Imagine waking up in the morning on the hard ground, or going to bed with no food in your stomach. Imagine the feeling of loneliness weighing down on you or feeling helpless as you walk around the eerie streets each night. Homeless people can experience these struggles and feelings for some people this is their lives. For these reasons, seventh graders at St. Robert School have decided to step in to help and give love to those people who need it most.

A few weeks ago, a small group of seventh graders along with their teacher Mr. Brehm went on a service trip. Maggie, one of the seventh-graders who went on the trip, explained, “We fed food to the poor, and we toured a cathedral as well as visiting a museum.” To be more specific, their teacher Mr. Brehm noted, “We [go] to the Cathedral of St. John, and we get a tour. Then we go to open door cafe, part of the cathedral, and we serve lunch to homeless people [and struggling ones]. Then we go to the Roman museum to get a docent-lead tour of various works of art.” The Roman museum concluded the kids’ day of service. A new group of 7th graders will continue making trips here on the first Tuesday of each month for the remainder of the year.

Service can affect people in many different ways. Maggie commented on her experience saying, “It was very reflective, and it was eye-opening to see the people that were less fortunate. When we visited the cathedral and visited the poor, I felt happy because I was helping people out.” For Maggie her experience made her feel a bit sad as well as she sympathized with those who are less fortunate, but she also experienced happiness because she is helping people through her work.

Mr. Brehm, who organizes this trip, sees great importance in the experience. He noted that service matters “Because it is a way to live the beatitudes, and that is important for them to learn because it is one of the core messages of Jesus.” Doing service not only makes one a better person but improves one’s faith life.

Service can help people emotionally, physically, and improve their connection with God. Maggie said, “I would recommend it because it was a good experience because I got to help people.” Mr. Brehm, who has done past service including serving at a soup kitchen and attending a mass with the sisters of charity in Chicago, also explained, “It was a good experience because what I did helped me to see Christ in the poor.” He also noted that experiences with certain people really impact him as a person.

All in all, service is a great way to stay emotionally and faithfully strong. It can impact the way we see people and situations and encourage others to step in and help. Service will have something to offer, and leave you walking away thinking about the world around you. I can’t wait to go on my first service trip next month and experience this opportunity. Go online or ask friends to sign up for service today to help other people and grow as a person.