Episode 52- UMHB Student Volunteers

Summary

The Collage Podcast - Episode 52: UMHB Student Volunteers

Release Date: November 13, 2024
Host: Feed My Sheep
Guests: Sabra, Melody, Emerson

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1. Introduction of Guests

In Episode 52 of The Collage Podcast, the host welcomes listeners to hear from three dedicated UMHB nursing students—Sabra, Melody, and Emerson—who have volunteered with Feed My Sheep. Each guest introduces themselves, sharing their academic background and hometowns:

• Sabra: A sophomore nursing major from Katy, Texas.
• Melody: A freshman nursing student from Dallas.
• Emerson: A nursing major originally from San Antonio, Texas, who recently began her studies at UMHB.

Notable Quote:

Melody: "I feel like FMS does a great job of building family bonds with the people we interact with."
(00:32)

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2. Discovering Feed My Sheep

The volunteers discuss how they learned about Feed My Sheep (FMS) and what motivated them to become involved:

• Sabra found FMS through the UMHB missions fair.
• Emerson discovered FMS while researching local organizations providing food and nutritional support for a nursing school assignment.

Notable Quote:

Emerson: "When it came to needing volunteer hours, I thought of Feed My Sheep and decided to get involved."
(01:47)

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3. Motivations for Volunteering and Nursing

The conversation delves into the guests' reasons for choosing nursing and their commitment to mission work:

• Sabra: Inspired by her desire to perform mission work through nursing and overcome challenges in interacting with diverse individuals.
• Melody: Influenced by her parents' careers in healthcare and her initial aspiration to be a surgeon, which shifted to nursing for its relational impact.
• Emerson: Motivated by personal experiences with her grandmother's hospitalization and the compassionate care provided by nurses, contrasting with less empathetic medical staff.

Notable Quotes:

Sabra: "God changed my life through the medical field and through me going through health issues."
(04:56)

Melody: "Seeing my parents work in healthcare motivated me to pursue nursing."
(12:51)

Emerson: "I wanted to be the difference that somebody was for my family, for somebody else."
(16:36)

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4. Personal Testimonies and Experiences

Sabra shares a profound testimony of how her faith and personal health struggles led her to nursing and mission work. She recounts witnessing miracles, such as her grandmother’s recovery from meningitis, which reinforced her commitment to serving others with empathy and compassion.

Notable Quote:

Sabra: "I want to serve people for Christ and understand that everyone is made in God's image."
(10:54)

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5. Reflections on Homelessness and Service

The volunteers reflect on their encounters with homelessness and how these experiences have reshaped their perspectives:

• Observing individuals sleeping on the streets evoked feelings of guilt and empathy.
• Recognizing the importance of community and relational support beyond merely addressing physical needs.
• Realizing that homeless individuals possess dreams, passions, and inherent worth.

Notable Quotes:

Emerson: "I felt guilty for having a warm bed and facilities that many lack."
(22:49)

Melody: "We take so much for granted, and it's essential to humble ourselves before others."
(24:58)

Sabra: "Meeting homeless individuals has shown me how similar we are and helped me overcome my tendency to judge."
(25:08)

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6. Impact on Personal Perspectives

Volunteering with FMS has led the students to significant personal growth:

• Emerson emphasizes the importance of compassion that drives action, inspired by biblical teachings.
• Melody appreciates the diverse stories of the homeless, fostering a deeper understanding and commitment to servanthood.
• Sabra acknowledges the transformative effect of building genuine relationships with individuals from different backgrounds.

Notable Quotes:

Emerson: "Interacting with people here has evoked the true definition of compassion in me."
(28:09)

Melody: "Feed My Sheep opened my eyes to a deeper level of servanthood and community support."
(28:09)

Sabra: "These interactions help me immensely in missions, nursing, and treating others with kindness."
(29:33)

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7. Advice for Peers on Volunteering

When asked what they would say to fellow college students about volunteering with Feed My Sheep, the volunteers offer heartfelt advice:

• Emerson encourages stepping out of comfort zones and emphasizes that the impact of volunteering often benefits the volunteer as much as those they help.
• Melody highlights the importance of approaching volunteer work with an open mind and heart, warning against volunteering for superficial reasons.
• Sabra advises trusting in God’s plan and embracing the transformational experiences that come with serving others.

