Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Last Run of 2010

Tonight was our last run of the semester. Along with sandwiches, we handed out coats that were donated through the Coat Drive sponsored by the LU Softball team. These were very much appreciated; we encountered many groups of people who showed gratitude for these coats as it was one of the colder nights we’ve had this season. There were relatively few people in the usual areas of Harvard Square; however one individual pointed us in the direction of a place where we were sure to find another community of people. Once we got to the area he directed us to, we noticed that there were a lot of belongings and several people we had never met before. They also graciously accepted the coats and were eager to find out why we were out giving them away and what “religious group” we were affiliated with. They seemed to have a sense of dependability on one another; one man said his girlfriend was out to get water and he would hold the coat for her. He also mentioned that he knew of others who would want a coat, and he would be able to find owners for them. The group stuck together. When they were forced to leave the street of a different area, they worked together to bring their things to a new place where they’d be left alone. As we concluded the night, we realized we had a few more oranges left in the bag. As one of us suggested we bring the oranges to the group of people we had previously met, our entire group was enthusiastic to join. When we got back to this place, the people we had met shook our hands again and were grateful for the fruit.

I didn’t mention this earlier, but on the way to and from the sandwich deliveries, our group broke out into Holiday caroling. We were clearly all in the Holiday spirit, and even though it didn’t seem relative at the time, I can see how Lesley Delivers and the Holidays go hand in hand. Tonight was all about giving, but we weren’t the only ones to give. Before we even got to Harvard Square, people we passed would smile at us and join in on the songs we sang. We may not have given them anything, but at least we gave them the chance to smile at the end of their day. During the run, even though we handed out sandwiches and an extra layer to many people, I think we were more on the receiving end. When one group interacted with an individual who accepted a sandwich, he made a comment to make everyone in the group laugh. He was happy about this, and quietly said that as long as he made them smile, that’s all that mattered. In the other group, I gained a lot from that one brief conversation with the person in the new community. He was so grateful for us taking an hour out of our day to bring them sandwiches and coats. He really lifted my spirits by making us feel like the most important people in the world, when really, we were only doing what we knew was right. It was a great end to a very successful Lesley Delivers, and with the Holidays upon us, we really celebrated the act of giving.
-Elissa

Monday, December 13, 2010

The Lucky Ones

Last week, our run was one of the smallest, but one of the most profound we have had this semester. Although it was cold, we saw many different people. One of the biggest things we noticed was the sense of community that we stumbled upon in the Coop. As a few of us walked in to talk to two of the people sitting there, we noticed that there were a lot more belongings than there were people. The woman talking to us began to tell us that all of the food they get they save until everyone is there and then they put it in the middle and share it. She told us this as she was holding a pizza box to her body for warmth and smiling at the fact that a group “of young people like [us]” had come a little bit ago and brought them freshly baked Tollhouse cookies. She was one of the most cheerful women I have met during these runs, and the hope she gave me - I know she passes on to every person she shares her food with.
Another girl that we met struck me personally. She was sitting outside of CVS and we passed her once starting our run and then again heading back to the debrief. The first time we handed her a sandwich, exchanged a few words and continued on. She seemed friendly, but also very absorbed in the book she was reading and trying to keep warm. On our way back, we gave her a second sandwich and stopped to talk with her for a few seconds longer. The first thing I noticed was that she was my age, the second was that the book she was reading was a textbook. She was a student, just like me, trying to get her education so that she could make something of herself.
These are two things we have never really seen during our runs: a community of people that come together to keep each other warm and share food mixed with good humor, and a student who is just like the rest of us. People throw around the word lucky a lot in everyday life, but in both of these cases I think it takes on its true meaning. Those people have a support system, they have others to lean on and to gain strength from. The girl we met is going to school. She’s getting an education, and maybe someday she will be able to help others to get out of the situation she was once in. And then there’s us. We were the lucky ones – because we were the ones that got to take away the lessons that these Harvard Square prophets had to give.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Community

During the run tonight, our group witnessed an extraordinary sense of community. While there are usually many instances of individuals sitting alone in Harvard Square, tonight we saw mostly groups of people, chatting, helping and sharing with one another. Although it was unfortunate and very saddening to see the amount of people we saw tonight, we were somewhat grateful to know that they provided support for one another. Their care for each other showed particularly at one moment, when a woman would give sandwiches up to others before taking one for herself. She took on a motherly role with this group, and made sure that everyone had a meal and was satisfied before she fulfilled her own needs. It is remarkable to think that even in the situations where food and shelter and other necessities are so scarce, people still look out for one another before themselves. I hope that because the people we delivered sandwiches to tonight were among other peers and had support; they were a bit more positive and hopeful than they would be if they had been alone. Community is so important to a person’s sense of security, because no matter what situation a person is in, they have a support network they can rely on for strength, safety, and belonging. This sense of belonging and shared experience seems as though it would be significant in helping a person to cope with the troubles they are dealt.
-Elissa