2006 Mission Trip: First Person Reflections
After returning home, Toby and Kirsten presented the following monologues (with pictures and music) to their congregation. We thought we'd share them with the larger group.
Marshan:
My name is Marshan. I am 3 years old and I have a brother that is 1. We live in south Chicago with my mommy,
but she doesn’t have a job. Sometimes she takes us for rides on the bus. Yesterday we walked by an old building where people were using hammers and hauling wood.
Mommy asked if they would pay her money to work there, but they were all just helpers that don’t get paid. They let me wear their hard hats and safety goggles and gloves.
I wanted to play there, but we had to go get the bus. One of the nice helpers said that when the building was done I could come play there all the time. We could maybe even live upstairs. The helpers were nice and I am glad I got to meet them…
Ivan:
My name is Ivan.
I am contractor and construction worker in Chicago. I grew up in Columbia, South America. I moved to Chicago when I was seven. Through my church I volunteered on many mission construction projects around the world. That is now what I do all the time. My pay fluctuates with each project. It is not always the same amount or from the same place, but I can provide for my wife and 4 kids.
I am currently working for Sunshine Gospel ministries. We are rehabbing a 101 year old building. We depend on God to provide the volunteers and materials for the renovation project. And He does provide.
This building will house 4 apartments for low income families in the upstairs and a community center with classrooms and a technology center in the downstairs. The building will be a wonderful space for Sunshine Gospel ministries when it is done, but for me it is not about finishing the building. It is about the ministry that occurs in the process of finishing. For example, I teach jail inmates construction. As they are working to get out of jail, they learn construction skills. I also mentor to young people as they come help.
God provides everything we need when we need it. When we seem to need more help another group appears. God is good.
Jason:
My name is Jason.
I work for Ivan. He is a good guy. Pretty laid back most of the time, but he makes me work. I can’t nap on the job when he is around. I grew up in south Chicago, but I’m not like most around here. I am white. My mom is in the hospital right now because she OD’d on heroine. It is really hard to go visit. She’s been non responsive for a while now. It is just so hard to have to deal with all this by myself...
It’s not hard to notice that I have several tattoos. There is one across my neck that says ‘Innocent.’ The volunteers this week thought it was a cool testament to my faith. But actually I got it because a buddy told me that girls dig tattoos on the neck…
My boss, Ivan, is a Christian, but I am not so sure about all of that stuff. Ivan is a good influence for me to be around, He keeps track of me. Ivan prays for me. I think my life may be turning around.
Man in Dumpster:
I live in south Chicago.
I used to have an apartment in Cabrini Green, one of the old housing projects in Chicago. They city tore down the projects to improve the area. They replaced the housing with new buildings that are not affordable for me. A lot of us were pushed to the streets. Now my home is wherever I can lay my head.
My days are spent pushing an old grocery cart. I don’t have a job, so I scrounge for metal scraps to sell. I can buy alcohol to ease some of the pain of being alone on the street. I am no longer ashamed to dig in dumpsters to find old pieces of scrap. Construction sites throw out lots of old pieces.
I try to get in to the dumpsters before things are covered up. Some volunteers were gracious enough to keep all the metal out so I didn’t have to dig. They stopped to talk as they tore things out of the building. I don’t talk with people much. Especially white people. They ask a lot of questions. I don’t know why they care, but it was nice to have a friendly smile.
Kyle at Emmaus:
My name is Kyle. I live on the streets in Uptown Chicago.
I just recently came back to the streets after having been married for 3 years. Things seemed to be getting better when I got married, but the pain is too deep. The scars of childhood still hurt. I never knew how to act around my father. He was often drunk at home. I was called a sissy more than my real name. Mother often tried to defend me, but that never stopped my dad. When he was first arrested for abusing us, I thought maybe things would change. He gave money to mom to get something for us. It was his peace offering, but he never said he was sorry. And the pattern continued. I got used to enduring the abuse, and getting a little present for a reward. I guess that is why it seemed ok for me to sell myself on the street for money. I had nothing to eat and no money to stay anywhere. I said I would just do it once. But to have a place to stay and temporary affection led to many others.
Emmaus ministries helped me out of my addiction and out of prostitution. They provided a place to get away from my lifestyle and start over. It was after their help that I got married and seemed to have a better life. But it didn’t last. I’m back on the street. I am ashamed. The people at Emmaus know me. They helped me. I am ashamed to be back on the street. But I don’t know if I can go back to Emmaus. I’m lost.
Pregnant mother of 4:
I am a mother of 4. They are all under the age of 6.
Right now I live in the Theresa House. They give us a place to stay and they fix meals for us. Tonight is hamburgers and hot dogs. I can’t stand the smell of the grill right now. Normally I would like that smell, but I am so nauseous from being pregnant. I know I better eat. It is nice when these volunteers come around.
They play with the kids and wear them out.
It gives me a little break. I don’t have to yell at my kids to stay out of trouble so much,
because they are occupied for a few hours.
Guest at St. Thomas:
I am guest at St. Thomas soup kitchen.
I come here every Tuesday and Friday. I like it here. It is all you can eat. And it is good too. It’s not like cafeteria food like other places. It is almost like a restaurant. We all sit at tables that have salad and bread. Then they bring the soup to us.
If we want more we just ask. They even pass out soup that we can take out at the end. I’ve never gone away from here hungry. There’s always enough. Jim is the man in charge. I like Jim. He’s been around awhile. People don’t mess with Jim. He’s not scared of anyone. But he respects us, and he always smiles and is glad to serve us. Jim really seems to want to be here. He likes to be here.