Notable Quotes:

Emerson: "Be bold, humble yourself, and understand that volunteering can change your life as much as others’."
(31:42)

Melody: "Volunteer with an open heart and walk by faith, not just for good deeds."
(33:14)

Sabra: "Listen to God, trust His plans, and seek transformation through serving others."
(34:19)

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Conclusion

Episode 52 of The Collage Podcast offers an inspiring glimpse into the lives of UMHB nursing students who are making a tangible difference through their volunteer work at Feed My Sheep. Through heartfelt discussions, personal testimonies, and reflective insights, Sabra, Melody, and Emerson illustrate the profound impact of service on both the volunteers and the community they serve. Their stories underscore the importance of compassion, empathy, and genuine connection in addressing homelessness and fostering a supportive community.

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Key Takeaways:

• Volunteering with Feed My Sheep provides valuable experiences that enhance personal growth and professional development in the nursing field.
• Building relationships and offering compassionate support are essential in effectively serving the homeless community.
• Engaging in volunteer work fosters a deeper understanding of community needs and reinforces the importance of empathy and humility.

For those interested in making a difference and expanding their horizons, Episode 52 serves as an encouraging testament to the transformative power of volunteerism.

Transcript

[Emerson]

Foreign.

[Host]

Welcome in to the Collage podcast, episode 52. Thank you all for joining us. We have some special guests today, some volunteers that came to Feed My sheep. Introduce yourself.

[Sabra]

My name is Sabra. I am a sophomore nursing major at umhb, and I'm from Katy, Texas.

[Melody]

My name is Melody. I'm from Dallas. I'm a freshman starting the nursing program here at umhb, and my name is Emerson.

[Emerson]

I'm also a nursing major. I just started nursing school at UMHB as well, but originally I'm from San Antonio, Texas.

[Host]

Do you guys all know each other? Like, before today, did you know each other?

[Melody]

I obviously knew Emerson, but I did not know we've seen each other.

[Emerson]

I was about to say Sabra and I have definitely had, like, two classes or together or something like that, but not on, like, a super deep level.

[Host]

Yeah. Okay. How much time have each of you spent here at Feed My Sheep as of right now?

[Emerson]

So before today? Today I've spent about, what, five, four and a half, five hours here. But before today, I'd only been here once for, like, a tour of the facility. But today it's been five hours.

[Sabra]

That's really it.

[Melody]

Yeah, same here. I was just here with Emerson. I actually came, found Feed My Sheep through her, and I think that was a really cool opportunity.

[Sabra]

I have been coming for, like, two weeks, probably spent a total of, like, 10 hours here.

[Host]

And how did you find out about.

[Sabra]

Feed My Sheep through umhb? We had a fair, a missions fair, and I was introduced by you.

[Host]

Cool.

[Emerson]

It's kind of funny, actually. We. For nursing school, we had an assignment where it talked about food stamps and nutritional deficiencies, like, when people don't have enough food. And so, like, local organizations that provide that for the community. And so in our assignment, we had to look up local organizations, and I actually found Feed My Sheep through that. And I remember, like, looking on the website and seeing, like, all the services that y'all had, and I just really thought it was interesting. So when it came to, like, needing volunteer hours, I was like, wait, I know of a place that does this. So I was like, oh, I'll look up Feed My Sheep. And then here I am now.

[Host]

Cool. So that kind of leads me to my next question would be, what brought you here? Like, I know how you found out about it, but what made you choose to actually come here and serve? Was it just the volunteer hours and, like, the place seems all right?

[Emerson]

I think for me, in nursing specifically, it's like, a big topic of conversation that our occupation Isn't exactly, like, glamorous. And so next semester, when we start clinicals, half of our clinicals are community clinicals. And I think that with, like, organizations like Mission emphasis Week, we talk a lot about international missions and, like, needs that are across the world. But for me, it was. I do need volunteer hours, but it's kind of convicting to think about the fact that there's so much need in our community and. And kind of getting to see the community in this way. I feel like that's why I came here, rather than, like, volunteering at my church or something like that. Just because when you're immersed in a community, I think it's important to see it and, like, what goes on in Belton, Texas, and Temple, Texas, where I'm at. But, yeah, that's for me.

[Melody]

I guess for me, like, this is gonna sound very bad. Like, I just wanted to complete my final hours of volunteer hours. But then I. I got there, and I realized what we were doing and what the mission of feed my sheep was about. And I realized this is something deeper and bigger than myself. This is reaching people who need a chance, People who don't really get a chance to be seen and often are just discarded on the side of the road. And I feel like I got to see a lot of people just for who they are and from where they come from, and all these people are coming from different walks of life. And I think it was such a blessing today to really be a part of that. So, yeah, I think it was awesome.

