End of day 2

Today a group got to start the morning off starting up conversations with homeless individuals in a drop in center. We got to share juice, coffee, and conversation with the men and women that came to the drop in center. We then spent the rest of the morning making beds for 90 men that would come to the shelter tonight. Now your student should have no excuse not to make their bed in the morning :) They have been trained professionally in this matter :)

We had lunch at an authentic Somalian restaurant. In Somalia it is custom to only eat with your right hand because your left hand is considered "dirty." So that's what we did, we literally ate the food with our right hand only!! Including rice, chicken, goat....yes goat :) It was a very good cultural experience.

We then spent our 2nd afternoon doing our tutoring for Somalian kids. This was much easier the 2nd day and we are starting to build relationships with the kids.

Then came tonight. The street walk. For this we told a story about a young teenage girl who was forced to make the decision to live on street due to unbearable living situations in her home. We had to take the roll of the girl. We split into groups of 5 and walked the streets of Toronto. No worries though, there was a site leader in each group so we were not sending your kids alone in the city :) We had to find a place to sleep, go to the bathroom; how we would get money and how to get food on only $2 (which was all they had for supper tonight) it was about a 3 hour walk ending in rain. It was a very eye opening experience to be placed in that situation and to experience 3 hours what decisions the many people have to make every day and night.

The group is doing great at approaching people, starting conversations, and stepping out of their normal life from Hamilton to experience new situations they wouldn't usually encounter back home.

Well it's almost lights out, so goodbye until tomorrow.
~Heidi Nienhuis