A Day in the Life of a Volunteer

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:45:58 +0000

I feel very blessed to take part in the daily happenings of The Bridge Care Center. It’s great to develop and strengthen ongoing friendships with our homeless neighbors. I enjoy getting to see each volunteer come in for their shift and make connections with others in their own special ways. In this blog I wanted to give them the chance to share their experience in their own words. Enjoy!
Jill Vance

My experience at the Bridge Care Center is a blessing because God is teaching me that there is no time to waste. Meeting people who need a shirt, pants, some food, or just want to talk to someone because they feel lonely, makes me realize how fortunate I am, and I should be humble and available to share and support others. I realized how big an impact some little actions can have in people’s lives. I’ve learned not to always expect from others; but I rather rely on myself to do whatever possible to help people.
Because of the hard work of the volunteers I work with, people see some hope in their lives. My prayer is that God continues to guide me and show me the right things to do.

Koffi Ngoran

One of my favorite things about volunteering at the Bridge is watching people become more comfortable there. In the first visit most people are a little unsure. They often get needed items from the clothing center and then leave, or just come in to meet us and find out what we offer. Over time, though, we have had more and more visitors who come in and stay for a couple hours or even the whole shift, enjoying having shelter and a safe place to spend part of the day. They enjoy snacks and a movie in the lounge, or hang out in the waiting room talking with volunteers, staff, and their fellow visitors. The number of people coming in is growing, mostly because people who come in spread the word to others they know who are in need.

Brianna Chung

The Bridge, our brothers, and the Kingdom of God

My spiritual journey, to this point, has inspired me to believe that because man is made in the image of God we are all fundamentally spiritual beings. Jesus invites us to live in a spiritual reality. Throughout His ministry, he continually referred to that spiritual reality as the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is a topsy-turvy spiritual plane that does not resemble the material world or its values. It is a place where the last shall be first. Earthly wealth and position are of no consequence in the Kingdom. Nobody can “earn” an extra portion of God’s love- the workers last hired to work the harvest are as beloved as those who have labored since sunrise. (Matthew 20: 1-15)

As Christians, we are charged with helping our Lord propagate the Kingdom of God. Jesus told the Pharisees that the “Kingdom of God is Among and Within You”, referring to the fact that wherever Jesus went there the Kingdom of God could be found. (Luke 17: 20-21) Each of us who has accepted the salvation of the Holy Spirit has a very limited ability, (as well as the opportunity and obligation) to allow that Holy Spirit to work through us to establish and expand the Kingdom of God.

Jesus charged us to care for the “least of these, my brothers,” in Matthew 25. It’s a great privilege to be able to offer some services and hospitality to the brothers of our Lord who respond to our invitation to visit with us at The Bridge. Because we are all spiritual beings, created in the image of God, there are no significant differences between those of us lucky enough to be housed and regularly fed and those who struggle with even the most basic functions of earthly life. I pray that this reality will be apparent to all who give as well as those who receive at The Bridge- God’s love for us is not predicated on achieving material success, or even adhering to a healthy lifestyle. As Jesus said, the true measurement of brotherhood and sisterhood is our common spiritual Father.

Best regards,
Chuck

Practically speaking, The Bridge is a resource center that provides hygiene items, clothes, bus passes, case management etc. But more than that, The Bridge offers a place for people to belong and truly know that they are worth something in this world. This is why I volunteer.

Whether it is watching The Royal Tenenbaums with George, teasing Tim about his ‘90s fashion sense, picking out earrings with Lisa, or just hanging out and listening to Raji’s stories, I am honored to be a part of the the community God is building here. Every encounter and experience I have had at The Bridge has been about building community, moving far beyond the simple transaction of providing some tangible thing to those who need it. And the cool thing is that it doesn’t stop there.

I cannot count how many times I have come into The Bridge feeling overwhelmed by the things of my life only to hear the story of someone who has faced and overcome so much more than I ever had. True humility. To be honest, The Bridge has become a bridge for me in my own life – helping me to see God in the little things, allowing me to build friendships, and encouraging me to consider ways to move beyond my own assumptions. My life is not my own and I need to be constantly reminded of that.

Through volunteering at The Bridge over the past several months, people – the broken, the marginalized, the disenfranchised, the left out, the lonely – have let me be a part of their story. I am the one who has been blessed.

Roxy

The Bridge Care Center– how you can get involved!! by Jill Vance

admin — Thu, 12 May 2011 16:55:54 +0000

We are well in to our second month of being open to the public at The Bridge Care Center. The daily stop-ins from our neighbors are steadily increasing. We advertise that our services include a clothing bank, computer center, and counseling/case management services. The clothing bank is the most popular reason for individuals stopping by. The Ballard Food Bank is especially excited to pass on the word that we offer this service since they no longer operate a clothing bank at their facility.We are more than a clothing bank. However, that, in itself, is meeting a great need, and it’s a starting point to building relationship with the homeless and low-income in our community. It’s amazing what a warm coat or an intact pair of shoes can do to bring some encouragement into a person’s life. It’s a statement that says, “hey, you are valuable and your needs are important to us”. Oftentimes this cues an individual that this is safe place where they can let down their walls. It’s incredibly beautiful to watch the volunteers at The Bridge listening to the stories of our friends.

From there we’ve had a few individuals who want more and will seek case management. For those who have asked for more help, many of the needs stem around medical, legal, financial, or housing needs. When you hear someone list off a number of difficult problems they are facing it’s easy to fall into that mode of either wanting to try and fix it right away or feeling completely helpless in being able to do anything at all. This is why I think it’s so important for us to come at these situations from the point of relationship. With this attitude it’s not about the immediate fix-it or forget it approach but about journeying alongside the individual.Below are a few of the specific stories of people we have been privileged to assist. One gentleman had been struggling with making it to doctor’s appointments. He stated that he had short term memory problems and would just often forget to go to the appointments. We sat down and called his doctor to schedule a new appointment with him. To insure he would make the appointment, we arranged to give him a reminder the night before. He was able to make his appointment and is now seeking further assistance with us for other needs. There are a couple of individuals who have some medical needs and have been denied the assistance they need from DSHS. We have been assisting them in collecting the needed paperwork so that they can re-apply. Partnering with them to gather this paperwork seems to be helpful as they can often be overwhelmed with the grueling steps it takes to get the help they need. For some of our friends, just being able to sit in our space and read emails or a book can be the break that they need from their outdoor living. One man told me after spending a half hour in our space that it was the most comfortable and closest experience he has had to feeling like he had been back in his own home. All of these individuals began a relationship with us by first asking for resources from our clothing bank.

While none of these stories are as drastic as being able to say that we have “cured” and brought someone out of homelessness, they are very important. They are real stories of real people and people matter, whether homeless or not. We would like to invite you to be a part of these stories, too. Here are some ways that you can get involved: keep the work of our ministry in prayer, consider volunteering with us, and/or consider donating to our clothing bank.