The Meatloaf

  Today we got down to the real meat and potatoes of our work. Myself, combined with the efforts of Carol (VP of Enrollment at Lesley), Cara (a Simmons Social Work student), and representatives from The Outdoor Church (A wonderful organization in Harvard Square) spent 5 hours, from 11 am to 4 pm participating in a church service as well as handing out food, blankets, and resources to those in need in Harvard and Central Square. It was a day filled with joy and sorrow as we met new people, heard new stories, and discovered many new things.

It made me realize that Lesley Delivers is not going to be perfect this year or the next. In fact, the Outdoor Church has been running for 5 years and according to the leaders we worked with today there are still many problems to be worked out. 

Can we ever really do enough? While we accepted requests about what we could bring next week as far as food or clothing, we can't change the fact that these people will still have no warm "home" to go back to after a long day. But what is a home, really? During the church service today, we explored this idea. A home does not have to be a structure with a door, windows, and a bathroom. A home, to many, isj ust a place to sit. Just any place on Earth, really.

The service was beautiful. The altar was created out of a rolling cart and a sheet. A Reverend led the service, a man who comes every week read the prayer, and we all read hymns and phrases together in the freezing cold. Everyone was okay with being cold, happy to be together, and ecstatic to be alive.

It was a few hours that I know Carol, Cara, and I will never forget.