Blog 2 | How I re-met my Mother | Yasas Vithange

Update to Vlogs: My software crashed so I will be uploading my vlogs when I come back to Wichita.

Blog 2: How I re-met my mother…

I always volunteer to lift heavy things because I love lifting heavy things. This is a fact that my team always choose to laugh at, but I say know your strengths, and my strength is my strength. This will be the theme of this week.

I met Mrs. Hicks at an organization called A Wider Circle, she reminded me of my Ammi (mother in Sinhalese). A Wider Circle is an organization that helps families at risk of falling into poverty or in poverty get out of that cycle by either helping them furnish homes, or get clothes, or to receive interview clothing and training. Mrs. Hicks is a 56 year old African American who is a single mother of 2 older sons. She needed furniture for her new apartment far away from the city. Her job doesn’t pay enough for her to keep the house she raised her children in, and her boys are married and no longer can fully support her as she gets older. My mother on the other hand is a 50 year old Sri Lankan house wife who raised my sister and I while my father was abroad winning the bread for our family. My sister and I have since moved out and she now lives with my father in Dubai. Mrs. Hicks and my mother share two very important traits, they have an attitude of modesty and strength. Mrs. Hicks was picking her furniture and would say “that would look fantastic in the corner by the kitchen… please, please, please I need that in our house, our life would not be complete without that”, which are all things my mother would say. My mother and I are very close and I haven’t got to talk to her for a few weeks and that really made me miss her and was a quiet reminder that all families are real people with everyday problems. I see her strength through her continuous hopeful nature, finding the positives out of every situation. I see her modesty through her love for all the people around her and honesty about her current situation. She is a timid woman in a harsh world with no problem standing up for herself.

I, of course, helped play heavy furniture tetris (my favorite game other than regular tetris) because I like lifting heavy things. At one point when our tetris leader said we couldn’t fit any more furniture in her 2001 Toyota Hilux and I didn’t buy it, he was terrible at tetris. Thus I proceeded to repacked the truck to fit all her furniture. It was nothing short of exhausting but Mrs. Hicks was so thankful and she looked at me with her a kind brown eyes and gave me a warm, loving, motherly hug and told me to keep her in her prayers. I fell to pieces. I was overwhelmed with emotions because all I saw, felt, heard, or felt was my mother and I didn’t want to let go. Knowing that I will never see her again made me feel numb because for a second I had my mother next to me again, and I felt loved for the first time in a long time. I live in America, alone, and she will be as well. We were both far from family and made a connection that we hadn’t felt in a long time. I had to walk away to collect myself and when I came back she was gone and I had missed the opportunity to take a picture with her, but it was okay. Remembering that I helped Ammi (mother in Sinhalese) was enough satisfaction for the day.

To feel love from a stranger for a single moment is preferable than to feel nothing at all. She filled a little part of my heart that has been empty for a long time. Ammi, I love you.

Day two at Food and Friends | Li Wang

We leave Church of Epiphany around 8:30a.m. on our way to our second service site called “Food & Friends”. “Food and Friends” is an organization that serve people who has needs for healthy and dietary food. They serve 11 different kind of dietary food in their menu. Today we get to help “food and friends” packing the special dietary menu. At first we start with a very short volunteer orientation. The volunteer coordinator gives us a quick tour of the kitchen. I was surprised by the size of the kitchen. When we walk in there were people working in side of kitchen already. She took us to the restroom and tell us how to wash our hands properly. Throughout the volunteer we get to put together the 11 dietary need bags. We also get to pack the food bag they normally serve. They did a good job all organizing all the volunteers and told us what to do. I met this lady name Jogn who work at the food & friends. She tells us she works there almost a year. She she starts as a volunteer and now she is a full-time staff there. We use very short period of time to completed a lots work. The cooking staff at the kitchen also baked cupcake for us. We leave the food and friends around 1 PM.

