A Day at The Midnight Mission

A Day at The Midnight Mission

            Throughout this morning, I was very excited about what we would be doing today.  We were told that we were going to visit the Midnight Mission and I didn’t know what to expect, but I told myself and talked to God that I am going to be open about whatever it is we would do today and I prayed that he would guide me throughout this whole entire day to help me understand his purpose of why he placed me at this place and time. 

            To start off my journey at the Midnight Mission, here is a little background that I got from the Midnight Mission website:

            “In 1914, Tom Liddecoat, nicknamed “father of the poor” opened the doors of the Midnight Mission as refuge to the men of Skid Row.  A successful businessman and lay minister, Liddecoat would serve a meal at midnight (hence the origin of the name) after church services were completed.  Realizing the need to offer more than a meal and that additional resources             were necessary, Liddecoat sought help from the local community”  (qtd from http://www.midnightmission.org/aboutus-history.asp.)

           

             So The Midnight Mission will reach its centennial year in 2014 and to even have the chance to experience this volunteer service at this place was enough for me to realize “Wow, stop complaining about what you don’t have and start counting your blessings because there are other people out there who has nothing to lose because they have lost everything they got.” 

             Today, my job was to hand out one banana per person in line.  Delano, who is one of the workers at The Midnight Mission pointed out this man that was in line to get some food.  Delano told another volunteer and I that he used to be his neighbor.  Delano greeted the man with “Hello, Neighbor!  How are you?” and he’s reply was “Man, you have it better man.  You have it great behind there.  You have the food, Man.”  The man in line was very polite and I know for a fact that he once had his own place and now he had lost that place he can call home. 

             This stuck with me throughout my time at the Midnight Mission because I would always grumble about the little things I don’t have.  Being away from my family, I realize that I have a lot to be thankful for.  I have a family that loves me unconditionally, I have a place I can call my home, I have the education I need to be able to achieve greater things in life.  I have it right in front of me, but I choose to overlook that part of my life and pay attention to things that are always missing instead of being thankful for the blessings that I do have. 

             Today I have experienced something that will change my perspective about life.  Today made me realize that I should tell myself and do appreciate what I do have and also teach those around me to be thankful of what they do have as well, because there are other people out there who have nothing more to lose because they have lost everything  and I’m just thankful for the Midnight Mission to become that light that illuminates their darkest days.  The Midnight Mission gives hope to those who have lost all hopes that their life could get better. 


Kristeme Manceras - Chaminade University