|
c h r i s t i a n u n i o n : : t h e m a g a z i n e
34
|
weekly Sunday service for homeless people on Boston Common ; an emergency overnight shelter ; and other |
Louisa Conwill ’ 17 particpated in a tour of Boston that highlighted the plight of the homeless .
places that depict the story of those living in the shadows of the city .
They also saw the similarities between the poor living on the street and the Christ child born in a stable .
“ Matthew reminded us that Jesus , as He went from place to place preaching and healing , was Himself without a home . He depended on the generosity and hospitality of others ,” said Duggan . “ We often gloss over these facts as if they ’ re insignificant details , but our experience placed these ideas about Jesus front and center .”
As a result , Duggan said the students learned “ that behind every homeless person , there ’ s a story of how he or she got to this place . And likewise in every person — especially in the poor — we encounter the person of Christ .”
However , those wanting to help create brighter stories for the homeless often don ’ t know where to start . Matthew and No Where to Lay His Head
|
offer a good launching point . “ If nothing else , this experience reminds people that we can start simply by encountering another person as an individual , made and loved by God , with an evolving life story ,” said Duggan . “ First we encounter , and then we accompany .”
That is what Louisa Conwill ’ 17 is doing . She will live in Boston after graduation while working as a software engineer . She first witnessed the plight of the homeless during a summer internship in Cambridge . Day after day , she encountered the same people on the street needing money , food , and shelter . She became discouraged and frustrated when she realized the money she could give didn ’ t help long-term . So she decided to take this tour of the city in hopes of finding some answers .
“ Our guide told us about his experience becoming homeless and living on the streets , with an emphasis on exposing the flaws of the homeless shelter systems and how churches care for the poor ,” said Conwill .
And she received some suggestions for how to help in small , but meaningful ways . For example , Conwill learned that gift cards to food establishments are great to give to the homeless . They ensure the money is spent on food , and it gives the recipient a chance to spend time at the eatery and , maybe , even use the bathroom to brush their teeth or shave .
One of the most profound aspects of the tour was interacting with a homeless person . “ I think people are scared of that today , and have been scared of it for a while ,” said Conwill .
|
“ If I were truly like Jesus I would have been spending time with the homeless from the start , but this tour , at least , allowed me to take a baby step toward the high bar Jesus set with the way He lived His life ,” she said .
The non-traditional tour prompted Conwill to consider possibilities for using her career to help the poor . She ’ s thinking of using her gifting to teach inner-city children computer code and establishing a nonprofit to teach the homeless to do the same .
“ Because my faith helps me hear God ’ s call to love everyone more , by extension , I hear the call to help the poor ,” she said . “ My faith has taught me to view the poor as a gift rather than a burden . Anyone who comes to me with a need is a gift from God , who is granting me the opportunity to love and do good .” | cu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
b r o w n n e w s - i n - b r i e f
RUF Fall Conference
In October , several Brown University students attended the Reformed University Fellowship ’ s ( RUF ) New England Conference at Camp Berea in Hebron , New Hampshire . The theme of the weekend conference was “ What is faith ? What does it mean to believe ?” The Rev . Les Newsome , RUF Mid-South Area Coordinator , was the guest speaker .
Reformed University Fellowship , a nationwide organization , is part of the Presbyterian Church in America . In the Providence , Rhode Island region , Reformed University Fellowship includes students from Brown University , Rhode Island School of Design , and Johnson and Wales University .
|