At 5:30pm on Tuesday eve May 21st, several members of the newly formed “Talk in Action” group (sponsored by Pacifica Institute) met at the downtown, SLC Women’s Shelter. Goal: to engage the children in an hour or so of Arts and Crafts. The group’s artist, Jean, graciously gifted the volunteers with a variety of art supplies including paints, brushes, construction paper, materials to make puppets and heart shaped mobiles, and even shaving cream for an awesome abstract art activity!
The children themselves were the most awesome, however, as they observed their innocence, their joyful spirits and their eagerness to engage in these creative activities. There the group spent time engaging a bit further with the children, their mothers and other family members staying at the shelter.
The group afterwards returned to Pacifica Institute in a more sober state of heart and mind, to share their experience and a meal together. Most of the volunteers expressed the human compassion they felt in getting this close to the reality of homelessness in the city. As they sat around the table they spontaneously held each other’s hands. Libby Hunter, Deacon of St. Mark’s Church, graciously led them in a moment of prayer. They prayed in gratitude for one another; for the welfare of the children and parents who are courageously enduring these difficult times of transition; and in gratitude for the goodness they are now more keenly aware of in their lives.
