Mission Toronto: A Glimpse into Homelessness
By: June Li
“I’ve always struggled when I walked pass homeless people. I wasn’t sure how to act, whether I should look at them or say something,” says Amber, “Mission Toronto showed me that they are just people, who need to be loved like everyone else.” Though Amber is one of the many youth who participated in Mission Toronto, she wasn’t the only one who was profoundly impacted from this trip.
Bright and early on a Wednesday morning, the Youth Group at Northridge Community Church in Aurora met together for Mission Toronto where for the next five days; they would learn and experience the realities of homelessness. Organized by Nancy Harrison of Northridge Community Church, the days were filled with eye-opening experiences and filled with many firsts.
Members of the youth group handing out coffee to an individual on the street
After learning about the realities of homelessness, from the Sanctuary (an organization that provides those without a home a place of refuge), the group focused on giving back. Influenced by The Salvation Army Corps in Santa Monica, Northridge Community Church brought ‘Coffee, Cookies and Christ’ to the streets of Toronto. With two cambros full of coffee and backpacks with cookies, the group walked around Toronto spreading compassion and hope to those on the streets.
Can you live on just $3.00 a day? Would you skip a meal so you can pay your bills? Unfortunately, those experiencing homelessness are forced to make these tough choices every day. Through the Church of Redeemer the youth group was able to experience a glimpse of what it would be like to be homeless. The group was provided a map of the city and tasked with objectives such as finding a meal for $3.00 and a place to sleep for two nights. Though the students were filled with optimism, they soon realized that these tasks were not as simple as they seemed. “What many people may not realize is that it takes a lot of strength to live on the streets,” says Harrison, “Sometimes, you have to make difficult decisions like which meals to skip so you won’t have to sleep on an empty stomach.”
Harrison explained that learning about the statistics of homelessness is overwhelming and to see and experience it firsthand puts everything in a different perspective. Attitudes surrounding homelessness often have a negative connotation. In many ways, society’s perceptions about homelessness are not shaped by direct experience but rather it is often influenced by how they are portrayed in the media. No matter an individual’s circumstance, we must remember that everyone is the same and should be treated with dignity and respect.
“It takes no effort for anyone to give their time and it takes nothing from us but to those experiencing hardships, it means everything,” says Harrison.
