ISM at the Shelter for the Homeless by Zahraa Nasser
After a month of preparation, the Islamic Society of Michiana’s Girls’ Youth Group was prepared to take their second trip to the homeless shelter in South Bend. Our first visit consisted of over 500 canned and/or nonperishable foods. This time, we included two car trunks filled with over 400 baby necessities. We piled out of the cars, and the minutes following consisted of multiple boxed shampoos, lotions, diapers, bottles, baby clothes, bottle brushes, and toys being carried from the trunks to the shelter’s front lobby. We acquired curious looks from surrounding people, but it did not bother anybody in the least. We, the ISM, were on a mission, and determination struck the very second we saw a middle-aged woman cradling a one year old in her arms. At that moment, we understood the reason as to why we had worked so diligently the past month. After being briefly introduced to the director, we were lead to the shelter’s worship area. The director spoke of the issues that lead people to the shelter. Some, such as drugs and alcohol, were controllable. Others, such as sudden unemployment, were unavoidable. We discovered that 96 men, 26 females, and 42 families, and approximately 60 children currently resided at the shelter. After being educated on the shelter’s background information, we were introduced to Chris, a 23-year-old male. Coming from an unstable family, Chris began drinking at the age of four. After fifty-four misdemeanors and two felonies, Chris could no longer rely on his family to rescue him. He eventually found himself at the South Bend Homeless Shelter, restarting his entire life. Talking with the rest of the girls, I found that our visit did not only help the less fortunate. The visit helped us. After listening to Chris and seeing the different environment, we realized how blessed we are. We are not only blessed materialistically, but spiritually as well. We have a religion that prevents us from intoxicating ourselves. We have families that continue to support us. We have friends to help guide us the right way. Visiting the shelter and seeing those children opened our eyes to the truth. Nothing is perfect, and people make mistakes, but it is never too late to start over. Chris is currently holding his first job and within a month he will have a home. The odds were against him, yet he found happiness in himself and turned over a new leaf. If one person has the capability to revive his or her connection with God, everybody else has the same opportunity.
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