[Sabra]

I really want to do mission work through nursing. I'd like to travel overseas, but I also struggle a lot with interacting with people who are not very similar to me or strong in their faith. So I really wanted to branch out and see if I could figure out how to interact with people who are very different from me. And I felt like this was a good opportunity, so I showed up, and I really liked it. And they actually have a lot of stuff that I'm really interested in. So I've had a lot of fun playing music and just talking about nursing and how to impact people around me here.

[Host]

Awesome. So two of you mentioned missions. So when you guys say missions, are you passionate about sharing the gospel through nursing? Is that part of, like, what your goal is like here and wherever else you go?

[Sabra]

Yes. One reason I went into nursing is because I want to do mission work. God changed my life through the medical field and through me going through health issues. So I have a lot of empathy for that. And I felt like he was Calling me to missions and nursing missions in particular, and just living my life, serving others and doing whatever I can for another person, no matter the cost to me, and, like, just living for Christ. And I felt like mission work was a great way to do that. Although I'm very scared about fundraising, that is one thing that I'm very hesitant to do.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Emerson]

I would say, for me, I would love to say that, like, my call to nursing is, like, I want to go overseas and stuff like that. It's really not. I think that I've seen the humility of nursing in a way where, again, I said this before, but it's not super glamorous. And I think the love of God is, like, Jesus was so humble to us. And so the way I think about it is, like, my occupation will be a mission field no matter if it was nursing or if it wasn't. But I do feel encouraged by the fact that it's not the medicine that's the mission field. It's not, like, the healing of people. It's, like, the loving people through it. And I think that's as nurses, like, you get such a unique opportunity to love people in that way. And honestly, like, kind of tying into, like, something Melody was talking about earlier, like, being here, that's something that kind of shocked me, was that it wasn't the action of what we're doing. It's not like the breakfast in the morning. It's not that. I mean, it is providing services like that, but it's building relationships with people. Like, that's what this is about, and that's what people need. And you said that earlier today, too. But I think having that, like, connection in my brain, that it's not about, like, the action, it's about, like, having relationship with people. And I think nursing kind of allows me to do that.

[Host]

Yeah. But do you have anything to add to that, Melody?

[Melody]

I agree. Like, everything she said was right. And I think as far as, like, comparing, like, the gospel and being in a career field such as nursing, where you see people every day from every kind of, like, minority, any cultural background, I think it's so amazing that God gives us this ability to not only help people when they're sick, but also to deliver the word of God and pray for them. If they're, you know, you know, in need of something, obviously they're in the hospital, but, like, not just giving them, like, medicinal care, but giving them hope that's deeper than that. Like, that they can carry with them outside of the hospital.

[Host]

Yeah. So even for People that know Jesus. This is just to expand on something you said, Emerson. If people don't have community, then then that's really their biggest need. And that's the main thing that God calls us to as Christians is community. Like he built the church for us to have community. And when people lose, that is what really causes a lot of their problems. So I don't know about you. I know a lot of people that suffer from either mental health issues, even drug problems, or have been in prison and gotten out. And they're not homeless. They have family members, like they have community to take care of them. What often leads to those problems causing homelessness or extreme poverty is really a lack of community. Like those burned bridges or really maybe they never had that. And so even if we could solve every physical need, like we could feed them, give them a bunch of money, put them in a house, like they're still alone, like they don't have anybody, and then they're just going to turn back to those things that caused the problem in the first place, you know?

[Emerson]

Yeah, it's interesting. We had a Bible study earlier today in a park, but one of the guys is talking about Christians who kind of just want to like, fix whatever, like, issues on your life. They'll be like, oh, you're actually doing this wrong. But I think it's funny that like, when Jesus asked, like, what's the greatest commandment? He says, love God and love others. And like, what it looks like to love others is to sit with people and like, what they're going through. It's not to tell them that their life is messed up and that this needs to happen, but literally going off what you're saying, it's like, that's, that's what we're called to do. Love others. And like, it's funny too because in psychology, when you learn about like, why suicide, like in my depression, like takes place, it's because like, people, people have a lack of a sense of belonging. And so on the psychological level, it matters so much to like, think about your life and know that people care about your well being, that people know your name, that people want to know what's going on with you. But yeah, I think that's so interesting.

