Reflections

Lynchburg College Group Reflection

I have two favorite activities about DC.  One was working at Martha's Table and the other was getting a chance to talk to the people of National Coalition for the Homeless.  Martha's Table was a lot of fun working with the cooks and actually packaging up the food to be distributed that day.  It was just a fun and vibrant environment there. Getting a chance to meet two former homeless people and a speaker for the National Coalition for Homeless was great.  It showed light onto a subject i really did not know. It was the most beneficial when the guys were kind enough to let us ask questions.  

The most important thing I learned was the impact one smile has on someone.  People tend to look at the homeless people as if they don’t even exist.  However, they told us that just smiling at them makes their day.  Everyone has feelings regardless if you have a home or not.  We should not neglect that.
-Kate Bauer

One of the most important lessons I learned was the simple yet rarely used concept of "don’t judge a book by its cover" I really dedicate that phrase to the people less fortunate that me. I think my eyes were really opened when we were able to talk with the men from the "National Coalition for the Homeless." Just hearing their stories was more than I could ever put in words. I have been able to share my experience in many of my classes and I just thank them for sharing their experiences with us.
-Serena Bellamy

Working at Martha's Table was my favorite part because were able to interact with the staff who do that on a regular basis and hear their stories. Also, we were able to witness some homeless people come into the kitchen to pick up sandwiches to eat while we were working in there.    We had a lot of fun the day we went to Martha's Table and when we were done we were able to see all the food together that would be taken out to the homeless people and that to me was rewarding. 

When the two men came and told us their personal stories of how they became homeless, one of them said, "The best thing you can do for someone who is homeless is just smile at them when you walk by.  If you do that, it will make them feel like they are human just like you and me."   That statement has just really stuck with me and it constantly goes through my head when I see homeless people here in Lynchburg and serve dinner at the Salvation Army to them on Tuesdays.  
-Betsy Baber

[My favorite experience was] being able to meet the head of DC Central Kitchen and hear how he got started.  It was really awesome to hear his views on the problem and how to fix them.  His ideas for the night club were great.  I really enjoyed the whole trip so it is hard to say what was my favorite.  Meeting and hearing the stories of the two formerly homeless men was also eye opening for me from how I was brought up.

[The most important thing I learned was] not all homeless people are that way because they are lazy. Not all of them are using money for drugs.  And that some of them are trying their hardest to get off the streets.
-Nick Sollog III