Food & Friends Staff Jogn

The ASB Crew With Cupcake

Food & Friends

Service Dinner:

Today we’re also get to have a service dinner at church of Epiphany. We meet up at the church of Epiphany for service dinner sit up around 5pm. We have a quick group reflection with YSOP on what we did today, and then YSOP separate us into different groups for different tasks in the kitchen.  I get to make brownie for my first life time. I learned how to make brownie with Hayden and Shayla. After that I also get to help set up the games in the cafeteria area. And I joined the Wisconsin group on making paper flowers for room decoration. The dinner starts at 7pm. When the door opened there were guests slowly come in. The first person set on our table was Jerry. He seems tired and hungry. He sit down didn’t say anything, and quietly eating the popcorn we provide on the table. He don’t seems like want to communicate with us. We reach out to him and ask if you want to play Jenga with us. He said “no”. Later on I asked two more times.  He still say “no”. I said. “Jerry how about we are a team now, I gonna play for you, you need cheer for me OK?” He say : “ok”. Later on there where more guests come to our table. We change our game to “Uno”. Jerry agree to play. We slowly start conversations. On the end of dinner he tell me thank you, and he is looking forward to next service dinner. I feel accomplished my goal tonight. I feel like I did something that make someone’s day little better.

Make Paper Flowers

Our Table

 

ASB Day 2 | Nibras Karim

Day two was just full of good feelings.

Sometimes service can be depressing because you are constantly being reminded that there is a need simply because the world is unfair and sometimes cruel. We have to remember that the work needs to be done and we aren’t always here for our own selves. Today, however, I did not need to remind myself of this because of the wonderful people I worked with who gave me hope.

Our first service was at Drew Elementary, where we tutored kindergarteners and 1st graders through a program called Reading Partners. Reading Partners is a children’s literacy nonprofit with programs in over 40 school districts. It is a one-on-one system where students who are falling behind in literacy are able to catch up at their own pace. We had two sessions of one-on-ones and then we were able to have a reflection session with the staff and volunteer. We were able to compare the programs in schools in Wichita ti D.C. We learned that D.C. might be different for many reasons. For one, a majority of the students who need services are in the same schools, therefore there is not as much stigma around receiving them. Also, a majority of the teachers in D.C. are representative of their students. In D.C., there is a large black middle class. In Wichita, most of the teachers in public school are white women from small towns causing a stronger need for cultural competency. At Drew, we also learned about there after school program, Life Pieces to Masterpieces, which is for young boys and men to build their leadership and academic skills, advance their social and emotional development, and build their confidence through creative expression. The pieces that I saw were absolutely beautiful!

After a wonderful experience at Drew, we continued service by participating in YSOP’s Service Meal Party where we were able to prepare a meal for the community, serve them, and eat and play games with them as well. The meal is directed towards people who are homeless and/or hungry, but it is open to everyone. The unique part of this meal was that we got to sit down and eat with our guest just like a dinner party. Not only did this offer a stronger connection with the community, it also added a stronger meaning to the service. After chopping up onions for sloppy Joe’s, I was able to serve Jerry, Manuel, and Joe and we played Uno. Even though the purpose of service is not to make yourself feel better, I felt even more inspired after our dinner.

Today was incredibly energizing 🙂

Day 2 | Hayden Schrag

Embarking on our second day of service, our group went to Food and Friends, an organization that cooks, packages, and deliver over 3,000 meals a day to people in D.C. with special dietary needs. These patients require a doctor’s note, explaining their diagnoses, so they are eligible for the supplied meals. As we were getting meals ready for packaging there was a volunteer coordinator that was giving us insight and direction. Thanks goodness he was there, because he knew the entire place inside and out. As many people know, dietary restrictions can seem infinite, and one small mess-up could have you looking at a lawsuit, and someone in the hospital with just one wrong meal. I was very impressed with their staff’s knowledge, and friendliness, thanking us many times for coming in to help them out (they even baked us some amazing cupcakes)!