Marshan:
My name is Marshan. I am 3 years old and I have a brother that is 1. We live in south Chicago with my mommy,
but she doesn’t have a job. Sometimes she takes us for rides on the bus. Yesterday we walked by an old building where people were using hammers and hauling wood.
Mommy asked if they would pay her money to work there, but they were all just helpers that don’t get paid. They let me wear their hard hats and safety goggles and gloves.
I wanted to play there, but we had to go get the bus. One of the nice helpers said that when the building was done I could come play there all the time. We could maybe even live upstairs. The helpers were nice and I am glad I got to meet them…
Ivan:
My name is Ivan.
I am contractor and construction worker in Chicago. I grew up in Columbia, South America. I moved to Chicago when I was seven. Through my church I volunteered on many mission construction projects around the world. That is now what I do all the time. My pay fluctuates with each project. It is not always the same amount or from the same place, but I can provide for my wife and 4 kids.
I am currently working for Sunshine Gospel ministries. We are rehabbing a 101 year old building. We depend on God to provide the volunteers and materials for the renovation project. And He does provide.
This building will house 4 apartments for low income families in the upstairs and a community center with classrooms and a technology center in the downstairs. The building will be a wonderful space for Sunshine Gospel ministries when it is done, but for me it is not about finishing the building. It is about the ministry that occurs in the process of finishing. For example, I teach jail inmates construction. As they are working to get out of jail, they learn construction skills. I also mentor to young people as they come help.
God provides everything we need when we need it. When we seem to need more help another group appears. God is good.
Jason:
My name is Jason.
I work for Ivan. He is a good guy. Pretty laid back most of the time, but he makes me work. I can’t nap on the job when he is around. I grew up in south Chicago, but I’m not like most around here. I am white. My mom is in the hospital right now because she OD’d on heroine. It is really hard to go visit. She’s been non responsive for a while now. It is just so hard to have to deal with all this by myself...
It’s not hard to notice that I have several tattoos. There is one across my neck that says ‘Innocent.’ The volunteers this week thought it was a cool testament to my faith. But actually I got it because a buddy told me that girls dig tattoos on the neck…
My boss, Ivan, is a Christian, but I am not so sure about all of that stuff. Ivan is a good influence for me to be around, He keeps track of me. Ivan prays for me. I think my life may be turning around.
Man in Dumpster:
I live in south Chicago.
I used to have an apartment in Cabrini Green, one of the old housing projects in Chicago. They city tore down the projects to improve the area. They replaced the housing with new buildings that are not affordable for me. A lot of us were pushed to the streets. Now my home is wherever I can lay my head.
My days are spent pushing an old grocery cart. I don’t have a job, so I scrounge for metal scraps to sell. I can buy alcohol to ease some of the pain of being alone on the street. I am no longer ashamed to dig in dumpsters to find old pieces of scrap. Construction sites throw out lots of old pieces.
I try to get in to the dumpsters before things are covered up. Some volunteers were gracious enough to keep all the metal out so I didn’t have to dig. They stopped to talk as they tore things out of the building. I don’t talk with people much. Especially white people. They ask a lot of questions. I don’t know why they care, but it was nice to have a friendly smile.
Kyle at Emmaus:
My name is Kyle. I live on the streets in Uptown Chicago.
I just recently came back to the streets after having been married for 3 years. Things seemed to be getting better when I got married, but the pain is too deep. The scars of childhood still hurt. I never knew how to act around my father. He was often drunk at home. I was called a sissy more than my real name. Mother often tried to defend me, but that never stopped my dad. When he was first arrested for abusing us, I thought maybe things would change. He gave money to mom to get something for us. It was his peace offering, but he never said he was sorry. And the pattern continued. I got used to enduring the abuse, and getting a little present for a reward. I guess that is why it seemed ok for me to sell myself on the street for money. I had nothing to eat and no money to stay anywhere. I said I would just do it once. But to have a place to stay and temporary affection led to many others.
Emmaus ministries helped me out of my addiction and out of prostitution. They provided a place to get away from my lifestyle and start over. It was after their help that I got married and seemed to have a better life. But it didn’t last. I’m back on the street. I am ashamed. The people at Emmaus know me. They helped me. I am ashamed to be back on the street. But I don’t know if I can go back to Emmaus. I’m lost.
Pregnant mother of 4:
I am a mother of 4. They are all under the age of 6.
Right now I live in the Theresa House. They give us a place to stay and they fix meals for us. Tonight is hamburgers and hot dogs. I can’t stand the smell of the grill right now. Normally I would like that smell, but I am so nauseous from being pregnant. I know I better eat. It is nice when these volunteers come around.
They play with the kids and wear them out.
It gives me a little break. I don’t have to yell at my kids to stay out of trouble so much,
because they are occupied for a few hours.
Guest at St. Thomas:
I am guest at St. Thomas soup kitchen.
I come here every Tuesday and Friday. I like it here. It is all you can eat. And it is good too. It’s not like cafeteria food like other places. It is almost like a restaurant. We all sit at tables that have salad and bread. Then they bring the soup to us.
If we want more we just ask. They even pass out soup that we can take out at the end. I’ve never gone away from here hungry. There’s always enough. Jim is the man in charge. I like Jim. He’s been around awhile. People don’t mess with Jim. He’s not scared of anyone. But he respects us, and he always smiles and is glad to serve us. Jim really seems to want to be here. He likes to be here.
posted by Matt at 8:02 PM
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