The Listening House
July 10, 2010
Yesterday, I experienced life at The Listening House in St. Paul, MN. What I mean by that is that there is true life and energy in that place. I have volunteered at soup kitchens and shelters in the past and, from my perspective, everything felt very dead. People came in, got their food or their place to sleep, and then kept to themselves for the entirety of their stay. At The Listening House, there was community, love, fun, family.
The Listening House is not a soup kitchen, nor is it considered a shelter. Not to be repetitive, but the only term or title I can think to describe it’s mission is that it is a community. They open Monday through Friday every week, during breakfast, lunch, and dinner times. They don’t serve meals. They serve coffee and pastries. They offer couches, chairs, and air conditioning. They provide community members with toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, shaving cream, towels, soap, deoderant, a place to bathe, socks, clothing, batteries, stamps, envelopes. And that list is not by any means exhaustive. They have guitars, chess boards, cribbage, and old computer games available for people to play at their liesure. They receive the mail directed toward each community member and distribute it daily. They have phone stations on which people can call their friends and family members. They are a home.
When I went to volunteer here for the first time yesterday, I was a bit intimidated, simply because I did not know what to expect. When the doors opened in the morning, it was a mad rush to the front dest to get toiletries and clothing. Everyone wanted to put their name in the “work box” in hopes of being drawn at random for different chores that needed to be completed around the facitlity–in return for which, they would receive a predetermined amount of tokens that are good for various things around the city.
Once things calmed down a bit, we just got to visit with the residents. I met dozens of new, homeless friends. We chatted over coffee. I heard bits and pieces of life-stories and I told bits and pieces of mine.
Everyone in that place was craving the same thing: relational love. From what I’ve seen thus far, that is what The Listening Houseu provides–relationships…not some sort of social experiment in which observations of this lifestyle can be made. For that reason, all volunteers are required to commit to at least three months of service so that true relationships can be built, not simple, fleeting moments.
I will be volunteering weekly, so stay tuned for more stories. In the meantime, check out their website here.
Until next time, love.
-Jess
