Experiences of life that change you: Living charity on Lower Wacker

Eight high school girls spent the night at our house so as to get up with us at 4:00 am on Saturday morning, (yes, I said 4:00 am on a Saturday morning) so as to do what is now known as “the morning run”.  It takes place on and around Lower Wacker Avenue in downtown Chicago.  We join up with a few adults who are there every Saturday morning and drive “underneath the city” through parking garages and under overpasses where many homeless sleep.  We walk right up to their make shift beds and say “Good morning”, offering them hot coffee, lunches, clothing and blankets, etc.  The homeless and many of the adults who do this every Saturday know each other by name.  By going so early, we are able to reach a large number of them before they get up and roam around the city streets for the day.  Each girl had the opportunity to offer them coffee and food.  It was a real “hands on” experience; an experience that gives direction, helping young teenagers to give of themselves, to step into another world for a moment, to be grateful for all they have.  It was a lesson of the heart, of love and of true charity.  These are the experiences of life that change you.