[Host]

So you said something, Sabra that I thought was interesting. I don't know if you want to go into it more, but that God changed your life through medicine or something to do with medicine.

[Sabra]

Yeah.

[Host]

Do you want to talk about that?

[Sabra]

Sure. My testimony was pretty amazing because God, he changed my life in high school. I went on a mission trip after my sophomore year of high school, and I realized that Jesus did exist. I grew up in a semi Christian household. My mom is Zoroastrian, which is an ancient Persian religion, and my dad is Christian. And I was raised Christian. But I never really could understand why me believing in Jesus meant that my mom might go to hell. And so I finally affirmed my faith at that mission trip and believed, okay, Jesus was needed. Like, I'm a sinner. We've all messed up, and good works aren't going to cover that. And then after that, I ended up getting post Covid depression, and my faith had just started growing. I started meeting with a mentor, and it was amazing. But I got post Covid depression, and I felt like it was a lot of spiritual warfare. And I went through different hospitals because I ended up on a medication that made me suicidal. And I went to different hospitals for about a year. And I just was able to do so much mission work in those hospitals. And it was the most amazing thing ever. And I would never trade that experience for anything. And it has led me to learn to just be content in every circumstance. I felt a lot like Paul. It felt like I was in prison by, like, everything. And I had. There were times when I had absolutely nothing. I couldn't use a pen. And that's how I coped. I wrote a lot. I have a gift for writing. One of my friends that I made on while I was at the hospital, she said, I love how the Holy Spirit flows through your pen. And it was the best thing anyone's.

[Emerson]

Ever said to me.

[Sabra]

And it makes so much sense and, like, just so many miracles happened to where now my faith in God is so strong that I can honestly say, no matter what happens, I know it's his plan, and his plans for me are perfect. Right after I got out of the hospital, I got to finish the second half of my senior year. And then right before college, I was rock climbing and I fell 30ft and I shattered my ankle. And actually the first thought in my mind was Psalm 23. And I was like, this is God's plan for me. And I know I'm gonna be okay because it's his plan for me. And I was thrilled to ride an ambulance. I was so excited. I was talking about it, like, wow, the bone was sticking out of my foot. And I was like, yeah, I don't know. But it gave me some empathy. Sometimes I think that I did not get enough empathy because I liked it so much, but. But it definitely gave me Some empathy for patients, which was awesome. And I got to see a lot of the nurses and like, learn more about the hospital system, which was really cool because I want to do nursing. So, yeah, a lot of stuff happened to where it's just like my faith is so strong now and so deep that I want to share it with everyone because it does create so much community.

[Host]

That's awesome. So did you know that you wanted to get into nursing before that? That did. Did that spark it or did that just strengthen it?

[Sabra]

I was thinking I was leaning towards healthcare before that, but I didn't know nursing until after that experience because I learned I was with so many nurses, I was with so many different people. And I realized that I really want to help people in a way that's very hands on. And also I wanted to do mission work and I felt like nursing was a great way to do that because you are so, like, communal. I also know that I can get an NP degree, so I can work for four. I can do college for four years, get a nursing degree. That's probably the best, best route for like, healthcare in four years. And then after that I can get an NP degree while I'm working if I want to and go even further if I want. So. And it was still all about care and community, which was really cool.

[Host]

Cool. When did you guys know that you wanted to get into nursing?

[Melody]

I actually have parents that are in the healthcare field. My mom is a pharmacist and my dad, he is a behavioral health analyst for mental health patients. So he's really well versed in, like, being around people who have psychiatric problems. And I guess seeing my parents just how they are and how healthcare has impacted their lives and how they see people, I felt like that was God's calling for my life, was to be in the healthcare field. Initially, I did not want to be a nurse. I actually wanted to be a surgeon. But then I quickly realized that was not for me.

[Host]

Why?

[Melody]

I just realized it was like, very like, hands on and really gruesome and. And I feel like that aspect of healthcare is not something that I want to do. I feel like I could reach people on a different level and I feel like nursing was better for me. But yeah, seeing my parents work in the healthcare field, that really motivated me as well, especially because my parents are immigrants from Nigeria. So I kind of have that like, hard work mentality. Like hard work pays off. So I feel like that was really, like, inspiring to see from that point of view from my parents.

