The Two Extreme Sides of Life
Today was the Secrete Santa lunch for my department joined with another department. We all ate nice expensive food, drank expensive wine, exchanged gifts and had desert. This was a nice way to say thank you for your hard work. I have to say the lunch was great and my Secret Santa gave me an excellent gift.
The company I work for does a lot of work for different charities. We are creating Christmas hampers for two Families, we do 50/50 draws and give the money to various charities around the city and on the first Monday of the month a bunch of people from the office get together to help volunteer at the Salvation Army Harbour Light House Mission which is in Vancouvers lower east side.
After lunch today a female colleague of mine asked me if I would be volunteering to help feel the homeless at the Salvation Army Mission. Something inside of me opened up. I looked at her and said, You can count me in. At 4:30 six of us from the office went down to the Salvation Army.
When we arrived there was a huge line up of people. The people in this line up are the ones I have been afraid of since I moved to Vancouver. These people are the panhandlers, junkies and people of the mean streets that I ignore when they ask me for change. We entered the building put are coats/purses in a secured/locked room and we head to the main cafeteria where 500-600 people would be eating a hot meal.
In the cafeteria I was introduced to many other people who are in the Salvation Armys detox & treatment program. These people are required to work at the Mission 1 hour a day so they can stay in detox. These people are doing their best to kick heroin, crack, meth and morphine addictions. I liked hearing about people who are trying to kick those addictions (I know people who are on that path that hits bottom several times).
I put on an apron and the organiser put me and two other work colleagues on table detail. Table detail is when people are finished eating their food we would clear the tray, wipe the table down and have it ready for the next hungry person to have a space to sit and eat a hot meal. As I am doing table detail I chatted with people who are homeless or living in shelters. I have to say my fear of these people quickly diminished.
The mission closed at 6 p.m. my work colleagues and myself got in to comfortable vehicles and drove away.
As I was being dropped off I could not help to think how luck I am to have a job, an apartment, friends & a wonderful family who love and support me. I must admit there have been times I have been petty. Now I know I really dont have it bad at all.
I will volunteer with my office colleagues The First Monday in January.
Today was the Secrete Santa lunch for my department joined with another department. We all ate nice expensive food, drank expensive wine, exchanged gifts and had desert. This was a nice way to say thank you for your hard work. I have to say the lunch was great and my Secret Santa gave me an excellent gift.
The company I work for does a lot of work for different charities. We are creating Christmas hampers for two Families, we do 50/50 draws and give the money to various charities around the city and on the first Monday of the month a bunch of people from the office get together to help volunteer at the Salvation Army Harbour Light House Mission which is in Vancouvers lower east side.
After lunch today a female colleague of mine asked me if I would be volunteering to help feel the homeless at the Salvation Army Mission. Something inside of me opened up. I looked at her and said, You can count me in. At 4:30 six of us from the office went down to the Salvation Army.
When we arrived there was a huge line up of people. The people in this line up are the ones I have been afraid of since I moved to Vancouver. These people are the panhandlers, junkies and people of the mean streets that I ignore when they ask me for change. We entered the building put are coats/purses in a secured/locked room and we head to the main cafeteria where 500-600 people would be eating a hot meal.
In the cafeteria I was introduced to many other people who are in the Salvation Armys detox & treatment program. These people are required to work at the Mission 1 hour a day so they can stay in detox. These people are doing their best to kick heroin, crack, meth and morphine addictions. I liked hearing about people who are trying to kick those addictions (I know people who are on that path that hits bottom several times).
I put on an apron and the organiser put me and two other work colleagues on table detail. Table detail is when people are finished eating their food we would clear the tray, wipe the table down and have it ready for the next hungry person to have a space to sit and eat a hot meal. As I am doing table detail I chatted with people who are homeless or living in shelters. I have to say my fear of these people quickly diminished.
The mission closed at 6 p.m. my work colleagues and myself got in to comfortable vehicles and drove away.
As I was being dropped off I could not help to think how luck I am to have a job, an apartment, friends & a wonderful family who love and support me. I must admit there have been times I have been petty. Now I know I really dont have it bad at all.
I will volunteer with my office colleagues The First Monday in January.
I was impressed as hell by you before this entry, just imagine what I think now.