CARA VAN METER
Staff Writer
Freshman Ivy Brewer, junior Jessica Jackson and freshman Tomi Jaiyeola serve dinner to the women and children at the Union Gospel Mission in Seattle. Serving meals was one of the daily duties undertaken by the Project Serve Seattle Team last week.
Seattle, the birthplace Seattle’s Best, Tully’s and perhaps most famously Starbucks, is known as an innovator when it comes to coffee, but the “Emerald City” is at the forefront of progress in another area as well: solving the urban crisis of homelessness.
The staff and supporters of the Union Gospel Mission, a faith-based organization, are waging a war to get the homeless and hurting population of Seattle off the streets and into a safe situation — not just for one night but forever, and last week eight Pepperdine students joined the battle of hope and salvation.
Armed with Comet Cleanser and compassion, the members of the Project Serve Seattle team spent their Spring Break scrubbing down the women and children’s shelter, serving meals and sorting donations. In the process, team members said they learned a lot about the homeless population and were impressed by the long-term solution programs at UGM.
“The UGM method showed results in the joy that radiated between the women and from the women when we interacted with them,” Senior and Seattle Team Leader Lindsay Goldford said.
The UGM method involves a series of two month to one year programs that are designed to help men and women recover from addictions, domestic violence, and similar issues and learn the life skills they need to succeed in the world. Since the program is faith-based, participants are also required to attend Bible studies and are encouraged to join local churches in order to build a lasting community that will ease their transition out of the shelter.
Freshman Miranda Yoo said she believes everyone should experience Project Serve at least once. She described the week as eye-opening and often challenging.
“In your everyday life you probably wouldn’t interact with homeless people,” Yoo said, “But knowing that there’s so much more beyond our life here at Pepperdine really builds you up as a person.”
Yoo agreed with the rest of the team that although the week was filled with hard work and heart-breaking stories from many of the women at the shelter, the memories she will take from this Spring Break are positive ones.
“I went into Project Serve not knowing most of the people in my group,” Yoo said, “and I came back with six new great friendships.”
03-08-2006