Volunteer Reflection: Bill Hutchinson

I started volunteering at SYM 12 years ago when I saw an announcement at my church (UPC) asking for people willing to serve in SYM’s Drop-in space for young adults experiencing homelessness. I’ve been so blessed over these years to get to know so many committed and caring volunteers, so many gifted and effective staff and, of course, so many amazing youth. My role as a volunteer is to help make drop-in “go” by serving meals, getting youth set up with showers or laundry, playing UNO or just chatting about the day.

Occasionally, I get the opportunity to serve youth outside of the Drop-in space. For example, I’ve taken a youth driving on several occasions to help them practice for driving test and had a youth over for dinner who had aged out of SYM and moved close to my home. It’s all part of building relationships of caring and trust and serving people in our city who I believe God has called me to.

I have two boys, Liam and Micah, who have grown up watching me head off to Drop-in. They have come to know SYM as something I do every week, something that is just part of me. That is why it was such a joy last week to have Liam be able to come alongside me in this calling. Liam is home from his first year at the University of San Francisco and I asked if he would come with Phoebe (our incredible case manager extraordinaire) and me to help one of our SYM clients to get his new apartment set up. This was hard work and required a lot of elbow grease to clean a challenging space. I was so proud of my son for his joyful spirit while serving a fellow young person who needed some help.

Liam came to understand some of the many challenges that exist for young people, even if they are able to gain a roof over their head. For example, the entire time that we were helping clean and organize, Phoebe was listening on hold for someone to pick up and assist with getting our client’s food stamps restored after they had mysteriously lapsed. Ultimately, this phone call was left unanswered after two hours of smooth jazz and fruitless waiting.

Additionally, we were only able to get one load of laundry through (we needed time to do probably three more!) because the apartment facilities required a credit card to operate. Having a credit card to do laundry (what, no quarters!?!) Is not something we knew was a barrier for our friend. These were some of the conversations we had on our way home and I felt I could see Liam’s heart break and grow, all at the same time.

Bill Hutchinson
SYM Volunteer

Personally, I Feel Encouraged

To be honest, I had begun to feel rather discouraged. Amidst a death in the family, personal friends on-again, off-again in their addiction, and heck- the state of the world in general? I just needed to see a win, somewhere in my life. And I didn't feel like I was witnessing it at SYM. I know the power of God- I've experienced it! And I have seen the Lord's hand on people and situations around drop-in, but there came a time where it felt stagnant. With more hopes and ideas than resources and volunteers, progress felt halted and planning almost pointless. Where were the answers to all my prayers?

I even began daydreaming of quitting my position at SYM and going back to retail. However that may sound, it's just that that line of work is so much simpler. The problems are easier to fix, and there's a set way of doing things that works. I can order an item that's not in stock or maybe take an expired coupon- even if the customer has an attitude I can make sure their bread is on top so it doesn't get squished in the bag. But solving the fentanyl crisis? Combating homelessness? Mending broken hearts? That's far more messy and complex and there's no rules handed down from corporate for how to handle your shift.

Even so, myself and the rest of the team showed up faithfully each day, continued to problem solve, and relentlessly loved those we serve. In the past couple weeks I've really seen some of the fruits of our labors! A young person we hadn't seen since she left mid-summer showed up recently. By July, life was chaotic in Seattle and greater prospects awaited her elsewhere, but the last update we'd received was not what anyone had hoped for. Soon after that we lost contact completely. A couple weeks ago she appeared on our doorstep, back to tell us she had accepted Jesus as her God and King and now had several months clean! She shared that as things crashed down around her she remembered the genuine smiles of the staff at SYM and how they always credited it to Jesus. No way, she thought. So she set her heart to see if there was truth to it, and now the light in her eyes says it all: she met Truth. And she came back to share her joy with us! If nothing else ever comes of me working at this place, seeing that young woman redeemed and full of life is more than worth it all.

But that isn't the only wonderful thing we've seen lately! One client who has been struggling with addiction, recently began opioid replacement therapy! Any time someone switches out fentanyl for suboxone it is a huge win and definitely something to celebrate! What's even more encouraging is that through intentional relationship with SYM staff, this young man has begun searching for the Truth in God as well. He admits to seeing a pattern that most often when people around him have truly found freedom from drugs and their way to a better life, they usually claim God has something to do with it, and he feels safe to delve into this with one of our staff. It is an honor and a privilege to be in the vicinity as God works in this guy's heart.

