Our youth ministers Cory Campbell, Dakota Bybee and university intern, Scott Keener decided to experience homelessness first hand. For seven days beginning last Monday they have slept at the Mahon Library, survived on $20 for the week, taken public transportation to work or hitched a ride, eaten at ministries that provide meals for the homeless, and discovered what the daily life of homeless persons is like. I believe their experiences will give us insight into how we can best minister to homeless person.
Cory sent the following email to the staff using a computer at the Mahon library. He describes his experiences on day 4:
Amazing!
First off I setup a ride with Angie Molina to take us down to the Mahon after youth. She said she was gonna feed us and I said not unless you feed everybody.
So, she dropped us off down off 13th and broadway and we walked up to Mahon. then she brought PB&J's and Dr.Peppers for all 25 of us! It was funnnn.
That night at youth I told the youth about a lady up here Louise. Shes homeless and is always up here. Anyway tuesday in the library she was talking to Rob(another homeless guy) and they were joking back and forth about her birthday being on wednesday. She was talking about how it would be awesome to have a cake with 54 candles on it. So rob teased back that we would get the fire dept. called on us.
So, i told the youth if they wanted to they could get her a chocolate cake and bring it down to the Mahon around 9:30. And, about 10 of our Sr.High did just that. JD brought one with 54 candles on it. The youth sang happy birthday to her. She was beaming! All the homeless gathered around and ate cake and talked, etc. It was super fun. As everyone started to leave I walked by Louise...she was crying. Crying!!!!!! She felt like a millions dollars and you could see it all over her face. What an amazing night.
Also, before youth a mom brought her youth to me he had tested positive for drugs and didn’t know what to do, etc. I spoke with both, etc. Then I suggested she bring him down to the Mahon that night (Wednesday). So, she brought him and I had a homeless guy Dave talk to him. Dave was strung out on oxycontin in the 90's got clean in early 2000 then relapsed and is now getting life back together again. Anyway those two talked for a good 45minutes. Life changing stuff happened last night on so many fronts.
It’s now day 4 of 7 and night 3 went well.
Side note: We got up at 5:15 am. Packed up cleaned up our area and took off at 5:50am so we could make it to St. Paul Episcopal for breakfast. It was a great breakfast (had milk :) )
Now, I’m sitting at Library just chilling and face booking my new homeless friends (yea they have face book’s) At noon were walking to FUMC to get lunch. After our first night here(Monday) we woke up and were packing up to catch a bus to staff. We walked by a guy who got his bike stolen that night. He was not happy! Later that night his friend Mitch was accusing ME of stealing it.
Gotta finish this story later were getting kicked out of the Library for leaving our backpack unattended and then they measured it and said it was oversize!!! Crap! Now what are we gonna do???
Ok, Ill make short story shorter: The vanoys brought up a bike and a lock for it for Ron who got his stolen. his was saying "God does do miracles"
