes and then saying "my job here is done." These people need some sort of trust that remains stable. We're here to provide that. By treating them like we would any other person, we remove the barrier of inequality and begin uniting a broken community, which is exactly what God wants us to do all the time.
Talking to Josh did that. We listened to music and goodness that put the biggest smile on his face. He told me that he hasn't listened to music in a long time. How we take some things for granted. He had to leave but he said he would finish the drawing of the penguin for me. I couldn't ask for anywhere else that I'd rather be.
Jenny Sample
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