Community Service Experience

This week was very unique and quite rewarding for me since I traveled with people from sociology to the St. Thomas church in Chicago.  We were greeted with homeless individuals waiting for a meal outside the church when we arrived.  It was quite a wake up call to see the poverty and lack of resources for these individuals living in one of the largest cities in the country.  Of course poverty and gangs usually come with a large urban setting where people barely get by each day.  The most rewarding part of this journey for me was serving the open hearted people their meals and really getting to know them.  They were eager and more than willing to share their life stories and experiences which shape their lives and characters.  Also we had the privilege to help clean the place and physically contribute to our good deeds as citizens of the republic.  As many jewish people would say, we were acting as a "mench" or a good person through good deeds and services.  This was a life changing experience and I look forward to returning to the church to complete my service hours and my duty as a contributor to society.