Our next activity was to reported back to the YSOP (Youth Service Opportunities Project) Building and help make a meal for roughly 70 people. After cooking and setting up the dining room, we were finally ready to welcome 40 guests! After serving our guests we had the opportunity to sit down with the people in need to play games, talk, and have a fun evening! I had one woman sit at my table named Tish. Tish, Ari, Sandra, and I began playing the card game Uno. Through this game we all bonded, and grew quite close as a group! I had asked Tish if she had ever been outside Washington before, and she said she had not because of her financial state. She later told me she was currently living with her cousin and stated, “It is not God’s plan for me to have my own home, but I will follow him through darkness.” Myself, being a firm believer in Christ, couldn’t help the smile on my face. I reflected, realizing that even if you have very little, there is still so much to be thankful for. I have been so blessed to have been given the opportunities and privileges in my life, and Tish helped me bring out those realizations. That night I was able to help someone in need, but I also received so much out of a service opportunity, and that is what I came to Washington to do. Day two was in the books.

The kids matter too

On our 2nd day of service, my group visited an elementary school in the 7th district of D.C. it was very surprising for me.  This elementary school is a title 1 school, meaning over half of their students qualify for free or reduced lunch.  However,  the program we worked with is called Reading Patners. And this is where students through out each grade may seem a little behind on their reading levels and get that extra help they may need.  They first talked about the smaller children not knowing the things they needed,  but once she talked about the older kids,  maybe 4th and 5th graders struggling to really hit home. I never equated food insecurities and literacy,  never would have thought.  But everything is literally a dominoe effect, if one thing falls another is bound to do the same. But that is where reading partners comes in to try and end learning disabilities in K-5th with reading. I was proud to help them improve their attendance for the tutoring sessions.  And just to know that shir5t amount of time may have impacted those students in a positive manner. 

Day 2: Dear Jordan Matthew, My Baby | Stephanie

Dear Jordan,

I know how much you love social media so I just thought I would share this letter with you and the world of Facebook. It is Tuesday evening in Washington DC and we just prepared and served a dinner to the community members that are near the church where we are staying. We served about 35 community members. The menu included: sloppy joes, coleslaw, cornbread, and tossed salad with brownies and ice cream for dessert. Everything was homemade down to the croutons and balsamic vinaigrette dressing.   Before hand we played board games and just chatted about life things in general, the weather, YouTube, Loch Ness Monster, and equality. The couple that sat at my table told us the story of how they met. All of these life experiences coming together for one dinner. What I want to share with you is the passion that the young man I sat with had.

His name was Fang. Fang is 24 and his girlfriend was Ebony. My guess would be that she was give or take a few years the same age. He was quite at first. He even apologized for his being somewhat off standish. He mentioned that he was “just feeling a bit off”. He thought it might be his allergies. I believed him, after all the cherry blossoms have just bloomed here in DC. Eventually, Fang began to talk about the Loch Ness Monster. Then he mentioned Sasquatch. That is when our conversation came alive.

I had recently seen a video that the Live Bald Eagle Cam had captured. I asked Fang if he had seen it. He had not. I immediately got out my phone and pulled up YouTube. We watched the video together of the large figure that moved across the screen far below the eagle’s nest. It didn’t really matter at that moment whether or not the figure was in fact what is believed to be Sasquatch. What did matter is that I had figured out what Fang’s passion was…things that really cause you to think deep.

We began to talk about the bible and things of that nature. Fang’s understanding of creation and spirituality is a passion that I would hope for you. I desire that you live a life with a passion for something. I think that might be something that I failed to create in you as your mom. The importance of a desire to be passionate and you know me it’s never too late to admit my shortcomings. Be passionate, Jordan, even if your passion is Sasquatch. Find a cause, find a purpose, find a passion that allows you to sit at a table with strangers and not be too tired to contribute. Make that connection with the world. Live with an appetite that says “To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world”.

