By Nicole Jiskoot (Summer Intern)
I began this summer as a Clinical Pastoral Education intern at Central Outreach and Advocacy Center. I am a student at Columbia Theological Seminary, studying to become a minister, and this internship is one step toward pursuing the call I feel God has placed on my life. I had a choice as to where I wanted to spend my time during this internship. I knew I wanted to work in urban ministry of some kind. Being from a small town, I had very little experience with the types of ministries that center around an urban population. COAC was the first stop on a grand tour of potential sites and it instantly became my first choice. I got to tour the office, meet some guests, see what services were provided, and really get a feel for the difference this organization was making in people’s lives.
As I finished training and began meeting with guests one-on-one, I quickly realized that I was likely to get more out of this summer’s experience than I would be able to offer to anyone else. The men and women I met this summer were inspirations to me. I was able to hear their stories firsthand. Some of them have been shared with you before. Yet, there is something sacred that happens in the spaces behind the walls and inside the courtyard. In fact, my very first day was a sign of what was to come. As I approached the gate prior to opening, a gentleman on the street, one of the unhoused guests who frequented COAC from time to time, greeted me with the warmest smile, asked who I was, and prayed a blessing over me for the summer ahead. Here I was, ready to serve as a chaplain to the “less fortunate,” and a man with no home blessed me.
As the weeks passed, I met some of the most courageous and determined people I’ve ever met in my life. I also met some who longed for a sense of hope for the future, for whom taking one small step in the direction of stability and safety was a heavy task on their own. Regardless of the individual responses to their circumstances, what I found most consistent in my guests was gratitude. They were grateful for the services we were able to provide for them. They were grateful for the nourishment they received as they walked through the doors. As the summer wore on, they were grateful for the air-conditioning. Ultimately, however, they were grateful for the dignity and respect with which they were treated by the staff, volunteers, and interns.
As my time at COAC comes to a close, I am torn between the emotions I feel. I, too, am grateful for the experience I had, and I am sad to see it end. I cannot count the number of times a guest got into my heart, and I have a profound feeling they will stay there permanently. I came into this internship with the desire to make a difference, but as I reflect on my experiences, I realize that I am the one who has been changed. It has been my privilege to be part of this program for a time. The gentleman on that first day was right – I have truly been blessed.