To People Who Want to Serve- but Can't Get Started!

Los Angeles is mostly known for sunny beaches, celebrities, and luxurious areas, but like most cities, there are areas that aren’t so lavish.

Since the 1930’s skid-row: the 1 square mile area around 3rd /7th Street and Alameda in downtown Los Angeles has been known for its dense homeless population. The sight of skid-row is unlike any other that you will see in our country. You will see people living on the sidewalks in unhealthy and heart wrenching conditions. You will find the majority of our chronic homeless population suffering from mental health, physical health, and/or substance abuse issues. 

While everything about the area had my parents up in arms, there was something about it that made me curious, and eager to figure out why people were living on the streets in such heinous conditions. So, without hesitation, and a fight with my mom, I started volunteering at the Union Rescue Mission (URM) in 2009, located right in the heart of skid row. The URM is one of the largest missions of its kind in America serving men, women, and families experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles. 

Every Monday and Wednesday, my sister whom I lured in with me and I would walk humbly into the mission and serve in the kitchen alongside various volunteers and those living in the shelter. Although we were not your typical consistent volunteers as young (19 and 21) caucasian girls from Orange County, we felt right at home and quickly made friends with staff, other volunteers, and those we served. 

Gordon B. Hinckley said: “One of the greatest ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.”

My time serving at the mission opened my eyes to a world that I hardly knew existed, I met a man who was scarred from the slavery of his grandparents, a woman who survived rape and kidnapping, multigenerational families who have experienced homelessness for decades, and lighthearted children who were wise beyond their years. I eventually knew everyone by name and each of the people I met left lasting impressions on my heart. 

I never planned to serve for nearly 6 years at the mission, but as every week passed I knew that there was nothing more important than spending my time serving people who were vulnerable and suffering in ways far greater than I could have ever imagined. This became my highlight of the week and filled my spirit with a feeling of dedication and purpose. 

I am referred to as someone who is overly optimistic and always looking for solutions to solve problems. However at the URM, optimism isn’t always received well, and trying to solve someone's problem when they aren’t looking for the answer is just rude. So I had to adjust from having expectations to simply being present and offering a listening ear. This was one of many gifts I received from being of service-learning to show up without expectations is now a way of life for me. 

Shannon L. Alder said “One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone.” and I found this to be the ultimate truth when serving people experiencing homelessness. Although I hope to never fully understand the pains they have gone through, I was able to offer my presence, time and support. 

In 2010, Christopher Kai spotted my sister and I walking through the mission after serving food and invited us on a tour with his group. Looking back, perhaps we shouldn’t have followed strangers around the mission but we did and my life has never been the same. 

It was that evening that I learned about Chris’s program called Mondays at the Mission where volunteer mentors offer a life skills class to students 10 years and older. 

This life skills class exposed me to a unique insight that reminds me to be grateful for my upbringing. Coming from a blue-collar family- my dad on the oilfields and my mom a groundskeeper we never lived in excess but we always had everything we needed. My sisters and I played sports, eat three meals a day, received presents during the holidays, and always had new clothes at the start of the new school year. 

What I learned in the life skills class, that I didn’t notice while serving in the kitchen is that generational poverty impacts thousands of families, and children growing up in poverty, especially for longer periods of time are far more likely to be poor as adults. 

Mondays at the Mission is a crucial program that exists in the midst of children experiencing homelessness and severe trauma. Many of the students in class lack consistent education because they are constantly moving, they’re unable to get adequate sleep and are exposed to toxic stress that can actually impact their brain development.  

Most of the students at the mission are only there for a few weeks so I strived to build inspiring connections as quickly as possible but eventually, each child moves out- some quicker than others. Many of the families move into another shelter, are placed into an apartment, or find themselves back on the streets. 

There are a few students that I personally mentored outside the mission, one of which, I would consider a dear friend. 

My friend is dynamic, eager to learn, and is always seeking new opportunities. She is a comedian and since knowing her for 8 years I would say that she is what I aspire to be like. I’ve seen her at some of her lowest points in life and even in those times of darkness she finds a way out and is able to make light of it all. 

Jana Stanfield said, “I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good I can do.”

If you are feeling stuck in life, depressed, or unsure what you will do next I challenge you to get outside your comfort zone and lose yourself in service to others. 

As Mahatma Gandhi says, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

Perhaps at first, it may feel uncomfortable because one of the hardest things to do is get out of your daily routine and start something new. 

So how do you get started? 

You don’t need the right answer to start. You can start by asking a question. Simply asking, “How can I help others?” will call forth answers naturally. 

In the beginning, just repeating the question is enough, and when you get that sensation to do something, don’t question it, just do it. I call it an inspired action, and if you take the first step it will lead to another, which ultimately creates your unique path of service. 

As Lao Tzu says “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” 

Don’t overthink it. I knew I wanted to serve at the URM, I didn‘t know why and I didn't question it.

However, service doesn’t need to be with an organization and it doesn't need to be structured, it can be as simple as holding the door for someone, placing notes of encouragement around your office or taking a minute to talk with the person next to you in the elevator that you desperately want to avoid. 

Service can happen at any given moment, you just have to be present and willing to help. 

I promise you this, once you make service to others apart of who you are you will reap benefits for the rest of your life. 

So start today- perhaps now is the time to set down your phone or shut off your computer and look at all the opportunities around you to serve right now.