I Love You,

Mom

Day 2 | Kellie Deutsch

We left the Church of Epiphany this morning and headed to our service site for the morning/afternoon, Food & Friends, an organization that makes and delivers nutritionally-balanced, tasty meals to their clients’ homes. Their services include 11 different meal plans for people who have certain nutritional needs due to different illnesses. We packed bags with meals according to people’s special diets. I enjoyed working there because the staff was so friendly, and they had a great system of organization. One thing that I realized while bagging the meals was that our group had mostly been doing indirect service–service that meets the needs of a large community but doesn’t involve face-to-face contact with the individuals being served. I love direct service work because I love to listen, learn, and engage with the individuals who are receiving the services. I was craving to hear stories and see the direct impacts on people. However, I realized that both indirect and direct service is equally important. Direct service offers engagement and is more glorified while indirect deals with the more “behind-the-scenes work.”

By 4:15 everyone returned to the church and began cooking supper for our YSOP service meal. I appreciated that YSOP organized the meal with intentions to provide our guests with a sense of community and a home-cooked meal. I personally felt as though it was a night with my family. Our team and guests came together, playing games, laughing a lot, talking a lot, and eating a lot.

Harold was a man who came and sat down next to Shayla and I. He greeted us with a wide smile and was quick to ask the two of us a question. “What is your capacity to receive?” I was confused and asked him to explain his question. He revealed that people alone can naturally only do, learn, and receive so much. “BUT,” he explained, “with faith in Jesus Christ, our capacity is unlimited.” He shared multiple Bible verses with me, and our conversation was guided by both of our Christian faiths as well as his testimony. I was inspired by his love for Jesus and eagerness to share God’s love and gift of salvation. Moreover, I realized how beautiful it is that people from all different walks of life and parts of the country can engage in fellowship. I believe I received a lot more from him than he did from me tonight. Based on our conversation topics on faith, politics, hobbies, and all things in between, he taught a few lessons. One of them was that people can’t understand people who live with different circumstances unless they talk to them and listen to them. (He was specifically talking about politicians crafting policies for homeless people when the politicians don’t take measures to get to know individuals who are homeless and listen to their needs and concerns.)
Later, the YSOP staff and our team gathered to reflect, a key component of service-learning. A YSOP staff asked us to go around the circle and say one word that describes our experience tonight. Many members of our group used the words connected and inspired. I felt this was true for me, too.

Gentrification Station | Katie Deutsch

Today marked the second day of service in D.C. for our team. As I reflect on these last two days of service, I am struck by the large amount of institutional barriers contributing to hunger and homelessness within the D.C. metro area that we have already witnessed.

Yesterday, my group spent the day at a Wider Circle, an organization that provides individuals with furniture, clothing, job training, etc., emphasizing the importance of dignity in combating poverty. Many of the people a Wider Circle serves simply cannot afford the cost of living in D.C. and aren’t able to make a living wage. Through providing basic essentials often taken for granted, a Wider Circle works to combat institutional barriers that prevent many in the area from living a dignified, comfortable life. After our service at a Wider Circle, we had the opportunity to meet with Marvin Turner, Director of the National Capital Area Office for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Marvin provided extensive insight into the systematic barriers surrounding affordable housing in D.C. and the surrounding counties. In D.C., a studio apartment alone averages around $1,400/month. This high cost of living hits families with children– especially families only supported by single parents– the hardest. For this reason, family homelessness is incredibly common in D.C. Family homelessness is so common in fact that the average person classified as homeless within D.C. is eight years old.

Learning more about the institutional barriers preventing individuals and their families from having a roof over their heads is as devastating as it is humbling. Because many of the areas where affordable housing used to be available have been rapidly developed, resulting in raised property values, thousands of working class individuals have been pushed out of their communities. The figures below depict how this rapid development has impacted D.C. neighborhoods using changes in median income from 2000 to 2011. 

