At the beginning of the semester my classmates and I were issued the assignment of essentially serving our community. The two ways I served my community were by volunteering to feed the homeless at various locations frequented by the homeless. At some point I was bit by the Community Service bug and also began volunteering at a second grade class at Revival Church in Menifee, CA. I have been involved with many organizations in the past that did community services but these two projects were completely independent of those.
This was a positive experience for me. Volunteering enabled me to feel less self centered. Personally, I find much of my personal identity in my professional life almost in a stereotypical masculine fashion. Stepping outside of my occupation was rewarding for me. There was no joy in seeing the homeless and I did appreciate the oppertunity I had to help them. Most people would be homeless if they lost their jobs or professions and I have never been one to say that could only happen to someone else so there was no distinction between those I helped and myself in that respect. Interestingly, with the homeless I saw the more they were treated with dignity by those serving them the more they began taking care of themselves. There was a difference in their grooming standards they set for themselves between the first time I served them and subsequent times.
Working with the children was fun. They are so joyful and it is awesome to watch them learn. I am also glad the churches still provide places for them to go and experience alternatives to unhealthy alternatives. Also, it was a little strange to see many of the parents were my age or close to my age.
Ultimately, I was energized by doing this project. It made me want to do other things that were on my "not doing this for money" list. My mother and I had always talked about volunteering at hospitals with infants that were born with aids and that is something I will most likely be my next volunteer experience. There also was a connection to community that this project cultivated. "Katy", who works at my favorite Starbucks haunt, goes to the church I volunteered at so that is an example of community connections and relationship cultivation. I was also amazed at how much time I really did have in my every day life for volunteer endeavors even while working and going to school full time.
The last segment of the assignment asks whether I would recommend my volunteer endeavors to other Sig students. Ultimately, each person is different so that would depend on what causes they feel passionate about. I have one friend in particular who volunteers only with animals because she is disgusted with humanity all together. I enjoyed my volunteer projects and would recommend them to anyone interested in humanitarian involvements.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Milestone 4 In My Service To Others Project
In addition to assisting with the original Feeding My Brother project I also took on the project of volunteering every other weekend at a local church for children in the third grade. My teachers have always played a significant role in my life and it is appropriate for me to contribute to the lives of others in the same way.
While the Feeding My Brother project is a little disheartening to see people suffer, the Sunday school class is a hopeful experience. It is for lack of a better word "cute" to see little people of all nationalities and backgrounds dressed up in their best clothes. It is also hopeful to see families still taking the time to try to teach their young a moral code and taking the time to bond together. I am not the teacher of the class I am just an assistant who has not been "knighted", or as the church calls it "badged" which enables the volunteers to accompany the kids to potty breaks and the sort. I am intentionally holding off on that. I would rather just take parts in the cute and fun part right now. The kids color and make crafts like paper air planes. They are uninhibited and enjoy dancing and playing. I have gone three times thus far. They are taught appropriate socializing skills such as how to politely raise hands instead of forcefully drawing attention to themselves. At the end of the class they get together and share their prayer requests in small groups. There are a few special needs children in the class. A few of the other teachers are parents who homeschool their children. The children appear to be a blank slate, oblivious to all the negative stories that we are bombarded with day after day on the news. The use of technology has also added an entirely new element to story telling. Weekly the children are exposed to stories with a negative antagonist and a faith filled protagonist. It is always a positive thing for them and me to see the protagonist always wins despite what the villain throws in his path.
One of my life's mentors has taught Sunday School for many years now. She always told me that she learns as much from the students as she teaches them. In both aspects of service that I took on this semester with feading the homeless as well as assisting with the church class I honestly say she knows what she is talking about. It is wrong to give with the expectation of receiving but there is a sense of satisfaction when contributing to the lives of others.
While the Feeding My Brother project is a little disheartening to see people suffer, the Sunday school class is a hopeful experience. It is for lack of a better word "cute" to see little people of all nationalities and backgrounds dressed up in their best clothes. It is also hopeful to see families still taking the time to try to teach their young a moral code and taking the time to bond together. I am not the teacher of the class I am just an assistant who has not been "knighted", or as the church calls it "badged" which enables the volunteers to accompany the kids to potty breaks and the sort. I am intentionally holding off on that. I would rather just take parts in the cute and fun part right now. The kids color and make crafts like paper air planes. They are uninhibited and enjoy dancing and playing. I have gone three times thus far. They are taught appropriate socializing skills such as how to politely raise hands instead of forcefully drawing attention to themselves. At the end of the class they get together and share their prayer requests in small groups. There are a few special needs children in the class. A few of the other teachers are parents who homeschool their children. The children appear to be a blank slate, oblivious to all the negative stories that we are bombarded with day after day on the news. The use of technology has also added an entirely new element to story telling. Weekly the children are exposed to stories with a negative antagonist and a faith filled protagonist. It is always a positive thing for them and me to see the protagonist always wins despite what the villain throws in his path.
