Friday May 21, 2010

My group set out Friday around 9:15 AM for a trek across the Greater Vancouver area. We bused to King George SkyTrain Station in Surrey. Then we rode the SkyTrain to Waterfront in Vancouver where we switched to the recently built Canada Line (it was built for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games). We exited at Bridgeport where we caught a bus to British Columbia Institute of Technology’s Aerospace Technology Campus in Richmond.
The place was intimidating.
The building being built mostly out of concrete was very uniform in structure and appearance. The students, mostly all male, were walking around in jumpsuits looking like they just came from the airplane garage on the airstrip.
We stood out. We were uncomfortable and didn’t know what we were doing at this campus. Neither did they.
We walked in and people stared. We walked down the hall and more people stared. As we walked through the food line in the cafeteria, Jonny was asked if he was a new student. The school was small and people noticed us.
Callie and I talked with a secretary of the school and obtained the information we needed and after finishing our meals, we all left the college. We had been informed that after the lunch hour both the cafeteria and common area would be deserted, leaving us with no reason to stick around for our main focus was the students.
So we traveled into Richmond trying to feel out the community. We went to City Hall to research the demographics of the city and we pointed in the direction of a website. After the City Hall we went to the Richmond Centre, a mall, in hopes to set up Soularium seeing as we didn’t have the chance at the college. However, we were politely turned away. Only two surveys were allowed per year at the Richmond Centre and we weren’t to be one of them.
So we continued out of the mall and back to the Canada Line Station to head back to Waterfront. Needless to say, we all felt a little discouraged after our day. We felt as though we accomplished nothing, or at least very little.
We decided to hit Gastown on our way home and do a bit of tourist shopping. Callie and I poured through the shops looking for good deals on Vancouver shirts before finally making our selections and heading back.
While looking for a place to eat supper, Callie and I were asked several times for loose change from beggars on the streets. They were everywhere. However, one man caught my attention. He didn’t ask for anything as people passed. Instead, he sat quietly on the sidewalk with a sign and his dog. I didn’t have a chance to completely read what was written on the sign, but two words stood out to me: “God bless.”
I stopped, turned to Callie, and debated what I should do. I finally asked him if he was hungry. A seemly stupid question, but nevertheless, I asked. I unzipped my backpack so full of the many blessings I neglect to be thankful for in my life and gave him my sack lunch. He gratefully accepted it and Callie and I went on our way.
It breaks my heart to see these people. I think what breaks my heart even more is that while many of them can help themselves, some cannot and no one stops to give them the time of day. No one stops to show them that they care. No one shows them the love of Christ that we so readily accept.
Yes, he may have the ability to change his situation if he so desires.
But what if he doesn’t? What if he needs more?
I should be the one doing more.
Serving more.
No matter what.
“…not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve.” ~1 Peter 5:2b