mental health evaluation and find other resources. Danielle, who was kicked out by
her caregivers because they didn’t accept her as transgender, is forced to fend for herself on the streets. We let her stay in the shelter’s private alternative room. We listen to her story, reassuring her that she is safe from discrimination and judg- ment. She recently earned her GED diploma and is moving toward housing. Various obstacles stand in the way
of success for these youth. I thank God every day for placing me in a position to help them, even in small ways. We are doing something big here. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.
Statistics have faces By Troy Wixson
A
s an Urban Servant Corps volunteer at
Denver Urban Min- istries, I was quickly welcomed, trained
well and given responsibility. Half of my job involves educating
groups (oſten youth) who come to Denver to learn about homelessness, hunger and poverty, and serving folks living in these circumstances. Te other half of my job is work-
ing at Denver Urban Ministries’ emergency food pantry, which serves more than 2,500 people a month. Working in the pantry, I meet people and hear their stories. I learn things you can’t quantify: how folks feel about their situation, their backgrounds and how hard they work to survive. Working here, I understand why
the statistics are so important. Te statistics have faces.
Christians are called to social justice By Matt Christensen
I
was emptying the recycling bins at Urban Peak’s Te
Spot when somebody I’d never talked to before said, “I think
you’re a really great guy.” She was doing chores alongside me so she could get a free sack lunch from the drop-in center, where youth aged 14 to 24 come every morning for fel- lowship and breakfast. Growing up in small town Min-
nesota, I’d never volunteered with at-risk populations before. I thought Urban Servant Corps would be a valuable learning opportunity, as well as a way to give back. Chris- tians are called to respond to social
injustices as Jesus did by working in the trenches. Te Spot offers homeless youth
many resources, including GED classes, job-readiness training, a daytime drop-in center and out- reach. We try to keep our office atmosphere light because of the dif- ficult emotions that come with case management and tough clients. I love going out with the outreach
team to interact with youth on the streets. We give out snacks, hygiene items and information about what Urban Peak has to offer. It’s fulfill- ing. I get to work closely with youth who really need help and practice what I believe to be a Christian lifestyle.
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June 2014 37
Travel
with other Lutherans!
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