JenniferParsons

Jennifer Parsons

Reflection # 5

Alternative Spring Break

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

We went back to the Nashville Rescue Mission. Everyone seemed to feel comfortable there since we had been there before. The people, as always, were very nice to us. I like that about the Nashville Rescue Mission.

The group I was in was first sent to the pantry to sort out the food onto the shelves to make it easier for them to find. This was easy for me, as I had worked in that area of the Mission as a previous task a couple days ago. Therefore, I already knew where most of the items belonged. It also helped that there were more people helping. So, as they sorted the food into boxes, I was sorting them onto the shelves, which made things move a lot faster than a few days ago.

After a few hours of doing that, we were sent to fold sheets. I was caught off guard and a little confused because they did not give us a heads up to let us know so we could clean up the pantry area and get it neater. But we did as we were told and went to fold sheets. Sorting the fitted from the flat sheets and folding them into piles of twenty-five sheets, we worked for about an hour and a half before lunch.

After lunch, we went back to folding the sheets. We sorted the whites from the colors because they keep the whites and give the colored sheets away to another Mission. Later, I went to help the two girls who were sorting out the toiletries. We separated everything into separate boxes and threw out the used and “nasty” ones. A few people came over and sat there, doing nothing. After a while, I get aggravated with their laziness and non-motivation. I was unimpressed with their poor attitudes and lack of work. We came here to work and it was the last day… work. They were not asking much of us. I just do not understand why people would come on a mission trip to help those who need it and to do what work is asked of us and then complain about it. Don’t come. After a while, I left because I did not want to say anything that I would regret later.

After we sorted the sheets out and put them into black garbage bags, we were told to put them into the big bins so they could be washed. We then had to take them out the bags we had just put them in. I began to wonder why we put them in the bags in the first place, but I did not ask questions and just did as I was told. Upon finishing this task, I returned to the toiletries. We finished sorting the items into boxes and put them back onto the shelves. I also apologized for leaving them earlier, but they said they understood and agreed that they, too, were becoming aggravated with the lack of motivation that was being portrayed.

We finished early, so we headed up to the cafeteria following clean-up. They had prepared a special dinner for us for coming to help them. It was very nice. They set up tables, made a lot of great food and showed wonderful hospitality. I felt honored to be in the presence of such great people. I am very glad that so many people are there to help and get help. That is where greatness starts.