Reno

On Wednesday night we ate dinner with some homeless people. I sat next to Gordo, who used to live in Maine and claims friendship with Stephen King. "You know that book called Carrie?" Gordo asked us. "Well, it's based on my wife," he said. I thought to myself, is this really something to brag about?

Gordo went on, "Actually, Stephen based all of his books on my life." Gordo is homeless and walked for three hours to arrive at the building where the meal was being served.

On our first day we fed around 1,800 homeless in downtown Reno. I was reminded that homelessness is much more complicated than I often realize. Travel is fatal to prejudice, as Mark Twain once said, but he said it much more eloquently. Handing out 1,000 slices of cheese for hamburgers afforded me interaction (although brief) with a wide range of homeless and low-income people. By the end of the project I felt the same way I do whenever I travel overseas: we're different, these people and I, but we're not that different. The more time I spent with them, the emphasis on what separates us (money, jobs, education, connections, mostly money) began to fade while the things that we have in common slowly took center stage (the need for love, inner peace, health, security, purpose, and friends).

We also visited a nearby Indian reservation. This was maybe my favorite part of the trip. Honestly, Native Americans are not really on my radar. So, I enjoyed learning about the tribe, its history, and spending the afternoon on some service projects they set up for us. I spent the afternoon cleaning a building that looked like some sort of worn out community center.

I don't want to blog about the flyers, but our team passed out a butt load of flyers all over Reno. Next, please.

Our group was composed of college students from the Portland Metro area (three different campuses). While in Reno our students worked with some after-school programs for inner city kids and youth. I loved that the students all worked together to plan and facilitate everything on their own. I'm so proud (*tear*). They did an amazing job!

Lake Tahoe was beautiful, but I think my favorite Lake Tahoe moment was watching the strange hula hoop man on the beach while waiting for the students to board the bus. It was a windy, chilly day, and I saw a strange man decked out in orange mc hammer pants, a hula hoop, and several other bizarre gadgets strapped to his back pack. The next time I looked at him, he was almost naked. Kelly said, "Is that a towel he's wearing?" Ha! No, it's not, Kelly. It's strange white, rainbow shorts. in 40 degree weather. Then he did a little ditty on his slack line, got stuck trying to do flips on the jungle gym and then danced with his hula hoop all over the beach. It was borderline Napolean Dynamite quality. So, thanks, Hula Man. I desperately needed that laugh. You're awesome. in a strange sort of way.