Update #3

Hey everyone,

It has been a very long, but amazing week. God has really taught me so many things. For the past three days, I have participated in a poverty simulation. We were told that we could select three personal items (I brought my blanket, my shampoo, and a hat) and one set of clothes (the ones I would wear for the next three days) in seven minutes and then meet downstairs. They said our perspectives would be completely different in three days and they were right. I've gotten maybe 6 hours of sleep in the past three days and have been severly deprived as far as food and sanitation goes. Some people were deamed homeless at the beginning and all of their possesions were taken from them and they were forced to depend on the generosity of others.

Friday morning we had to engage in various "homeless activity" and Saturday afternoon we had a hunger banquet. The banquet itself was very interesting. Everyone in my team drew a card that placed them in either low (less than $900 annual income), middle ($900-$9000) or upper (greater than $9000) classes. These classes were proportionate to the quantity of people living in these conditions accross the world. Only three people were in the upper class. The other 15 people in my group ate beans and rice... or even just small portions of rice and had to look on at their friends being served pasta and drinking out of wine glasses. We forget the poverty going on in other nations where people work all day for less than a dollar.

Not only did we have to participate in these activities, but we also had to go to our ministry sites. I was fortunate enough to work with seniors this past week, although when we had a barbeque for them on Friday, we were not permitted to partake. We also had to undergo the two mile walk to the El train and sit through an hour train ride with all of our belongings and do the same thing after working six hours.

I can honestly say that I will never look at the poor and homeless in the same way again. More
than anything, it has been affirmed that I truly feel called to work with the poor and share the
reality of poverty in America and internationally. My close interactions with the impoverished and lonely elderly, and the homeless will change the way I see the world and the considerable
luxury we sit in every day. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I would love to see
your perspectives changed as well.

Some prayer requests I have are:

• That I regain some of my energy so that I will be able to counsel a day camp for underprivelged children next week.
• For financial support as I am still quite short of the necessary amount and some complications have arisen.
• For my health... that I would finally recover from this cold/residual strep throat that has vaguely resurfaced during the simulation. I've been sick off an on for over a month and am finally ready to start feeling better.

In His name,
Shannon Todd