love more.

We had a wonderfully full weekend. Amidst scenes of fun and relaxing, we were able to volunteer at Operation Nightwatch, a non-profit that hosts a drop-in site for those experiencing homelessness in Portland. From 7-11pm Thursday - Saturday evenings, people can stop by to hang out, enjoy a meal, coffee, and play boardgames and cards. Its a great community, and was really awesome to be a part of. Mike and I were assigned the duty of the 'Clothing Dungeon:' where we sifted through the donated blankets and clothing to fill the requests for the evening. We were able to hand out jackets, socks, and toiletries to all who asked for them. I played chess with one of the older gentlemen (his name was Bill, and he had one of the greatest laughs I have ever heard), and I do have to say it was quite an embarrassing display of him kicking my butt. He took pity on me, however, and did leave me with some strategy tips. Turns out he plays in chess tournaments often, so I didn't feel (too) bad about my loss.

It is amazing the extent of homelessness in Portland. One of the Jesuit Volunteers told us that about 5,000 people are sleeping on the streets every night. There are a lot of great social services like Operation Nightwatch (and Join, which we were able to visit Saturday night), but it is most definitely a need that is ongoing. There are so many faces and so many stories behind the statistics of the issue that need to be seen and heard. It was truly a privilege for us to be able to get involved, to meet people and hear their stories, and to feel like we were giving something (somehow, in a small way) to an issue that has been so apparent to us this whole time out here. Some of the people experiencing homelessness that we were able to talk to were so intelligent, humble, and fun. Their stories were powerful. Their hope and their faith were real.

(via bldg//wlf)

"what is needed going forward is a philosophy 

based on human dignity, which all of us need and crave.

we can end poverty if we start by looking at all human beings 

as part of a single global community that recognizes that 

everyone deserves a chance to build a life worth living."

-jacqueline novogratz 'the blue sweater'