Ever since I started working with and loving the wonderful communnity of 5Loaves at Willow Chicago, I have opted to stay in the city for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, making time for traditions with my homeless brothers and sisters. Many great memories were made in the Roscoe house these past four years withThanksgiving Dinners and Christmas Open-houses. Over and over, I have found that being a family and a support system is a much better way to approach homelessness, and to offer the kind of normal experiences that the rest of the world is doing on those days that they may be missing out otherwise. In doing so, we have not only created family for those without, but we have been over and above blessed.
(Here are a few that we grabbed for a picture this year!)
This year I felt conflicted with also feeling that being in the neighborhood would be an important activity for the day! Luckily, our 5Loaves family was able to participate in a free Thanksgiving meal that Tapas Valencia puts on every year, which was a great treat for everyone and left time for me to go back and be a part of things going on in the house. I was excited to have my cousin Erin with me for the second year, and we were lucky that her brother Jesse flew in from NYC to join us as well!
Jesse, Erin and I arrived back at the house to find the downstairs family Thanksgiving in full swing! Several car loads of cousins had arrived the night before, bringing back home some dear ones that we hadn't seen since the summer.
Several of the girls slept in our spare room the night before, and the kids all came up to do hand turkeys while they waited for the food. We truly felt like one big building family!
The days after things quieted down, giving us time for some of our favorite activities.
Life is full, and we are thankful to God for His many blessings!
and then, God...
Smiled :)
