Monday, December 16, 2002

Working at The Mustard Seed tonight was a good team-building experience. It made me feel like we were giving back to society. Although I doubt we were making a profound difference in anyone's lives - no one was turned around today just because we sliced ham or gave some guy a free coffee when we should have charged him a dime - we helped get things done and dinner was served up for one more night.

Seeing some of the clients was sobering. Thinking of being one of them or having them as your peers was even more so. I've been hungry, but I've never been homeless. I can't imagine what it would be like. There are blogs where you can read some of their stories, but to live the life and experience the emotions that go along with it would be pretty eye-opening.

I was amazed at the staff's attitude towards getting through the night, no matter what the circumstances. When I arrived there was some initial confusion over where the supplies were coming from that the meal was to be prepared from.

We hadn't brought potatoes? "Bill, go downstairs and see how much rice we have. Bring up all that you can find." In short order, it was discovered that we had actually brought six or seven boxes of scalloped potatoes, but even if we hadn't, I'm sure that the door would have opened and there would have been something to serve.

----------

I'm very proud to say that dinner for over six hundred homeless people was supplied and served by the staff of Veer tonight. My coworkers were very efficient at preparing and serving up the meals - they amaze me by being good at anything they put their hands to. Even being short order cooks.

No comments: