Small steps

I know that you all like when I post about my job.  But nothing really big ever happens to write about.  It's all just really small things that make a difference to the youth.  And maybe I can tell a story of someone who got into housing or got a job or something.  But that is not really the good stuff.  The good stuff is the conversations I have over dinner.  Conversations that I could be having with my friends.  About nothingness but about everything at the same time.  The presence and the relationship is what really transforms these youth.  Because we could get any of them a job or an apartment.  But if they are not ready for it or at the right phase in their life or have the right support to stick with it then it won't mean anything.  Each day that they come in and have dinner is another step, however small it might be.  And when they are ready, we will be there to help them take that next step.

So yeah, one of the youth I worked with at Garden Works and also comes to Teen Feed just got into housing.  Another just had his first day of work yesterday.  Another is trying to balance her first semester back at college while holding a job in the evening.  And another just started opening up after not speaking to anyone for quite a while.  These are all great things and I am not trying to down play any of them.  I am super excited for all of these youth.  I'm just trying to say that this didn't happen over night.  It was all of the little things each day and the consistency of the service we offer that got each of them to the place where they are.

Basically, Teem Feed is awesome.  We provide a great service for these youth.  The food sometimes seems secondary to me.  The quality of presence, the conversations, the relationships, the consistency.  These things are what they need most.  What they need to propel them forward.  To empower them to take the next step.  To prepare them for the time when they are ready to move forward.

I wish you could all meet these youth.  I wish you could meet these amazing people that I get to spend my days with.  It truly is a privilege to know them.