Service

This past week I had the privilege of spending time with 42 first year college students and exposing them to a variety of soup kitchens, drop-in centres, & shelters in inner-city Winnipeg. It was not an easy week, particularly being away from family, but it was a rewarding one. It was exciting to see many of my students step up to the plate and interact with people they would normally look away from - the sniffers, the addicts, the alcoholics, the prostitutes, the homeless, the mentally-ill, and the poor. The hardest reality to hit home was the many kids from very difficult home situations.

One of the contrasts I observed was in how "ministry" was being done - soup kitchen style versus potluck. The soup kitchen approach is basically handing out food to people who stand in lines waiting. The potluck approach is very different, both the haves and the havenots offer their services in distributing food & clothing, and sit down at the table and eat with each other. I think both approaches have merit but it seems the second is more humane, more community minded. A lot people cannot help their economic situation, particularly the young or the old. Addictions and mental disorders as well keep people from living their lives as the majority of North Americans do.

A special thanks goes out to Gospel Mennonite Church, Salvation Army, & Inner City Youth Alive for hosting us and allowing us to serve in so many ways! God has blessed both the poor & the rich with so much - however, it seems that often it is the poor that realize contentment better. The fact is we all live in a "broken" world and all long for restoration and reconciliation with our Maker.

G