Tonight, as we served and dined with many individuals classified as homeless, I was humbled by those that discussed being personally impacted from this area wide gentrification. Humanizing the concept of displacement as a result of gentrification is powerful. Understanding the economic context behind the daunting statistics surrounding homelessness within D.C., coupled with this humanization, highlights the dire need for policy intervention and institutional support to combat homelessness, elevating those that are disproportionately susceptible to its grip. 

Day Two at Drew Elementary | Mariah Reimer

 

Today was the second day of service work and my group went to Drew Elementary which is a title one school. I was already very excited to be going because as an elementary education major, I love reading to kids and I wanted to be able to compare the D.C. public schools to the Wichita public schools.

When we first got to the school, I noticed that the school was not in the best neighborhood and the exterior of the school looked pretty run down. But because I am currently and want to work in a title one school, these observations made me more intrigued by the school. When we finally reached the room that we were supposed to be at, the instructor Emily gave us an overview of what we were going to be doing. She let us know that we were working in reading partners which meant that we would be doing a common core curriculum with students who were on the brink of being below grade level when it comes to reading. She let us know that we would be given a kindergartener and later a first grader.

When my kindergartener came, she was late. Then when I finally introduced myself to her, I could tell that she had been crying. She was also very shy and had a hard time opening up to me. Our reading session lasted about 40 minutes and I finally got her to speak to me for about the last 10 minutes of our session. Overall, I really enjoyed reading to her because I love working with students of color and I enjoyed looking at a different reading curriculum.

Next, I got a first grader and she was great! She opened up to me right away and was very on task. Not once did I have to remind her to stay on task or attempt to motivate her to do something. I was very impressed that she already knew her long vowels because that it what I was supposed to be teaching her. Overall, my first grader was very energetic and seemed to take her education very seriously.

When it comes to the school building, I was impressed with all the artwork that they had on the walls; a lot of it contained Michelle and Barack Obama. Most of the artwork was from the kids and the others were from individuals who help work with the students at the school. I was most impressed by an art program that the school had for male students of color. The program allowed students to stay at school until 7 pm if necessary. In the program, the boys were taught how to respect each other, how to be an acceptable citizen, and how to express themselves through art. The artwork that was shown to us contained a painted canvas as well as items that were sowed onto the portrait. Personally, I was very inspired by this program because it worked to help instill good values in young black males while also giving them good male role models to look up to.

As a whole, I was happy that I went to Drew Elementary because I learned a lot about the D.C. public school system while also igniting my yearning for teaching in a title one school even more. But I was surprised that we worked there. When they told us we would be doing service work, I thought that we would be working more in soup kitchens and facilities that housed people who are homeless. I never thought that our service work would including working one on one with elementary aged students. But at the end of the day, I was impressed with the school and hope to be able to work in a similar place.

 

 

 

 

Day 2!!!

Today was an awesome day filled with service. Our first stop was Food &a Friends where we helped package meals. This organization offers meals to people that have strict dietary needs due to a medical condition. It was really cool to see that this population needs were being met. I honestly didn’t realize that there was a need for this type of service, it just never really crossed my mind. And now that I know about it I can definitely see how those with health issues need to be advocated for and served. This touched me on a personal level because I have several family members that have serious health problems such as heart issues. And I know that it is important for them to eat healthy which is often more expensive. 

Later today we had the opportunity to cook, serve, and share a meal with some individuals struggling with homelessness. In the beginning I was not quite sure how this was going to go. I guess I was a little nervous. But I was pleasantly surprised at how much I truly enjoyed myself. We had some great conversations that led to connecting on even deeper level than just being acquaintances. It was cool to just all sit around the table where there was no stereotypes, stigmas, or biases. Tonight everyone was simply equal. Which I believe this is how it should be all of the time, and is how I strive to live my life. Overall the day was filled with new adventures, friends, connections, encouragement, and inspiration. I look forward to seeing what new possibilities tomorrow holds.

Thanks for reading!!!😊

Caption: The picture below is from the meal we served this evening. And the man in the middle is just one of the many incredible people we met tonight.