One of my life's mentors has taught Sunday School for many years now. She always told me that she learns as much from the students as she teaches them. In both aspects of service that I took on this semester with feading the homeless as well as assisting with the church class I honestly say she knows what she is talking about. It is wrong to give with the expectation of receiving but there is a sense of satisfaction when contributing to the lives of others.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Step 3 In My Service to Others
The learning objectives that I found in the Syllabus that most closely related to my Service To Others project are the burden of living and working in a free society and oppertunity for all. Along with the advantages of living and working in a free society is the burden of ensuring others are taken care of as well as ourselves. There are many people who believe that homelessness is the choice of many of those who live on the streets. Some people believe the people who live on the street deserve to live there. This argument does not take into account the fact that the mentally ill are rarely institutionalized any more. Without the option of institutionalization, homelessness, is sometimes the only option. I saw the results of mental illness first hand while assisting with feeding the homeless. I did not feed the original demographic I intended to feed because representatives from the State of California had advised the group I went with to no longer feed in the San Bernardino County area without appropriate permits. We did not go to the original intended area. Instead we went to several local parks known for the homeless people and the prostitutes in Riverside County. In fact the area was a favorite scouting area for a serial killer who killed prostitutes about 10 years ago. I observed several mentally ill people talking to themselves at these parks and it quite frankly made me uncomfortable for the safety of the children that had accompanied us to assist with feeding the homeless.
The two readings from our text that best support the cause of my Service to Others project are Why America Needs Religion by William E. Simon, Jr. and Why Religoin Matters Even More: The Impact of Religious Practice on Social Stability by Patrick F. Fagan. As I stated before in earlier postings there is no predominant Church supporting this endeavor and yet it is being carried out by religious people. Both of these readings touched upon the fact that the power of the Church has been diminshed by the responsibility and power of the Federal Government. Needs that had been provided for in the past by the Church are now being provided for by secular institutions. And yet we are seeing that many peoples needs and desires are not being met despite the best efforts of government planners. In many cases the need has become too vast. Sometimes, maybe, the monetary needs are being met but the emotional needs are not being met. Therefore, it is appropriate for these practitioners of religion to help out in their community out of gratitude for their own needs being met.
Fagan, P. Why Religion Matters Even More: The Impact of Religious Practice on Social Stability. In E. Rauchut and K. Mason, Kirkpatrick signature series reader (pp339-357). Bellevue University Press.
Simon, W. (2000). Why America Needs Religion. In E. Rauchut and K. Mason, Kirkpatrick signature series reader (pp335-338). Bellevue, NE: Bellevue University Press.
The two readings from our text that best support the cause of my Service to Others project are Why America Needs Religion by William E. Simon, Jr. and Why Religoin Matters Even More: The Impact of Religious Practice on Social Stability by Patrick F. Fagan. As I stated before in earlier postings there is no predominant Church supporting this endeavor and yet it is being carried out by religious people. Both of these readings touched upon the fact that the power of the Church has been diminshed by the responsibility and power of the Federal Government. Needs that had been provided for in the past by the Church are now being provided for by secular institutions. And yet we are seeing that many peoples needs and desires are not being met despite the best efforts of government planners. In many cases the need has become too vast. Sometimes, maybe, the monetary needs are being met but the emotional needs are not being met. Therefore, it is appropriate for these practitioners of religion to help out in their community out of gratitude for their own needs being met.
Fagan, P. Why Religion Matters Even More: The Impact of Religious Practice on Social Stability. In E. Rauchut and K. Mason, Kirkpatrick signature series reader (pp339-357). Bellevue University Press.