[Emerson]

I would say for me I felt like growing up, I had so many different interests, and I just didn't know, like, how to pinpoint something. But when I was younger, like, hitting middle school, my grandmother got meningitis, and so she went into a coma for, like, a month. And we were in and out of hospitals in Dallas and Austin. She was in the ICU for a long time. And I. I had never seen how the healthcare, like, how it worked in general, like. And the doctors that we interacted with. And I know this is, like, such a generalization because there's. I've met so many amazing doctors, but, like, doctors who worked with my grandmother were not empathetic at all. And so. And granted, like, it was a miracle from the Lord that she ever came out of that coma, and she's at a 100% recovery, so praise the Lord for that. But they were very like, I mean, you need to, like, pull the plug. Like, she's not gonna make it. And watching the difference between the physicians and these nurses who had been with my grandmother for weeks and weeks interact with her, she was not conscious. She didn't know anything. Like, she was not there. And watching these nurses treat her with dignity and respect, like, for procedures where it's like, she's gonna be exposed. Like, they're talking to her. They're like, okay, Nancy, like, we're gonna expose you now. Like, this is what I'm gonna be doing. And, like, I watched the way that it affected my grandpa and my mom and my aunt, like, to watch the way that nurses were treating their mother and his wife. It made a difference to me because I was like, I can do that for somebody in an environment where it would be so easy to not think about that kind of stuff, like, not have empathy in that way. I was like, I want to be the difference that somebody was for my family, for somebody else. And I feel like, especially in the medical field, it can be very easy to be desensitized to things. Like, it's just what you're doing. It's your routine. But remembering that these people are made in the image of God, and that means they're worthy of my love, means they're worthy of my time. And so I felt like seeing somebody do that with my grandmother. They literally said she had a 4% chance of recovery. She is fully recovered now. She is like, she's awake, and she's sassy and funny and so happy. And that, like, brought people in the hospital to the Lord, too, because one of the physicians, he was like, we didn't do anything here. Like, and I've seen y'all praying like, this is God, and so that kind of stuff. But, yeah, that's why I chose nursing. It's just like, that relational side of it where you can make a difference in someone's life. And, like, that. That's just so cool to me. But that's why I chose it.

[Host]

That's awesome. So let's talk about your expectations about coming to Feed My Sheep. Whether or not you knew much about Feed My Sheep before you got here, what we do here, just talk about any sort of expectations you had, any thoughts, maybe any fears about serving at Feed My Sheep.

[Sabra]

Well, I didn't have a ton of expectations. I tend to try not to expect things because I get disappointed easily. But I was not disappointed here. I didn't know what I was expecting. But when I got here, it was just. At first, I was like, this is not gonna go well. I was seeing things, and I was like, oh, my gosh, there's so much hurt and so much. Just different. It's so different than what I'm used to. And then I got the tour and everything, and I heard about all the things that y'all offer to homeless people, and I was like, this is amazing. Like, they have community. They have a place to call home, in a sense, And I thought that was amazing, and I wanted to be a part of that. And then even after that, still, like, I could still get scared. I have a lot of anxiety. Like, I can get scared with interacting with people or just not knowing what to do or just standing awkwardly in a corner, like, I don't know what I'm doing. But every time I've been here, like, I love playing music, and I've gotten to play music with two different people who are homeless. And, like, just getting to know people and talking to people. And I have a service dog who is with me all the time, and he gets to go around and say hi to everyone. And that's a great place of connection and community and just learning about these people who may seem so different than me but are very. Like, they're people. Like, they're made in God's image. And you can just see that when you start to get to know them. They're just like me in a sense. And so I have loved getting to play music with people, getting to talk about faith with people, getting to know some of the homeless guys. Like, it's just been. It's been life changing because I always struggle with people who are different than me. And I Feel like this was a way to just open up that door, even to missions. I feel like it'll help me tremendously later in life too.

[Melody]

I didn't really have any high expectations coming. I just came with Emerson and I was like, I'm just gonna get my volunteer hours. But then I was like, wow, these people are just so like diverse. And these people, they just have such good hearts. And when I'm listening to them and hearing their stories, I know that these are people that obviously they've had some bumps in the road, but they truly have good hearts. And I feel like for me, like as young as I am, I would love to just have a conversation with like a 70 year old woman who maybe is single in her home and all her kids are growing up. And I just think that that relational aspect is so important now because I feel like people these days when they see homeless people, they have one idea of them and it's just like, oh, they did drugs or they did this and they did that. All the wrong things that went on in their life.

