Renewal of spirits

This week has been incredible for a variety of different reasons, ranging from our full service site work party on wednesday, two half days, secret santa party, and finding a shit load of money. But by far the most important day this week was my last training workshop on Friday afternoon, with a couple representatives from the Witnesses to Hunger program that was started in our very own Philadelphia. The program was started by a professor of Drexel that was awarded a large grant to do a case study on hunger, or "food insecurity" as the government has renamed it. The professor gave a variety of mothers a camera and a few dollars compensation to record their lives of poverty and hunger, and raising children, often times without their fathers, or support from family. On Friday two of the original mothers given cameras spoke out our workshop, and shared their life struggles, which included rape, gun shot wounds, stabbings, drugs, death, and houses that are unfit for even mice to live in. It was a very sobering testimony that slapped me in the face for feeling sorry for my own financial predicaments. These women were so strong, in the face of the absolute worst odds, and came out on top.
The most important thing that I took out of the workshop, outside of just reaffirming my passion for those less fortunate then myself, was that a lot of the very same children that I attempt to reach in my school live in the exact same situations. Single parent households, drugs, violence, jail, hunger, peer pressure, and a laundry list of other obstacles all effect exactly how these kids come to school each day. It really put it into perspective just how important my work is. A lot of the boys that I talk to every day have no fathers, and I'm beginning to realize that I might be the most important male role model in their life at that particular time. It is a lot of weight to carry, especially for someone who's been going through his own shit lately, but its something that I have to learn to shoulder, cus I'm sure as shit not gonna abandon these kids too. If for nothing else, this single workshop will be the sole reason why I stick out my full year of service, in all its shittiness.
Regardless, please check out the website. www.witnessestohunger.org If you are dedicated enough to be reading my drivel of a blog that helps no one, you have absolutely no excuse not to follow the link. These are real people, with very real problems, that are getting things done on their own. Its a very important movement that is gaining a lot of momentum in Philly, and will hopefully start to catch on in other parts of the country. During the most giving season of the year, it is extremely important to be thinking about people outside of ourselves, or even family and friends, but those less fortunate then us. If for nothing else, at least have this information in the back of your head.