Simon, W. (2000). Why America Needs Religion. In E. Rauchut and K. Mason, Kirkpatrick signature series reader (pp335-338). Bellevue, NE: Bellevue University Press.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Nikole's Service Project is "Clothing My Brother"
I am certain that my service to others is a project that no one has ever heard of. It does not have a name. It is known to those who participate as "Clothing My Brother". It is not government subsidized nor is it affiliated with any church. This group is a group of about 20 people who get together on Saturday mornings, prepare food that they provide or neighbors donate and serve the newly homeless of Riverside County, California. I know the members themselves have their own personal beliefs and relationships with God that have motivated them to participate, however, they do not accredit any of their service to any one organization or belief system. In fact when one founding person's church got wind of what was occurring they wanted to dissiminate religious doctrine at the same time and the founders of the group requested they not attend at that time as these folks are being fed. This is a project that is motivated by God's love for his people and an answer to their prayers motivated by hunger. It is not a tool of recruitment into any particular doctrine. Most members are Christian but lets face it many of the homeless are angry with God for allowing this calamity to fall upon them and would not attend and accept this hot meal, even though starving, if preached too.
The bottom line is many people can find mercy and charity in their hearts for a single mother and her child and there are many programs for that demographic. Many people find mercy and charity for their same race or people they can relate to in some way. However, there is a new generation of homelessness that is easy to overlook. One of the homeless women who is being fed is a nurse who lost her RN license due to aiding a lover with a drug problem a few years back. Many are single men who have not been able to find a job in this economy. Many of society's members would rather judge such actions than assist with doing anything productive to help these people, but thats an old story. Many were skilled in construction but have no skills to offer a society demanding more and more technology. It is easy to say they can just educate themselves, however, that does not take into account skilled and talented laborers who are illiterate despite the educational system's, and probably their own, best efforts. I will be serving the newly homeless who are falling between the cracks despite the best efforts of government and organizations.
I will be serving food to these community members at least one Saturday a month. Hopefully I will be able to attend more but at this point the one Saturday is what I will hold myself and this project accountable for. Preparation of these meals occurs in the morning hours in homes in Moreno Valley, CA and the food is served in a newly formed homeless encampment located under a bridge in Moreno Valley, California. These newly homeless are not social degenerates and have formed their own security measures to ensure crimes such as rape and murder do not esculate the amount of tragedy they are already experiencing. They are selective as to who they let in their territory, even for providing food. In some cases you would not know these folks were homeless unless you saw them at this encampment.
I picked this group of people to serve during my service project because they have no friends and family to substain them during this dark economic time period. I am intersted in being affiliated with the group that provides the food because they are not being selective or judgemental in who they help. There is no quid pro quo relationship of any sort occurring. This is food being provided to those who need it because they need it. And by good people, with honest intentions, filling these needs these folks will be less likely to fall prey to the less honest element out there. There are no politics involved, well unless you count the fact I have to document what I do for my grade. The people who attend are treated with all the diginity every human being is entitled too. I am thankful for the assistance I have received in my life from my family and friends who had a heart to do so and this is a good oppertunity to do the same for someone else.
The bottom line is many people can find mercy and charity in their hearts for a single mother and her child and there are many programs for that demographic. Many people find mercy and charity for their same race or people they can relate to in some way. However, there is a new generation of homelessness that is easy to overlook. One of the homeless women who is being fed is a nurse who lost her RN license due to aiding a lover with a drug problem a few years back. Many are single men who have not been able to find a job in this economy. Many of society's members would rather judge such actions than assist with doing anything productive to help these people, but thats an old story. Many were skilled in construction but have no skills to offer a society demanding more and more technology. It is easy to say they can just educate themselves, however, that does not take into account skilled and talented laborers who are illiterate despite the educational system's, and probably their own, best efforts. I will be serving the newly homeless who are falling between the cracks despite the best efforts of government and organizations.
I will be serving food to these community members at least one Saturday a month. Hopefully I will be able to attend more but at this point the one Saturday is what I will hold myself and this project accountable for. Preparation of these meals occurs in the morning hours in homes in Moreno Valley, CA and the food is served in a newly formed homeless encampment located under a bridge in Moreno Valley, California. These newly homeless are not social degenerates and have formed their own security measures to ensure crimes such as rape and murder do not esculate the amount of tragedy they are already experiencing. They are selective as to who they let in their territory, even for providing food. In some cases you would not know these folks were homeless unless you saw them at this encampment.
I picked this group of people to serve during my service project because they have no friends and family to substain them during this dark economic time period. I am intersted in being affiliated with the group that provides the food because they are not being selective or judgemental in who they help. There is no quid pro quo relationship of any sort occurring. This is food being provided to those who need it because they need it. And by good people, with honest intentions, filling these needs these folks will be less likely to fall prey to the less honest element out there. There are no politics involved, well unless you count the fact I have to document what I do for my grade. The people who attend are treated with all the diginity every human being is entitled too. I am thankful for the assistance I have received in my life from my family and friends who had a heart to do so and this is a good oppertunity to do the same for someone else.
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