There is so many things that I can go on about how pretty great out reach ministry is but for now Iam just going to hit on my top 3 high lights since working here and just has been on my heart lately.
Coffee\ Laundry dates:
I've had many opportunity's to build relationships with the youth that I have come to love and cherish so much! One of the things that I noticed that really help for any type of outreach ministry or just ministry in general is yeah gotta start simple. Which may just mean taking a couple of youth out for coffee or just walking around downtown Edmonton and seeing them in their own environment.Coffee heart to hearts or Laundry Opitments are for sure one of the highlights about my job that I have come to enjoy very much! To be able to take time out of my day and just sit and chat in the office or walk around down town Edmonton and listen to how a youth's day is going is pretty great!
So there is one girl who I have come to build a very close relationship with here in the youth shelter. Sadly she doesn't stay here anymore though but from time to time I'll meet up with her and see how is she doing. The other day I got this message from her saying that she misses our chat's and coffees we would have together and asking if I have time to talk to her . Right there just showed much of a close relationship I have with her and how much an impact I have had on her and how much she has on me also.
Volunteers:
Another part of working is seeing just how many volunteers that come into Hope Mission and are ready to just help out wherever is needed! You may come into work one day and see that there is alot of work that need's be to done but yet there would be a group of people that would show up and being ready to help out :) I've gotton to see this many times since working here! Either for the thanksgiving dinner or just getting donations given to the youth shelter at the right time when we just run out of something!
Perfect Example would be this week... CLBI (Camrose Lutheran Bible Institute) they are on there Urban Hike which is an experience they will never forget! So they come into the inner city experiencing being homeless for a week and also volunteering where ever there needs to be help!and they could have not come at a more needing time!
Courses\ Training:
The last and final thing that I want to touch base on about working here for a highlight for me is, I have gotton the chance to go to Alberta Health Services courses on very many different things that our youth have to deal with in our life.I have taken courses on Substance drug abuse and soon going to be taking 3 more courses on how to deal with kids who come from divorced homes, sexual abused homes, and FAS homes\youth.
To be able to have knowledge in these areas come's very handy and also let's me explore the type of filed that I would like to go into.
So that is just a taste of what I do with my job here at Hope Mission! There are many, many other highlights that I can think of but those are my top 3 that stick out to me on why I love doing the job that I do! It's never a dull moment when working in this filed. I have come to realize when you are truly passionate about something and your heart is init your job just doesn't seem like a job anymore(Im not sure if you ever get like that or not.) But I can tell you right now that is where I stand right now! I don't see taking youth out for coffee, or doing laundry appointments is a job to me.. I see it as building a relationship and making new friends to be honest. I don't see them as clients either, or another homeless person on the streets, I truly and honstly see them as a friend, or even very close friend of myn. To be able to sit down acorss from a table to and talk to a person with out knowing that they just got out of jail or is on a probation and not knowing this and only seeing them as just them really changes your view of things. (Also it's a breath of fresh air for them to! To know that the person who is sitting across them see's them as them and not the person who just got out of jail.)
Anyways Iam now done my rambling, I hope I have made you think somewhat or a even little!
Have a great day! :D
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