[Emerson]

And.

[Melody]

And I feel like a lot of people fail to realize the good things that they're doing, how they're trying to better their lives, what they're trying to do. And I guess during the Bible study there was this one guy who had a lot of ideas about the Bible. I forgot his name.

[Host]

Arthur.

[Melody]

Arthur, yes, Arthur. He had so many ideas about the Bible and you could tell like this is someone who does have a relationship with God. And I feel like someone like from another lens, if they didn't know Arthur, they were like, oh, this guy doesn't know anything about God. He's just, you know, wants a handout or whatever. So I feel like really truly seeing people and just having a conversation with them. I feel like Feed My Sheep does a great job with that. And I feel like there's just so much community based things like you can just say hi to someone walking and coming and you see these people so often that you build this like family bond with them. And I feel like it's just so cool to see. Like it's awesome.

[Emerson]

I was gonna say Melody just hit it on the mark. Basically. Any point. I was gonna say as far as expectations went, I kind of obviously Feed My Sheep does so much and they provide more services than like a typical food bank would. But I kind of like the expectation I had coming into it was like I'm going to be behind a counter, like handy like a food bank. Like I really thought it was going to be like A food bank. And I think that. I feel like sometimes this is, like, I don't. I'm not going to rope anybody else into this. I'm only going to speak for myself here. But sometimes when I serve, it's easy to think, like, how can I benefit others? How can I serve other people and be of value to them? But it's kind of been humbling in a way, and very. I feel very blessed by it because, like, these people are blessing me. Like, I don't feel like I'm. I can add anything to their life, that they're gonna be like, oh, like, that girl just really helped me out there. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, I'm not really doing anything but, like, getting to talk to these people and then being so, like, vulnerable and so honest and open and really getting to see, like, the relational aspect of it. I'm, like, I feel humbled, and I also feel very convicted that I thought I could make a difference in anybody's life. When it's like, first of all, that would only be the Lord through me. But I feel like that's. That was, like, the expectation that wasn't me was how relational that it is. And it's not about what I can do, but it's about how I just meet people as human beings. Because it's. I mean, Melody said this. Like, when you're driving, you see someone who's homeless. Like, you have an expectation in your brain, whether or not you acknowledge it. Like, there is something that your brain goes to and getting to, like, talk to people, hear their stories, hear them talk about their family members, their. Their siblings, their children. Like, you're reminded that, like, this person was made in the image of God. They have dreams, they have passions, but they're just in a hard spot right now. And so if, like, you can come alongside them and, like, just be with them, like, that's what matters. But, like, that's been really cool to see, even, like, literally the five hours of being here.

[Host]

Yeah, that's awesome. So this morning when you did get here, we ended up going down to the food bank to CTLC to do a survey. This is before Sabra got here. Sorry. Sabra and I haven't talked to you guys about this, but we passed a guy literally sleeping just randomly on the side of the street. What did you guys think about that? Or what did that make you feel? Or did you think anything about it?

[Emerson]

I think in this, like, this is, like, exposing, like, actually the worst part of me, I think. But, like, Part of me was like. Like, scared a little bit. I was, like, walking past him, like, oh, like. Like, is he gonna be mad that I'm walking past him? Like, what if I wake him up? Kind of thing. But then it was like, I just felt sad because I think it was like, I. Like, I'm serving here, and then I go back to my apartment. I have a warm bed to sleep in. I have AC in my apartment. I have an apartment that has a kitchen, like, an oven and a stove. And, like, that's such a blessing. And it's something I'm so normalized, like, too, that I forget that it is a blessing. And so I felt almost like, guilty in a way. Like, what did I do that I deserve this? But this man, like, his sleeping on the side of the road right now. Do you know what I'm saying? But that's. That's definitely what I thought when I passed him. It's like, almost guilty of, like, I didn't do anything to deserve better, you know?

[Melody]

But I guess for me, I was just like. I guess, like, I feel like I just realized, like, I take a lot of things for granted. Just waking up in the morning and just doing my daily routine and then seeing someone who is just sitting on the side of the road and this is all they have. And I feel like I just had a kind of a. Just a really, like, interesting, paralleled moment when I was, like, thinking to myself, I was like, here I am complaining about all the tiny little things. As college students, we complain about school workload, lack of sleep, but here's a person on the side of the road just trying to get time to sleep. And it's like we take for granted our bed. Like you said, stove. I've been having any AC and warm water. And like, we don't know when he last showered or when he last had, like, proper hygiene. And I just think, like, it's just, like, such a humbling thing to just really humble yourself before anyone and not think yourself to be less than or greater than anyone, I feel like. Because I feel like at the end of the day, we're all humans. And I feel like we're still all God's children. And I feel like we should all be very grateful for what we have, no matter what, where we came from or anything like that. So.

