Guest Blogger - Leah Carvajal

As a Psychology & Social Services major at CBC, I am required to complete 120 hours of internship experience to get my degree. When the end of last semester came, it dawned on me that with only three semesters left before graduation, I needed to go ahead and get that internship done before my time ran out.  I didn’t have any idea what my options were as far as where I could go, so I asked my advisor to place me wherever he thought best. He made some calls, and sent me off to the Bethlehem House.

I had no idea what to expect. I wasn’t even really sure what the Bethlehem House was, except I knew it was some kind of homeless shelter. I figured I’d come, copy some papers, serve some food, and be done 120 hours later. However, my experience here turned out to be very different than I expected.

I learned a lot during my 120 hours. I learned practical things like how the house runs, what the rules are, and just kind of got a good feel of what having a career at a place like this would be like. I really enjoyed getting to know the staff and volunteers. They are all wonderful people with a hearts for the residents, and they set a very good example for me.

But I truly feel that the best part of my experience came from the time I spent with the residents. Getting to know them forced me to completely redefine the concept of being homeless. Being homeless does not necessarily mean living on the street. And you do not always become homeless because you are lazy and choose not to work. Any single unexpected event can lead to homelessness, whether it be a job layoff, an illness, or a powerful addiction. We are all human. We all have battles. And sometimes we just need a little help, encouragement, or even strict house rules to help us get back on our feet and out into the world. We are not to judge. We are to show the love of Christ to all people. There is no difference between me and the homeless, except that I happen to have a roof over my head tonight.

And I must say that the most fun part of my experience was the Vacation Bible School that we did in the back yard. The children here were such a joy and an inspiration to me throughout my experience.  They are so carefree. They do not know that they live in a “transition house.” They are not concerned about finding a job or finding childcare or saving money. They are just so happy that they have an awesome backyard and always have someone to play with. They worry about nothing, and they trust their parents with everything. The more time I spend with them, the more I see what it means to have a “childlike faith.” If someone were to ask me what I thought the greatest need at this house is, I would say that we need people to be praying daily for every child that passes through this house. They are our future. Someday one of them may be running this place, or moving back in here with their own children. They have so much potential, and we must be praying.

I am so thankful that this is where the Lord brought me for my internship. It has been an invaluable experience, and I have been blessed by everyone here.

-Leah Carvajal