Local Missions:
Shattering the Stereotypes of the Homeless
Maybe you live in a big city. Maybe you’ve only been to one a few times. But odds are, you have had an encounter with a homeless person. There you are, walking down a busy city sidewalk, when suddenly – you see a homeless person. Your mom or dad quickly rushes you along, telling you not to look at ‘them’ in the eyes. You probably feel guilty and wish that there was something you could do, but you’re too scared.
In today’s society, there are more stereotypes than we know what to do with – especially about the homeless. You’ve probably heard a few: dirty, smelly, bad, mentally ill, scary, drug addicts. With adults warning the younger generations to steer clear, it’s no wonder there are still so many homeless.
This article is my way of re-educating you on what the homeless are really like, why you shouldn’t be afraid, and what you can do to help out.
Let me tell you a little story about how I fell in love with helping the homeless.
My church is HUGE. Every Sunday anywhere from 450-600 people flock to my church. With such a large congregation, the youth group is equally as big! The youth group has provided me with a lot of great Christian friends, but also with a lot of opportunities to volunteer at soup kitchens, go to retreats, and even travel.
Every May, our group usually goes to a retreat called Pitch and Praise. Everyone sleeps in tents and there is so much to do! There are awesome bands and speakers, and it is a ton of fun.
However, for May of this past year, our youth pastor decided to change things up, with a trip to Toronto Canada to help the homeless.
I quickly jumped on the opportunity, and let me just say: WOW.
Photography Credit: Michaela Reddel
Website: truebeautyphoto.weebly.com
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