Furthermore, multiple people are on their way to being housed through different avenues! One individual said that they did not meet the specific qualifications for the first building they applied to. Instead of letting this be a setback, they decided to hop online right away and filled out the applications for 3 other options! They're on their way to signing a lease! We've had another young person recently receive their highschool diploma and come in just to tell us, as they have been housed and stabilized for a while now!

Coffee Runs have felt like they are sustaining momentum in the program. It's just good to get out and engage with the community, and commit to doing what's possible. We're building new partnerships with local ministry leaders to see how we can support each other in our varied efforts around the neighborhood. We now set up a canopy with chairs and an ashtray in the church parking lot across from drop-in and somehow it's really added to the community atmosphere. Everyone is happy to help assemble and tear down, bring the chairs in and out. And, passerbys have been more apt to say hello! I've got to say, when someone parks in the lot and walks by with a smile and a wave, or even an audible "how's it going guys?" my heart flips a little. One college aged guy stopped and asked folks for their contact info because they just looked like cool people to skate with. I cannot tell you how ecstatic that made me. It makes all the difference for the people we care so much about to be treated with common courtesy and friendliness rather than avoided like delinquents. Somehow a change has been made. Our dream of the community unified is becoming a reality.

So I gotta say, personally, I'm feeling really encouraged. And I hope when you read these testimonies yourself you feel the glowing weight of each one. God is doing something here. Jesus is changing lives and hearts, bringing people together, and doing a new thing in this city. All the glory goes to God, and man it sure is exciting to be a small part in it and see my own prayers answered. Thank You Jesus!

Looking Up

I get frustrated sometimes when hiking because I have to pay so much attention to my feet. If I don’t keep my eyes down I will (and certainly have) tripped.

This reminds me of how young adults here at SYM explain their situations, that they can’t look up to see where they’re going because they are so focused on what is in front of them.

They’re so focused on not tripping, on meeting the basic necessities of each day, that they can get used to keeping their head down, and then they get stuck.

Case management is a chance for youth to sit down with SYM staff one on one and gain perspective. As a case manager I work with young adults to make to-do lists, we make phone calls that are exhausting and full of long wait times, I drive them to appointments, we research together how you get a Wisconsin ID replacement when you’re very far from Wisconsin. We cheerlead accomplishments, and listen to stories. We get to know young people and what makes them unique, and we help young people identify what direction they want to go.

If we only ever looked down at our feet, we’d never get to enjoy or marvel at the little things in life that add up to be the big things. We’d never get to pick what way we are walking. Case management allows space for these things to happen in the lives of homeless young adults.

Written by Emma Fix, Case Manager

Come and See

Recently, my church challenged us to kick off 2018 by reading through the Gospel of John. As I began reading through John, I noticed something striking to me in the first few chapters. In chapter 1, John the Baptist points out to his followers that Jesus is the Lamb of God (v.36). Following Jesus, they ask him where he's staying. Instead of simply telling them where, he invites them to "Come and see." One of these followers is Andrew, who immediately goes and gets his brother Peter and brings him to Jesus (v.40-42).

Shortly after this, Philip meets Jesus and tells his friend Nathanael about him. Nathanael is skeptical, so Philip invites him to "Come and see" (v.44-46). Skipping to chapter 4, we see a similar interaction happen with the Samaritan woman at the well. After encountering Jesus, she goes to her town and says to her people, "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did" (v.29). 

What I love about each of these instances is the invitation offered. In each passage, when Andrew, Philip, and the Samaritan woman meet Jesus, their first instinct was to invite their community to meet him and bring them there. It reminds me of hiking ahead of friends and being the first to see a beautiful view or waterfall, and quickly running back to say, "You guys have GOT to see this."

Jesus isn't someone who can just be explained with mere words, he's someone people must experience for themselves.

Juxtaposed between these passages is Jesus' first miracle, turning water into wine. I LOVE that Jesus chose this to be his first miracle, because it reminds me that life with Jesus is one big party, a feast! His first miracle was choosing to keep the party going, and not with just any wine, but the best wine. Jesus doesn't skimp on us, but he lavishly gives in abundance. 

As followers of Jesus, our lives get to be this invitation for others to "come and see" what Jesus is all about. And what's great about that is we aren't inviting people to something boring or rigid, but we're inviting them to an exciting feast - to meet the Lord of the Wine.

*Written by Jordan Field*