Day 4
We finally reached our second housing facility, a cozy cabin in the woods. This new location meant we no longer had to be up at the crack of dawn to walk through a basketball practice in order to shower. It was a good thing we were allowed some extra rest (meaning we slept 6 hours instead of 4) because today was our big event at the hospital. Our group was bringing a new adventure to St. Jude… a winter wonderland in the form of various crafts and games.
We set up our event in the middle of a busy hallway between the entrance and the cafeteria inside the hospital. This heavy traffic allowed for a lot of potential visitors, and sure enough we were quickly welcoming more and more visitors to our event. Our group was excited about the opportunity to provide patients with a break from treatment that afternoon. Children stopped to spend time with us as they walked by so they could make a snowman "just like Olaf", take their turn throwing a snowball at a stack of snowmen cups to knock them down, or to guess how many jingle bells were wrapped up inside presents. The kids adored these activities and simply putting a smile was a rewarding feeling. If we could let these kids forget about their worries for even a moment, then all our hard work would be worth it.
A highlight of the day was when a mother, whose son and daughter were busy making reindeer at one of our stations, spoke with a few of our group members in order to express her gratitude. She said that little activities, like the one we had set up in the hallway, helped the children deal with the boredom and pain they experience in the hospital. It was so special to hear first-hand how much that woman and her children really appreciated what we were doing. Craft tables and games are the least we could do to help these families. Reflecting on our event, our group agreed that it was pretty amazing to have a mother dealing with so much, take time out of her stressful day to thank us. It really shows the positive light and energy that these St. Jude families exude.
After the event we did more maintenance activities around the Target House before going back to the Tri Delta Place to serve a pizza dinner donated by Domino's. It was a pleasant surprise to see some familiar faces show up again from either Monday night when we served a homemade pasta dinner or from our activity in the hospital earlier in the day. It strengthened some of the connections that we have been making throughout our week in Memphis.
We are now more than halfway done with our week of service at St. Jude, but in just three short days there have been more eye-opening experiences than our group could have ever imagined. Whether it was organizing a basement jam-packed with toys and household donations for the families, having a conversation with a passionate woman who has worked at St. Jude for the past 16 years, or meeting a child fighting an illness, our group has constantly been inspired by this unique organization. At St. Jude, everyone is willing to fight, and we are so fortunate to join this organization in their battle. This has been an amazing three days so far, and luckily we have two more to go.
Keep It Beale
Memphis 3
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