A special graduation

This weekend I was privileged to attend a graduation ceremony at Ivy Tech community college. Two of our previously homeless neighbors were receiving degrees in human services. I cannot imagine how my friend LuWanna must have felt that afternoon. After more than 10 years of homelessness & 27 years of drug addiction, she has come so far! She's now married, reunited with her family, serving as a minister and support group leader, a board member, and a college graduate. Housed now for 5 years, she has turned a very difficult life story into an amazing blessing. She didn't need that piece of paper to prove to me that she can change lives, nor a ceremony to initiate her into human services. But oh how far she's come! Oh how far she'll go!

I still find it unbelievable that I am privileged to have these experiences. I work with people who like to visit homeless men in the hospital, who get excited about a neighbor's open house - even in his tiny "crackerbox" apartment. I have opportunities to mix with local government officials and Super Bowl-winning NFL players as we fight homelessness together. And I hear spectacular stories of obstacles overcome each day.

There are a mere 2.5 months left in my service term, but I'm planning to soak up each of these moments - these triumphs and these tragedies in the lives of the Indianapolis homeless population. I will savor what time I do have left.