Service Learning Log #1 Nina Prevot

The Denver Rescue Mission
Thursday, May 8, 2008
1.5 Hours

I first arrived at the Denver Rescue Mission at around 7:30 pm, nervous as could be because I did not know the area, and I have to admit, I felt pretty intimidated by the entire situation because I was volunteering by myself. After parking across the street, I walked to the building receiving faces of desperation all the way. When I first went inside, a friendly man helped me find the door, I did not know where to check in, and basically made a fool of myself trying to sign in. After I was good to go, I received my name tag and a Denver Rescue Mission apron. Overall, the night was pretty un eventful for me, because I spent most of the time sweeping in the back room. That was my job right off the bat, and I continued to sweep for about forty-five minutes. While I was sweeping, I had the opportunity to talk to one of the head workers at the Denver Rescue Mission. He asked me about why I came to the mission, and where I went to school. I told him that I came as a service learning project for a class I was taking at DU, and he ended up telling me about his mother who also went to DU, and how she enjoyed her experience there. We talked about my being a psychology major, and my previous theatre major, and how we both love performing on stage. The time went by much faster because I was able to talk to him. After I finished sweeping, I helped break down some cardboard boxes, and then I proceeded to mop the back room as well.

After about an hour of being there, one of the head volunteers said that I probably was not getting any good information for my class working in the back room, so he had me switch to bussing tables in the dining room. I put on my plastic gloves and walked in. It was a strange energy in the room. Everybody was pleasant and peaceful, but there was just an overall feeling of melancholy that even smiles could not break. I saw a man push his plate forward, so I approached him and asked if he was done. He looked at me in the eyes and said, “I’m sorry, what’s your name?” I replied simply, “Nina.” He looked up at me and smiled and said, “Well thank you so very much Nina, and God bless you.” It was really touching, but I could not think of anything else to say except, “You’re welcome sir.” Many people welcomed my help, and “God bless you” was uttered many times. Some however simply thanked me without even looking up at me, and made their way up the stairs and back to their life. After I finished, I was escorted back to my car for my own safety, and drove back to DU.

Despite the small and seemingly miniscule tasks that I performed at the Denver Rescue Mission, I was still able to learn quite a lot about myself and about doing service work. I learned that I, as a student, and still a teenager, have a difficult time feeling comfortable around the homeless. I want to feel pride for volunteering, but I want to feel humble because I do not think that I am any better than anyone else. When I was there, I was just another person that could help to provide service. I received no special treatment because I was from DU, I was thrown into the mix of all the other volunteers, and I did not stick out. The difficult part, is having a humbling experience like that, and then returning to DU and switching back into the mode of my regular life. I realize that downtown at the Denver Rescue Mission, I am just one of the hundreds of volunteers that come through every day, and that I just blend into that melancholy world. When I come back though, I take solace in the bittersweet feeling of not being constantly surrounded by that sadness, but also realizing that I often forget and take advantage of all of my good luck in my life;. That one man really struck a chord in my heart, because he was so truly appreciative of the simple work I was doing, and he wanted to know my name. He wanted to make me special, and make me stick out in the sea of all those other volunteers and homeless, and that made me feel so good. I think that feeling is what everybody wants, truly. Just to feel like they are special and unique in a world that loves to bunch us together. Every homeless person is unique and has a story, and it is so unfair for us to clump them into one group.