Soup Kitchen: A Just Harvest

Last Friday, I volunteered at a Soup Kitchen called "A Just Harvest." This volunteer opportunity definitely led me to step outside of my comfort zone. It was unlike any volunteer work I had done before. It involved a lot of interaction with the people we were serving, and we also had to stay attentive and alert. As soon as we arrived at the Soup Kitchen, we were told to put on aprons, hair nets, and gloves, and we had to go and talk to the guests. At first I was scared because my perception of them was very different from how they actually were. Before I went, I thought that they would have a very negative outlook on life, due to their situation. However, everyone I had talked to was very friendly and some of the most positive and happy people I had ever met! One woman even said that "God always finds a way." I was amazed because most of the people I know, back home, are very negative all of the time. They always have something to complain about even when they've been blessed with the best families, talents and opportunities. The other thing that amazed me was the amount of homeless people there were in the Chicago area. They explained how they got hundreds of people coming in each night. Also, the people that were working there were very nice and willing to help. It made me so grateful that there were people like them in the world. All they do in their free time is devote their time and energy to people who are less fortunate than them, and that is truly amazing! My job throughout the night was to pour milk for anyone who wanted it. However, because of the shortage of milk, I was only allowed to pour one glass for each person. Also, each person I poured it for was very particular about how much I poured into their glass. They made sure that I was pouring it to the very top, and if I fell even a little short, they made me come back and fill it back up to the top. I never realized how valuable an extra sip of milk could be until this night. Back home, if I want another glass of milk, I can go to the fridge and pour some; however, they were so desperate to get as much as they could. Also, one time a little girl asked me for more milk, but because we could only fill the cup once, I had to deny her more. It was really hard to tell this adorable little girl that she couldn't have any more. This little girl and I are no different, but just due to the fact that I was born into a family that was better off than hers, I could have as much as I wanted while she couldn't even have something as simple as milk.