Hedyeh: Journal 7

Day 7 (November 8):

Today, we went to the Cherry Street Mission. We prepared and served lunch there. Interacting with the people was completely different than what we were doing before - it was a little bit scary, but I know that it meant the world to them, what we were doing. The kitchen itself was surprisingly nice and organized, with different people doing different jobs. It made me very grateful, seeing the people at Cherry Street eating, and I remembered what Ross had told us - that it can happen to anyone. Not only did I feel sorry for the people there, but I was shocked at the reality of homelessness and poverty and having no other choice. The experience kind of woke me up. I saw men with white beards and I saw eighteen-year-olds. The wide range of need was shocking and diverse. The neighborhood around C.S.M wasn't the most attractive of places, so the C.S.M. was sort of like a safe haven for people. It was really cool. Even before lunch, the place served as a community center for those who wanted to be there or had no other place to go.

By: Hedyeh Elehinia