[Host]

Yeah, and so I know you weren't there, Sabra, but you've seen outside, there's people just sleeping right outside, feeding my sheep a lot of the time. How has that affected you, if at all?

[Sabra]

I have to say, when I first got here, I was kind of scared. Like, I was like, am I parents gonna get mad at me for being here? Like, I don't know. I just had no idea what to expect. I did not understand. Like, I don't. I never understood homeless people until recently. Um, and, like, yeah, I had looked at them and been, like, automatically judging them. And, like, I struggle a lot with just looking at someone and judging them, which is really not smart. And I know that, but it's kind of hard to resist. But now that I've met some of them, it's been really cool to just see how similar we are and how, like, they are people with feelings who are trying their best sometimes and most of the time. And, like, so now when I see it, it's like, it's almost like a community that people are around this building. It's like they want to be here. Like, they're. It's a community. And it's just really cool to see people who I thought might be dangerous, who are not dangerous at all. Like, they're just so sweet and caring. So cool.

[Host]

So you guys have met a lot of people. You've seen a lot of things here, even in your short time here. How is that, do you think, if at all going to change you change your thoughts on homelessness, thoughts about life in general? Is it going to change you at all going forward?

[Emerson]

I think it definitely will. I think there's. Okay, this is like a little rabbit trail. But it just makes me think, like, I was just reading through Matthew, just finished Matthew, and I realized I didn't really know the character of Jesus. So I was like, I want to read through the Gospels and, like, really know the character of Jesus. And something that is reoccurring upon reoccurring in the Gospel of Matthew, it says, and Jesus was moved with compassion. And when I looked up, like, the root word of compassion, it means to be moved with emotion, but that. That spur you into action. And so understanding that I feel like interacting with and getting to, like, know some of these people has evoked, like, the proper definition of compassion in me. Like, it not only gets me feeling some type of way inside. Like, I'm like, oh, like, I'm. I'm sad. I feel like I feel so blessed for what I have. It's like, it makes me want to do something. It makes me, like, want to address the issues that I'm seeing. Because, like, at UMHB and I think I was talking to Melody about this earlier at UMHB and literally any time that you're in a university, we're in a bubble. Like, we don't see what goes on in our community. And I feel like this. This just makes me. It almost like, spurs me to action in a way of, like, okay, I'm here. I don't want to be so ignorant to what's going on around me. So, like, what can I do? Like, how can I serve? So I think that's convicting for me, but it also gets me thinking, like, how can I do this through nursing, but also as a nursing student, like, not as an rn, like, as a student, how can I get involved in my community? And how can I address the needs that I'm seeing right now? But that's what I would say.

[Melody]

I think for me, I've always valued serving other people and just being like, a disciple and just not wanting to do it to make myself look good, but just to know that it's just the right thing to do as human beings. And I feel like Feed My Sheep has really opened my eyes into a deeper level of that. And I won't go home the same way I came, for sure. I think I just have a different perspective now on certain things and why, you know, it's so important to have resources for the homeless people, because it's like, where are they going to go? And I feel like just having a community where they can all, like, interact together and just share their life stories with is so important. And even just as a Christian, as a believer myself, I constantly want to grow deeper in that, like, servanthood and knowing that I can just help someone in need, even if it is just something so little as just giving them a ride somewhere or, like, giving them some food or just serving them. Because I feel like no matter what stage we are in our lives, I feel like it is always just so essential just to serve other people. And I feel like if I have my RN or if I'm still a college student, I still want to have that foundation of just helping people as much as I can. And I feel like Feed My Sheep does a great job of that.

[Host]

So cool.

[Sabra]

Yeah, I definitely will leave changed. I definitely have left changed. Like, I just. Seeing how other people who are people who are homeless can have such an impact on me in my life. And, like, they help me more than I help them. Sometimes I feel like. And just seeing, like, the looks on their face whenever I'm talking to them or, like, just having that interaction, I never thought that I would have such a relation to them. Because I always thought, like, oh, they're too different. We're not gonna connect or they're not gonna want to hear my story, or they're not gonna, like, get much out of my, Like, I don't know. I just thought we were too different, I guess, and just being able to talk to them and get to know them and, like, really have that relationship, I feel like it'll help me tremendously in missions, on the mission field, in nursing, and just getting to know people who are either Christian, who are not Christian, who are at many different stages in their life, who are struggling, who have done some bad things in the past, who are trying to be better now, who. People who are just still struggling. Like, I would love to help them. And I've always also really liked service, and I really want to serve other people, and I want to do it without expecting anything in return. And I want to serve people for Christ. And I also. I think I'm getting the perspective of everyone's made in the image of people, God, and, like, just knowing how to treat other people in general and how to think of other people and how to not judge pre before I meet people.

[Host]

Yeah, so you guys all mentioned this, but it's something I struggle with sometimes, too. But we're just all so similar. Like, you can pick any group of people that you want to lump together. Like, we're all so similar. Like, we all have the same emotions. We all have hopes and dreams. We all have disappointments and hurts and struggles. So it may look different for each of our lives, but we're all our. Our base level just really similar in how we live and how we feel. And so I think it's great that you guys all brought that up. One last question. What would you say to someone your age, a college student, about the importance of volunteering somewhere, like, feed my sheep. Maybe they're scared, they're unsure. You're talking to them about it. What would you say to them?

[Emerson]

I would say. I would say one, like, we're no better than you. We probably felt the same way that you feel right now, but step out of your comfort zone. I think, and I've mentioned this so many times, but we're so ignorant to what goes on around us. I think it's human nature and human flesh to only think about yourself and only think about your own desires, what you want, but especially, like, not only as Christians. I don't want to, like, assume that everybody listening or watching is like, a Christian. If you are a Christian, it's like, it's an action call to love the people around you. But as a human being, like, these are. These are people. And, like, I. I just feel like I want to encourage somebody with just be bold. Like, you'll never go anywhere meaningful in your life by staying, like, in complacency, by staying at, like, mediocrity. Like, you have to be uncomfortable to reach great things. That's not saying, like, you're going to be, like, a morally better person for doing. No, that's not what it is. But it's like, this matters, and this really does change people's life. And so I feel like if you can just get over yourself a little bit, maybe. And I said that to myself, literally, for coming here. I was like, why do I feel this way? Like Emerson, literally, get over it, but just getting over yourself and really, like, humbling yourself, because you'll see exactly what we see, which is the fact that these are people and you're not gonna impact them probably as much as they're gonna impact you. But that's what I would say.

[Melody]

I guess for me, I just feel like having an open mind and open heart is something that you should do. You should, like Emerson said, get over yourself. Because they're not looking for people to just, you know, appear to be a good person. They want people who are genuinely here to help them. And I feel like it would be a good opportunity because you can see both some sides of the spectrum. If we're talking about the economy here, we're talking about people who probably had families and had, you know, a good job and things like that. But, you know, they, along the way, had some obstacles and things, and that's where their situation is now. So I feel like you can understand people more deeply when you just give them an opportunity to speak and share their stories. Because, yeah, it's important to volunteer, but volunteer for the right reasons. Don't just do it just to make yourself feel better. And I also would say walk by faith and not by sight in this situation. Walk by faith and knowing that you can help someone and not just seeing visual changes, but knowing that it's something that is coming from the heart, not just for being a good person, doing a good deed.

[Sabra]

Yeah, I would say, listen to God. He definitely, like, I have really bad anxiety. I didn't think I would ever, like, end up anywhere, like, here by myself. I just showed up, and God's been doing a lot in me because I also did that to a church that I did not know anyone at. I just showed up and I think we just have to trust God and just lead where he's taking us. It really, yes, it's scary. I definitely know that. But I think I've learned that just God's plans are amazing and if you follow him and where he's taking you, then you're going to be transforming. And I want that transformation because I know that sin and the flesh are just so hard to live in. And living in the spirit is so much better and so much more free and so much easier. Like Jesus's burden truly is light even though it feels so heavy sometimes. And so just look for transformation and for God and he'll lead you where you are supposed to be. But, but as for serving, it's definitely something that you should definitely take interest in and no matter where you are in your life. So awesome.

[Host]

Well, thank you guys for joining us.

[Emerson]

That was fun.

[Sabra]

That was fun.